Saudi oil minister slams biofuels, favors solar energy

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL1079284820080410?sp=true

Saudi oil minister slams biofuels, favors solar energy

Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:00am EDT

By Muriel Boselli

PARIS (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's oil minister on Thursday slammed biofuels, saying they did not protect the environment or help supply security, but added solar power had to be considered one of the best clean energy sources.

"Let's be realistic, ethanol and biofuels will not contribute to the protection of the global environment by reducing (carbon dioxide) emissions, they will not increase energy security, nor will they reduce dependency on fossil fuels to any appreciable degree," Ali al-Naimi told an oil conference.

"Biofuels are not the solution," he added.

The rise in biofuel use was largely due to government subsidies, high import taxes and financial favoritism vis-a vis others, he added.

...

[gristy]

1. Well good for him.

Most with half a brain recognize that growing our oil is NO solution. He gets kudos for speaking out publicly on this.

[annabanana]

2. Well jeez... He's in the middle of

A FREAKIN' DESERT! . . . duh

[Nihil]

3. So are a lot of Americans but they don't seem to have twigged yet ...

At least the Saudi gentleman recognises problems further out than
the next quarterly report ...