Energy Literacy Advocates Newsroom
New Renewables Project to Evaluate More Viable Biofuel
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Researchers in Oklahoma's panhandle are keeping watch over 1,000 acres of switchgrass - a crop they hope will yield commercially viable biofuel.
The $2.2 million project, managed by Oklahoma Bioenergy Center and the Noble Foundation, is unique in its scope. While switchgrass-based fuels have given promising results, until this research, no real evaluation had been conducted on its viability.
Gasoline made from switchgrass offers several benefits over corn ethanol. Switchgrass does not require annual replantings, nor does it need heavy amounts of fertilizer or water. The crop can be grown on marginal soil. Most importantly, researchers cite that switchgrass is not a food crop, and will not drive up food prices or cause shortages.
The current US federal renewable fuels standard insures demand for biofuels. A recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis projected that switchgrass alone may produce 900 million gallons of ethanol by 2022.
Labels: biofuels, renewables, u.s. energy policy
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Amanda Voss
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10:16 AM
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