Biofuels a costly option

Ultan Doherty (Letters, Feb 28) makes the point that if, as a 13-year-old, she/he understands the threat of fossil fuel depletion and global warming, then why can’t adults?

However, Ultan says that hydrogen, solar, electric and biofuel-powered cars are all viable alternatives?

Hydrogen can only be made from fossil fuels, or by hydrolysis using electricity, mainly produced by fossil fuels, but like electric cars, less efficiently than using them directly.

There is not enough arable land in Ireland for biofuels. Their production has resulted in the price of cereals tripling, and if all the inputs, including fertilisers (made from fossil fuels) are taken into account, the input energy is more than the energy they produce.

A car powered by solar would need several hundred square metres of panels and half a tonne of batteries if it were to operate at night.

The fact is, there no viable alternative.

Michael Job

Glengarriff

Cork