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Corn ethanol, though valuable, can play only a limited role, because its ability to displace gasoline is modest at best. But cellulosic ethanol, should it fulfill its promise, would help to wean us of our petroleum dependence. Alan Greenspan, remarks to Senate Foreign Relations Committee 2006
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To significantly expand its market share on a large scale, ethanol must become cheaper. For that to happen, inexpensive and plentiful feedstocks must be found outside the Midwest corn belt. A significant breakthrough is the conversation of biomass into cellulosic ethanol, which could provide nationwide ethanol production options that today are limited to corn producing states. The U. S. Department of Energy, Secretary Samuel Boden, has this to say about accelerating the research of cellulosic ethanol:
We need to develop and deploy the next generation of ethanol - ethanol and other products made from biomass products that are outside the food chain. In my view, this means cellulosic fuels made from agricultural waste products and crops like switchgrass, which can be grown and regenerated on less desirable lands.
Cellulosic ethanol is an environmentally friendly and renewable transportation fuel produced from a wide array of feedstocks, including non-food plant materials such as agricultural wastes, dedicated energy crops such as switchgrass, sugarcane bagasse, and wood products. Moreover, unlike corn ethanol, cellulosic biofuel does not require fertilizers, pesticides, energy, and water to grow.
Cellulosic ethanol and conventional, grain-based ethanol have identical molecules, but they differ in that conventional fuel ethanol is derived from only a small fraction of biomass feedstock, the edible parts of corn or other feed grains, while cellulose ethanol is made from the non-food portion of renewable feedstocks such as cereal straws and corn stover (leaves and stems) or dedicated energy crops. While the refining process for cellulosic ethanol is more complex than that of corn-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol yields a greater net energy benefit and results in much lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Although the cellulosic technology to create cellulosic ethanol is available today, scientists must continue to work through technical hurdles before it can be marketed at competitive prices. The general consensus is that cellulosic ethanol technology is within 5 to 10 years of being fully commercialized. Once cellulosic ethanol enters the marketplace, the cars of the future may indeed be running on the wastes of farms all across America.
Texas HB 1090
Texas Bioenergy Strategy
Farm Bill 2008
Research
EPAct 2005 Incentives
From Cellulose to Ethanol
Feedstocks & Energy Crops
Funding Opportunities
Texas HB 1090
Texas HB 1090: Biomass Power Generation & Revised Renewable Energy Requirements
During its 80th Legislative Session in 2007, the Texas Legislature focused on biomass power production and passed HB 1090, which authorizes $30 million annually for Department of Agriculture grants to farmers, loggers, and diverters who provide qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, or storm-generated biomass debris to facilities that use biomass to generate electrical energy. The bill provides funding for those who provide waste in the form of:
• Landfill diversions
• Forest wood waste from logging operations
• Storm debris
• Urban wood waste
• Landscape right-of-way trimmings
• Other agricultural organic waste
Texas Bioenergy Strategy
In July 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced the Texas Bioenergy Strategy, and awarded a $5 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund grant to Texas A&M University for research and biofuel advancements. In a four year project, Texas A&M University and the Chevron Corroboration are partnering on research efforts to find ways to speed up harvesting of cellulose crops and turning them into biofuels. The Governor said that Texas will focus on creating biofuels through cellulosic feedstock such as switchgrass, wood chips and corn stems - rather than from corn crops, which are a staple for the Texas cattle industry.
Farm Bill 2008
In May, 2008, the U.S. Congress passed the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the new farm bill that will accelerate the commercialization of advanced biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol, encourage the production of biomass crops, and expand the current Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program. Section 9003 provides for grants covering up to 30% of the cost of developing and building demonstration-scale biorefineries for producing "advanced biofuels," which essentially includes all fuels that are not produced from corn kernel starch. It also allows for loan guarantees of up to $250 million for building commercial-scale biorefineries to produce advanced biofuels. For bill details, see this DOE article.
Research & Development
Biotech is the enabling technology that will allow farmers to harvest two crops from every field - a food crop and a biomass crop for fuel production. Biotech breakthroughs mean that the nation's breadbasket could also become the energy fields of the United States. The question is not when, but how soon this will happen. Brent Erickson, Biotechnology Industry Organization
Advanced technology can break cellulosic materials down into their component sugars and then ferment them to make fuel ethanol, but the process is in its developmental stages and not yet commercialized.
The ability to make ethanol from cellulose greatly expands the types and amounts of available material for ethanol processing. Researchers are working to reduce processing costs for cellulosic ethanol and to broaden the availability of feedstocks in order to establish ethanol as a competitively-priced fuel.
