Expert doubts state can make renewable fuel

Gov. Ed Rendell wants to see Pennsylvania farmers grow enough crops to produce a billion gallons of renewable fuels each year to reduce the state’s dependence on foreign oil.

But the plan could die on the vine because there isn’t enough farmland to produce grain for energy while also keeping up with agricultural needs, according to a local agriculture expert.


Rendell’s renewable-fuels plan is part of a sweeping energy policy that calls for creating an $850 million Energy Independence Fund for initiatives such as reimbursing homeowners for installing solar-power systems and using farms to grow crops for fuel.

Pennsylvania already imports grain because there is not enough farmland to support the state’s animal industry, said Mena Hautau, agronomy educator for Berks County Cooperative Extension.

Reading Eagle