SOLAR PANELS VS BIOFUELS: LAND EFFICIENCY MATTERS

NEWS: Solar energy produces far more usable energy per acre of land than liquid biofuels. Given that land is a scarce and valuable resource, especially for food security and ecosystems, using land efficiently is crucial for climate action.

Background: Why biofuels became popular

• In the early 2000s, biofuels were seen as a climate-friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
• Idea: Grow crops (sugarcane, corn, oilseeds), convert them into ethanol/biodiesel, use them for transport
• Today: Biofuels still supply ~4% of global transport energy, they use enormous land area (≈ 32 million hectares, ~size of Germany)

Using land for biofuels has opportunity costs:

• Land could be used for: Food production, forest regeneration (carbon sinks), solar or wind energy
• Agriculture itself emits: Methane, Nitrous oxide, CO₂ from land-use change
• When these are included, climate benefits of biofuels shrink sharply.

Key concept: Energy per acre

Biofuels: Low efficiency

• Plants convert <1% of sunlight into biomass (photosynthesis)
• More energy is lost when: Crops are processed, biomass is converted to liquid fuel
• Even efficient crops like sugarcane remain energy-poor per unit land

Solar panels: High efficiency

• Solar panels convert 15–25% of sunlight directly into electricity
• No intermediate biological step
• Much less energy loss

What do the numbers say?

• Using the same land (~32 million hectares):
• Energy source Annual energy output
• Biofuels ~3,400 TWh
• Solar panels ~32,000 TWh
• Solar produces ~9–10 times more energy on the same land.

Transport decarbonisation comparison

• Total electricity needed to power all cars & trucks globally: ~7,000 TWh/year
• Solar on biofuel land could generate: ~32,000 TWh/year

Environmental & policy implications

• Replacing biofuel crops with solar can:
• Free land for reforestation
• Increase carbon sequestration
• Improve biodiversity
• Land-use decisions are as important as technology choice and emissions targets

Policy takeaways:

• Prioritize solar + EVs for road transport
• Use biofuels selectively (aviation, blending targets)
• Avoid excessive diversion of fertile land to energy crops
• Integrate land-use planning with climate policy