Advanced biofuels roundup

With the economy tanking, federal officials are turning toward green energy as an economic and financial savior, and new biofuels are appearing increasingly attractive to legislators and industry for a number of reasons.

More than a year ago, Congress passed a law requiring dramatic increases in biofuel production, ramping up national production from 8.5 billion gallons in 2008 to 36 billion gallons in 2022. The law has come under fire since its passage, reaping criticism for its slated increase in corn-based ethanol to as much as 15 billion gallons per year within the next decade and a half. That’s unpopular with many environmentalists and other groups who say fuels made from food-based feedstocks, like corn and soybeans, raise food prices and unsustainably use precious land and water resources.

Industry has responded by honing in on developing advanced biofuels that use non-food feedstocks — ranging from agricultural wastes to algae — to create a host of new fuels, including airplane juice.

United Press International