Public and private funding for new research in cellulosic biofuels is increasing. Recent breakthroughs in biotechnology have brought scientists to the threshold of competitively-priced ethanol refined out of cellulosic biomass, such as agricultural and forestry residues, municipal wastes, and fast-growing, dedicated energy crops. Although cellulosic materials are less expensive than corn, they are more costly to convert to ethanol because of the extensive processing required.
Energy Policy Act of 2005
Cellulosic research is advancing on federal, state, university and private levels. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 has added millions of dollars to cellulosic ethanol research and development, and the President has set a goal of making cellulosic ethanol cost-competitive with corn-based ethanol by 2012. Ethanol companies are also working to commercialize cellulosic ethanol. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, all ethanol biorefineries have cellulose ethanol research programs because current feedstocks include a significant amount of cellulosic material that could be added to the refining mix.
Breaking Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol
In July 2006, DOE's Office of Science issued a joint biofuels research agenda with the Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy titled "Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol." The report provides a detailed roadmap for cellulosic ethanol research, identifying key roadblocks and areas where scientific breakthroughs are needed. See DOE's Genomics: GTL Web site.
DOE Bioethanol Pilot Plant
To help improve cellulosic technology and ready it for commercial operation, the DOE researchers and their industrial partners use the DOE Bioethanol Pilot Plant, a fully integrated biomass-to-ethanol production facility that can turn as much as one ton per day of corn stalks or other plant material into transportation fuels.
Texas Emerging Technology Fund
In July 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry awarded $5 million out of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund for biofuels research, particularly for research into cellulosic ethanol. The grant went to Texas A&M University's Agriculture and Engineering BioEnergy Alliance, a partnership between AgriLIFE Research (formerly the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station) and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station.
Cellulose Genetics Research
Improved crop genetics is critical for the production of renewable fuels from plant biomass. The improved genes will eventually be incorporated into corn breeding programs directed at maximizing the full potential of the entire corn plant to produce a competitively priced biofuel.
Bioenergy Research Centers
In a June 2007 press release, DOE announced funding of $375 million for three Bioenergy Research Centers to focus on understanding how to reengineer biological processes to develop new methods for converting the cellulose in plant material into ethanol or other biofuels that serve as a substitute for gasoline. Future biofuels production will require the use of feedstocks more diverse than corn, including cellulosic material like agricultural residues, grasses, poplar trees, inedible plants, and non-edible portions of crops. The teams of researchers come from 18 of the nation's universities, seven DOE national laboratories, at least one nonprofit organization, and a range of private companies. Work at the centers is expected to begin in 2008, with full operations starting in 2009. DOE plans to fund the centers for the first five years of operation.
See the ethanol news page for additional information on cellulosic research.
Research Advances in Cellulosic Ethanol
This is a 2007 DOE publication.
Cellulosic Ethanol Research Video
The video on this web page provides an overview of DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory research on converting biomass to liquid fuels.
EPAct 2005 Incentives
Two things are going to push the commercialization of cellulosic technology. One is driving the cost down, which is mainly research and development; the other is that environmental concerns are increasingly entering into commercial calculations about biofuels. Alex Farrell, Energy and Resources Group, UC Berkeley
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) contains incentives designed to research, develop and commercialize ethanol derived from cellulosic feedstocks. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that research breakthroughs in cellulosic conversion technology could reduce the cost of ethanol production by 60 cents per gallon by 2015.
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The new incentives to invest in cellulosic ethanol production may accelerate the timeline for commercial production.
In the best of scenarios, cellulosic ethanol would become commercialized and contributing to the alternative fuels pool, supplying 30% (70 billion gallons per year) of the nation's gasoline by the year 2030.
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Source: U. S. Department of Energy
From Cellulose to Ethanol
In the Grimm Brother's fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin spins straw into gold. Thanks to advances in biotechnology, researchers can now transform straw, and other plant wastes, into "green" gold - cellulosic ethanol. Diane Greer, eNews Bulletin
The edible portions of corn and other grains easily ferment into ethanol because of the abundance of starch in their chemical make-up. The starch is turned into sugar, which is then fermented into ethanol, but cellulosic vegetation consists of a hard, fibrous cellulose and lignin which must first be converted into starches before they can be fermented. Breakthrough processing has succeeded in utilizing every bit of a plant such as corn, including husks, leaves and stalks.
Using corn as an example, out of the 4.5 tons of grain yielded by one acre of corn, three tons is starch that can be converted to 400 gallons of ethanol with current processing methods; but using using corn stalks and leaves in addition to the corn grain, that same acre would yield 700 gallons of ethanol.
