Table 2.
Acidification and eutrophication of biofuels relative to fossil fuels.
| biofuel type | feedstock | acidificationa | eutrophicationa | source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| first generation | ||||
| bioethanol | corn | 1.4–3 | 4.4–20 | [242] |
| wheat | 3 | 5 | [76] | |
| sugar beet | 1.4–1.8 | 6–15 | [83] | |
| sugarcane | 2 | 2.8 | [81] | |
| biodiesel | rape seed | 1.3–1.7 | 3.1–5 | [32,54] |
| soya bean | 1.3–1.7 | 4–5 | [121] | |
| palm oil | 1.3 | 14 | [88] | |
| second generation | ||||
| bioethanol | short rotation coppice | 0.45 | 1.2 | [139] |
| switchgrass | 1.1 | 3.2 | [148] | |
| straw | 1.6–3 | 2–3.6 | [129] | |
| biodiesel | used cooking oil | 0.2 | 0.63 | [243] |
| Jatropha | 1 | 1 | [244] | |
| third generation | ||||
| biodiesel | algae | 2.6–3 | 2.1–3.2 | [216] |
aThe values represent the ratio of impacts from biofuels over fossil fuels and are dimensionless.