Final answer:
The myth about biofuels is that they will significantly curb dependence on oil. However, the reality is complex as biofuels compete with food production, are land-intensive and might not offer a substantial net energy gain, potentially not reducing oil dependence as much as hoped.
Step-by-step explanation:
The myth about biofuels is that they will curb dependence on oil. Biofuels, such as bioethanol and biodiesel, are derived from plant sources and are seen as potential substitutes for petroleum-based fuels. The idea is that these biofuels could help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and thereby decrease oil dependence. However, the use of biofuels is complex and could in fact compete with food production for land and water resources, and their energy return on energy invested (EROEI) is low, reducing the net energy available. Moreover, the large-scale implementation and replacing oil with biofuels is challenging due to the high demand for land and the inefficiency of plants in harvesting solar energy.
Biofuels can potentially offer a liquid fuel substitute to support transportation needs and represent a storage of solar energy. They have some benefits, such as the reduction of certain pollutants when burned compared to fossil fuels. Yet, they also have drawbacks such as the competition with food production, the potential for increasing food prices, and environmental concerns like deforestation for crop production which could potentially increase dependence on oil rather than reduce it.
While biofuels might seem an appealing solution in mitigating our oil dependence, they come with their own set of issues that could in some scenarios, undermine their potential to significantly reduce our reliance on oil, especially if their production is not managed sustainably and efficiently.