Author
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Wilhelm, Wallace |
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Submitted to: Biofuels, Bioproducts, & Biorefining (Biofpr)
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 12/14/2007 Publication Date: 2/14/2008 Citation: Wilhelm, W.W. 2008. My Biomass, Your Biomass, Our Solution. Biofuels, Bioproducts, & Biorefining. 2:8-11. Interpretive Summary: The US is pursuing an array of renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass energy and biomass ethanol are key components in the pursuit. The need for biomass feedstock to produce sufficient ethanol to meet any of the numerous stated target production goals is enormous. The Billion Ton Vision suggests one billion tons of biomass is needed annually to meet the 30x30 goal. Great advances in technology will be required to sustainably produce this vast quantity of biomass. These advances will not come about through wasteful, fragmented, ill-coordinated, competitive efforts. To the contrary, the problem of sustainably meeting the biofuel feedstock demand in so great that we need to focus our competitive energies toward establishing complementary public energy policy based on facts and candid analysis; toward crafting cooperative, coordinated energy goals across agencies; and toward creating enthusiastic, dedicated teams of researchers to developing technology to address these goals. Technical Abstract: The US is pursuing an array of renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass energy and biomass ethanol are key components in the pursuit. The need for biomass feedstock to produce sufficient ethanol to meet any of the numerous stated target production goals is enormous. The Billion Ton Vision suggests one billion tons of biomass is needed annually to meet the 30x30 goal. Great advances in technology will be required to sustainably produce this vast quantity of biomass. These advances will not come about through wasteful, fragmented, ill-coordinated, competitive efforts. To the contrary, the problem of sustainably meeting the biofuel feedstock demand in so great that we need to focus our competitive energies toward establishing complementary public energy policy based on facts and candid analysis; toward crafting cooperative, coordinated energy goals across agencies; and toward creating enthusiastic, dedicated teams of researchers to developing technology to address these goals. [REAP Publication] |
