Much-Touted Cellulosic Ethanol Is Late in Making Mandated Appearance

The New York Times
By DINA FINE MARON of ClimateWire
Published: January 11, 2011

A projected shortfall in the production of an important green energy alternative could hurt U.S. efforts to move away from fossil fuels, a ClimateWire analysis has found.

U.S. EPA figures indicate that in the second half of 2010, not a drop of cellulosic ethanol -- a much-touted fuel that taps the sugars from farm wastes and other non-food sources of biomass -- was commercially blended with gasoline.

William Brown, an analyst with the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Office of Oil, Gas and Biofuels Analysis, said that the "curious string of zeros" sends up red flags for that year's total production. Overall, he said, the outlook appears grim.

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