Download Powering the Future: Biofuels

Powering the Future: Biofuels
Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:
• Explore the different issues around
Jatropha curcas
• Discuss the views of the different people
involved
Facts and Figures
• To help combat climate change the UK has a
target to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by
2050.
• 30% of the UK renewable energy could come
from biomass heat and electricity by 2020.
• To meet the European Renewable Energy
Directive, the UK is aiming for 10% of transport
energy to be from renewable sources by 2020.
• UK feedstocks made up 18% of the
sustainable renewable road transport fuel used
in the UK between April 2012 and April 2013.
Background
Biofuels are considered a solution to sustainable
development, energy security and rising greenhouse gas
emissions.
Jatropha - high amount of oil in its seeds which can be
converted into biodiesel.
Countries could grow their own renewable energy source.
However there are social, economic and environmental
issues to consider.
The Present
The burning of fossil fuels and
subsequent release of carbon dioxide
is thought to be responsible for
climate change.
With increasing global temperatures
and the rising cost of fossil fuels we
need to find an alternative soon!
Is Jatropha the answer?
The Future
Fossil fuels are a non-renewable
source of energy and therefore they
will eventually run out.
The use of fossil fuels brings up issues
around climate change and our
increasing carbon footprint.
These are some of the reasons to find
more eco-friendly alternative sources of
energy.
How to play
1. Split into teams of 3-4.
2. One person from the group reads out one of the
character cards to the rest of their group.
• Is this person for or against Jatropha?
• Can you think of any arguments against what
the person is saying?
3. Have a different member of the group read out the
other character card.
• Is this person for or against Jatropha?
• Can you think of any arguments against what
the person is saying?
How to play
4. Take a look at the options card for your round.
• Can you think of a way for the two sides to come to
a solution?
• Rank the options available from most preferable to
least preferable. You may want to vote on the best
option.
5. Report your discussion back to the rest of the class.
• Who were your characters?
• What did your characters think of Jatropha?
• How did your group rank the options?
Voting
Lowering Carbon Footprint – key solutions
1. Money from the government should be invested in
researching if Jatropha can be beneficial
2. Car manufacturers can continue using Jatropha but
should be fined if 50% of their cars are not of an increased
efficiency by 2030
3. Money should be invested in promoting more ecofriendly ways of travel and transport and not in Jatropha
4. Car manufacturers cannot use Jatropha unless they pay
money towards its research
Environmental – key solutions
1. The farmer should be paid by the government to grow a
trial of Jatropha
2. Environmentalists should help farmers grow drought
tolerant food crops
3. Environmentalists should lobby the government to
provide better access to water for irrigation and domestic
use
4. Jatropha should not be grown until research has been
done on the best areas to grow it and the best practices
Social – key solutions
1. Local investors should focus on food crops only
2. Large companies should establish fair-trade agreements
with farmers who grow Jatropha
3. Large companies should be banned from buying
Jatropha and land directly from farmers
4. Farmers should only be given a license to grow
Jatropha if they grow an equal amount of food crops or if
they intercrop – grow food and Jatropha on the same land
Health – key solutions
1. Only edible varieties should be planted
2. There should be government regulations on the
handling and disposal of Jatropha
3. Scientists should do more to develop non-toxic
Jatropha
4. Jatropha should not be planted until a new variety is
developed
Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:
• Explore the different issues around
Jatropha curcas
• Discuss the views of the different people
involved