Commericalizing Cellulosic Ethanol

BioCycle
BioCycle November 2008, Vol. 49, No. 11, p. 47

Four of the six companies awarded U.S. Department of Energy grants for early stage funding are moving forward with gasification, enzymatic hydrolysis and acid hydrolysis projects.

Diane Greer

CELLULOSIC biofuels, produced from nonfood feedstock, are expected to play a critical role in reducing the country's dependence on imported oil. EISA, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, calls for the production of 100 million gallons per year (mgpy) of cellulosic biofuels by 2010, with a longer term goal of 16 billion gallons by 2022.

Achieving these goals will not be easy. Several technologies to produce cellulosic ethanol, proven in small-scale facilities, are moving toward commercial production. But challenges remain in scaling the technologies, reducing production costs and financing large-volume plants.

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