The following DOE web page to view the processes used in converting biomass into cellulosic ethanol:
Feedstocks and Energy Crops
We have made it work with straw from barley, wheat, oats, and rice; with cornstalks; with bagasse left over from sugar-cane processing; and with chips of hardwoods such as poplar and aspen. There's also research going on with energy crops like switchgrass. Brian Foody, Iogen Corporation
A large variety of biomass feedstocks can be used to produce ethanol from cellulosic biomass. The materials being considered can be categorized as:
- agricultural wastes like corn stover and bagasse;
- industrial and municipal solid wastes like paper sludge;
- forest industrial wastes like sawdust; and
- energy crops like switchgrass or hybrid poplars.
All of these feedstocks are abundant and relatively inexpensive, and they can help to lower the cost of producing ethanol and provide stability to supply and price.
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Cellulosic Ethanol Energy Crops
A few fast-growing trees, shrubs, and grasses stand out as premium candidates for cellulosic conversion. These feedstocks could be successfully grown as dedicated energy crops, grown specifically to produce ethanol. Switchgrass or wood from short-rotation forestry such as hybrid poplar or hybrid willow require less water and fertilizer, adapt to geographically diverse regions under more adverse conditions, help reduce soil erosion and have larger yields than corn, wheat, or canola. These crops are currently being studied by federal, university and private groups for their potential to produce ethanol.
Another potential energy crop is miscanthus, a relative of sugarcane, which is being studied by the University of Illinois for its cellulosic bioenergy potential. It has been evaluated in Europe during the past 5-10 years as a new bioenergy crop.Like switchgrass, miscanthus requires minimal water and fertilizer and thrives in untilled fields, but yields more ethanol per acre (1.500 gallons) than switchgrass.
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Switchgrass
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Switchgrass
Switchgrass stands out among the cellulosic feedstocks because of its rapid growth, multiple growing seasons, increased yields, desirable environmental qualities and adaptability to geographically diverse regions. Research on switchgrass has increased in recent years because its economic potential appears to be superior to the potential of woody crops.
The U.S. Department of Energy has stepped up its research on the role of switchgrass in biomass production, with the goal of promoting its use in producing ethanol and other biofuels at prices competitive with gasoline and diesel.
Resources:
Switchgrass
Switchgrass Profile
Biofuels from Switchgrass
Switchgrass, the Next Big Energy Source
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Hybrid poplar farm
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Hybrid Poplars
Federal funds have been allocated for the study of cellulosic (plant fiber) biomass, particularly hybrid poplars (cottonwoods) and hybrid willows among the woody crops.
The hybrid poplar is an ideal candidate for cellulosic ethanol production as researchers have developed fast-growing hybrid poplar varieties with short rotation cycles that can can be grown over broad geographic range and harvested every 5 to 10 years depending on its location.
Because poplars regrow from the roots and trunks, they do not have to be replanted. Their yield per acre per year is three to six times greater than the natural forest poplars.
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Cellulosic Ethanol Resources:
We have what we need now to produce ethanol from cellulose. The key is to integrate the pieces into an economically competitive process and commercialize it. Joel Cherry, Novozymes
Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol
A DOE research roadmap resulting from the Biomass to Biofuels Workshop, December 2005, Rockville, Maryland. The 200-page scientific "roadmap" cites recent advances in biotechnology that have made cost-effective production of ethanol from cellulose, or inedible plant fiber, an attainable goal. The report outlines a detailed research plan for developing new technologies to transform cellulosic ethanol-a renewable, cleaner-burning, and carbon-neutral alternative to gasoline-into an economically viable transportation fuel.
Creating Cellulosic Ethanol: Spinning Straw into Fuel
Cellulosic Ethanol Fact Sheet
Growing Energy: How Biofuels Can Help End America's Oil Dependence
An in-depth study by the National Resources Defense Council in 2004. The report calls for $2 billion in funding for cellulosic biofuels over the next ten years, with $1.1 billion directed at research, development and demonstration projects and the remaining $800 million slated for the deployment of biorefineries.
Spain to Open World's First Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Opening of the world's first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant is slated for this fall in northern Spain, even though costs of producing alcohol fuel via the emerging technology are still estimated to be about 50%-100% higher than that for plants which use grain as a feedstock. The wheat straw to ethanol plant is operated by Abengoa, the largest ethanol producer in Europe, the second largest in the world, and operator of a research and development division in St. Louis, Missouri.
Also see SECO's ethanol news page page for up-to-date news on cellulosic ethanol.
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