ABSTRACT
Biofuels have caused a great deal of controversy in recent years. Opponents point to studies indicating that biofuels have increased global food prices and can cause adverse land-use changes, whereas proponents point out domestic economic benets and increased energy security. Policymakers are responsible for passing laws that will guide society either toward or away from biofuels. Ideally, the direction would be chosen with complete understanding of the economic, social, and environmental impacts associated with biofuel production. Similarly, biomass electricity generation has the potential to scale signicantly and its impacts must be understood. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the environmental impacts of biofuels and biomass electricity.
