Summary
Production of biofuels (ethanol) from corn is not the ultimate goal for biofuel development. Production of ethanol from a cheaper, more sustainable raw material, such as cellulosic materials, will gradually replace the corn-ethanol technology, therefore reducing the concern on food shortage.
Analysis
Biofuels are claimed to be environmental friendly as apparently no net carbon dioxide is produced during the production process. In fact, the harvest, transportation of crops to the production site, and subsequent conversion of crops to ethanol all need energy (oil or electricity) input, which means the production of biofuels is not a carbon dioxide-balanced process. But, this doe not mean biofuels are harmful.
Why we need biofuels? It is not because of the energy demand, but demand from driving vehicles. Corn-ethanol can contribute to the decrease of oil dependance. However, the ultimate goal for production of biofuels is to develop cellulosic ethanol technology, which will greatly reduce the production cost. The current technology for producing cellulosic ethanol is still too expensive. Once the technology is commercially viable, food shortage caused by the development of corn-ethanol will no longer be a concern.
People may worry that the ecological problems may arise if the large scale production of ethanol from cellulosic raw materials becomes a reality. For instance, the fertility of the land may decrease if all wheat straw are used for production of ethanol. But remember biofuels are just one of the alternatives of renewable energy. The next generation vehicles might be driven by fuel cells, or solar energy, but not fuels.
Corn-ethanol is just a temporary measure to reduce the fossil fuel dependence. Biofuels are not harmful, at least in Brazil, large scale production of ethanol from sugar cane did not cause food shortage, but generating a huge industry for the country.
