> If you only look at biofuels for the fuel value they still produce more energy than growing consumes. Though the amount of added energy is not great, it is more efficient than burning oil directly.
Is the marginal energy production worth the intense financial subsidy, though? That's really the important question. Would our dollars be better spent on direct electrification instead?
Apart from the climate crisis, the other huge systemic environmental crisis hitting us is biodiversity and habitat loss. Which is largely driven by land use changes thanks to agriculture. Using large tracts of farmland to convert fuels, fertilizer etc. into biofuels at barely break-even in energy terms isn't defensible in cases where electrification is an alternative.
Is the marginal energy production worth the intense financial subsidy, though? That's really the important question. Would our dollars be better spent on direct electrification instead?