Relation of Biofuel to Water Shortage
As more developed nations rush to increase production of bio-fuel to reduce the ‘carbon footprint’ and satisfy rising demand, it is necessary to understand the repercussions that production of bio-fuel has on the world’s water supply.
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Production of a single liter of biofuel requires the use of 3500 liters of irrigation water for sugarcane in India and about 1500 liters of irrigation water for maize in China. Additionally, in a year, a bio-refinery could produce about one hundred million gallons of ethanol. The quantity of water used in this endeavor could supply a town of close to 5,000 people. Production of biofuel requires many farm products. As people continue to demand more bio-fuel, and there is an increase in population, production of more food such as maize is necessary to cater for the request. Moreover, there is an increase in prices of products such as corn due to the large quantity of water used in their irrigation.
Water Shortage in Asia
In a study by MIT scientists, Asia is likely to experience severe water scarcity problems by the year 2050 (Dizikes par.1). It can be attributed to some factors, primarily population growth, and industrialization. China’s continuous economic growth has seen a rise in the wealth among its citizens, therefore leading to industrialization (Guli and Yampolsky). India, on the other hand, is likely to be affected by water shortage problems due to population growth (Dizikes par.12).
There is evidence suggesting that a change in water practices could significantly alter the issues affecting water. For example, development of more efficient water irrigation systems could help reduce the impact of water shortage on a continent that holds close to half the world’s population.
- Dizikes, Peter. “Water Problems in Asia’s Future? Study Finds High Risk of Severe Water Stress in Asia by 2050.” MIT News. N.p., 30 Mar. 2016. Web.
- Guli, Mina, and Raya Yampolsky. “Sustainable Urbanization.” Urbanization and Its Impact on China’s Water Resources (2014): n. pag. Web.
