Study Urged on Water Demands of Next-Generation Biofuel Feedstocks

Extensive studies are needed to understand the water needs of biofuel production from cellulosic feedstocks or other next-generation sources, federal auditors said in a preliminary report released yesterday.

The effects of corn-based ethanol production on water quantity and quality are well understood, the Government Accountability Office report (pdf) says, but less is known about next-generation feedstocks that have not been grown on a commercial scale.
“There is little information on the cumulative water, nutrient and pesticide needs of these crops, and it is not yet known what agricultural practices will actually be used to cultivate these feedstocks on a commercial scale,” the report says.

The report was released following a House hearing yesterday on the impact of energy generation on water (E&E Daily, July 10).

“There are many uncertainties in the energy and water nexus,” said Anu Mittal, GAO’s director of natural resources and the environment.

Another uncertainty: the potential water-supply impact of converting cellulosic feedstocks into biofuels.

New York Times