In addition, oilseeds require scare farmland, and costly fertilizers and pesticides. To meet growing demand for biodiesel fuel, scientists are looking for oil sources other than plants.

Corn also needs more fertilizer and pesticides than soybeans do. Per unit of energy gained, biodiesel requires 1 percent of the nitrogen, 8.3 percent of the phosphorus, and 13 percent of the ...

Biodiesel, derived from fats such as vegetable ... making fertilizers and pesticides, and processing the plants into fuel consumes a lot of energy—so much energy that there is debate about ...