Biofuels goal beyond ethanol

Western Farm Press
Nov 25, 2009 10:04 AM, By Hembree Brandon, Farm Press Editorial Staff

The use of biomass and other dedicated energy crops to produce second- and third-generation biofuels could potentially create an entirely new agricultural commodity sector.

If the U.S. is to reach the government-mandated target of producing 36 billion gallons of biofuels annually by 2022, “We will need to change the way we do business,” says a USDA official.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) specifies that less than half that amount, 15 billion gallons, can come from ethanol produced from grain, says Rajiv Shah, under secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.

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