Topic Proposal: Bio-fuels

With record oil prices and concern over energy independence and global warming continuing to gain momentum over the past few years, the role of bio-fuels has come to the economic and political forefront. In the United States, bio-diesel and ethanol have become the main domestic alternatives to traditional fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel, with their production and use increasingly subsidized and/or mandated.

I propose examining the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of adopting bio-fuels over traditional fossil fuels and other energy alternatives (such as hydrogen fuel cells), as well as examining the probable future direction of alternative fuel production and development in the United States. Examples of countries that have already built their economies around the use of bio-fuels (Brazil) and of countries who have adopted different alternative energy strategies (Iceland) can be discussed in reference to viable alternative fuels outside of ethanol and bio-diesel.