Are Biofuels Better for Your Carbon Footprint?

Guide · June 2026

Biofuels — ethanol, biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuel — are sold as a greener alternative to fossil fuels. Sometimes they are; sometimes they are not. The answer depends on what they are made from and what land they displace.

What biofuels are

Biofuels are made from living matter rather than fossil deposits. Common examples are ethanol (from corn or sugarcane), biodiesel (from vegetable oils), and sustainable aviation fuel. First-generation fuels use food crops; second-generation fuels use waste, residues or non-food feedstocks like algae, and generally perform better on climate.

The catch: land and lifecycle

A biofuel is only as clean as its full lifecycle. If growing the crop clears forest or displaces food production — so-called indirect land-use change — the climate benefit can vanish or even reverse. For personal transport, cutting distance and electrifying usually beats switching fuel. See where transport sits in your footprint.

Part of the bigger picture

This guide is part of our practical guide to reducing your carbon footprint.