Biomass: Fueling Tomorrow

We all need it. Now, more than ever, we need more of it.

Fuel – It’s a double-edged sword. It operates society, yet its creation can be considered by some to be problematic to society.

To meet the demand for renewable fuels, a fuel source that is heralded for its eco-friendly bases and sustainability, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) subsidizes farmers who produce non-food crops that can be used to create fuel.

BCAP is designed to advocate for the establishment of a sufficiently large base of new, non-food, non-feed biomass crops in anticipation of future demand for renewable energy consumption.

“Domestic production of renewable energy, including biofuels, is a national imperative,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “That’s why USDA is working to assist in developing a biofuels industry in every corner of the nation.”

The Renewable Fuels Association states that the U.S. will use about 138 billion gallons of gasoline this year. The Renewable Fuels Standard mandates that the U.S. use 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel annually by 2022. To help achieve this standard, the use of biofuels, including corn-based ethanol and soybean-derived biodiesel, is imperative.

As part of the 2008 Farm Bill Program, BCAP has a two-pronged approach to support renewable fuel production that will reduce reliance on imported oil and boost rural economies:

1. Provides matching payments for the transportation of certain eligible materials that are sold to qualified biomass conversion facilities to assist both agricultural and forest landowners and operators

2. Provides assistance for the establishment and production of eligible renewable biomass crops within specified project areas

BCAP Quick Facts

• Payments up to 75 percent of the cost of establishing eligible perennial crops
• Payments up to 15 years for woody perennial crops
• Annual payments up to five years for growing annual or perennial herbaceous or non-woody crops
• Increased costs for refiners related to use of the new biomass crops will be paid up to $281.5 million that remains from the 2008 Farm Act
• Biomass or biofuel production plants must be certified with the Farm Service Agency for the farmers to claim the payments

Increased use of ethanol and biodiesel in the fuel supply is a step toward the progressive use of renewable fuels.

Recently, The Environmental Protection Agency approved increasing concentrations of ethanol blended with gasoline for U.S. vehicles made in 2007 and later to 15 percent from 10 percent. A decision about whether to extend that ruling to cars built from 2001 to 2006 will come next month after more testing, reports a Bloomberg story.

Additionally, Vilsack noted that Congress should help build the biofuel industry by “reinstating the Biodiesel Production Tax Credit and providing a fiscally responsible short-term extension of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC),” as reported by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).

A federal tax credit that provided blenders of biodiesel $1 for every gallon produced is expired, while a federal tax credit that provided blenders of ethanol 45 cents for every gallon produced (VEETC) expires Dec. 31, 2010.

BCAP facilitates biofuel’s potential to help America assert its energy security. I hope it continues to foster more positive strides regarding renewable-fuel use.

Photo obtained from: allfreelogo.com

Obama Encourages Crop-Based Fuel Production

Significant job-creation, environmental and energy-security benefits are associated with the domestic production of biodiesel and ethanol; benefits that President Barack Obama recognized in his State of the Union Address.

Biodiesel and ethanol are two types of biofuels that are liquid fuels derived from renewable resources such as plant or animal materials. The U.S. is mandated to produce 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022 as outlined in the 2007 energy bill, which is nearly double the 12 billion gallons it currently mandates.

“Providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy is the right thing to do for our future, because the nation that leads the clean-energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy, and America must be that nation,” Obama said.

Biodiesel is a fuel blend made primarily with soybeans. Ethanol is a fuel blend made primarily with corn.

Both crop-based fuel sources are advantageous for the agriculture industry. Farmers who grow corn and soybeans can be privy to the success and failure of the biofuels market if portions of their harvest are sold to biorefineries. But they’re not the only ones who are positively impacted.

Consumers also profit from domestic biofuel production. Biofuels supplement the U.S. fuel supply, offsetting the cost of regular fuel prices. Domestic biofuel production creates jobs to spur economies nationwide. Biofuels are also better for the environment because they’re non-toxic and don’t deplete natural resources. Biofuel use improves domestic security by reducing our reliance on imported oil.

Biodiesel Stats

• Biodiesel production in the U.S. provided more than 23,000 jobs nationally and more than $4 billion to the nation’s GDP in 2009.
• Without biodiesel, gas prices would increase $.20 to $.35 per gallon, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, which saved the average U.S. household $150 to $300 in 2008.
• Biodiesel is extremely energy efficient; for every one unit of energy required to produce it, it returns 5.2 units of energy.

Ethanol Stats

• In 2009, the U.S. ethanol industry supported nearly half-a-million jobs.
• Research shows a 35-to-46 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and a 50-to-60 percent reduction in fossil-energy consumption because of the use of ethanol as a component in motor fuel.
• Most of the standard gasoline sold in the U.S. uses a 10-percent blend of ethanol.
• The production and use of 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2009 displaced the need for more than 321.4 million barrels of oil and saved American consumers and taxpayers more than $32 billion.

Obama noted the urgency and importance of biofuel production to our country’s energy independence:

“But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear-power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean-coal technologies,” Obama said.

The Biofuels Interagency Working Group, created by Obama’s administration in May, is devoted to implementing the policies necessary to progress the country’s outlined energy initiatives.

As part of his clean-energy agenda to advance job creation and reduce dependence on foreign oil, Obama recently met with 11 governors to discuss a “non-ideological approach” to energy and efficiency.

As climate change continues to develop into a deeper political issue, it will be interesting to witness how the country responds to Obama’s incentives, and how American agriculture will step up to the plate.










Biofuels: Finding an Answer to the Energy Problem

The search for alternative fuels and energy sources has moved from a unique scientific pursuit to an economic and global necessity in the last decade. Immersed in controversy due to the soaring costs of fuel, food and other living expenses, the biofuel and ethanol industries are scrambling to find new and better ways to power our homes, cars and tractors.

Currently, the most common and widely produced biofuel is corn-based ethanol. However, even supporters of the industry realize that it is not the final answer to our energy needs. Corn ethanol is helping us reduce dependence on oil, but most agree that the future lies in using cheaper non-food material.

There are dozens of solutions in the works, but one of the most promising sources of cellulosic ethanol is switchgrass, a perennial that can thrive on poor soil with little water, fertilizer or pesticides.

Jeffrey Bennetzen, a professor of molecular genetics at Franklin College studying biomass energy, said that the advantages of using a cellulosic approach are that switchgrass captures carbon dioxide very effectively. It also reduces runoff from fields and does not take valuable acreage away from food production.

Sunflower stalks, sugar cane and sweet sorghum are all being studied for their use in creating cleaner and more efficient bioenergy. Their ability to grow quickly in conditions where corn and soybeans cannot, allows these energy sources to yield 250 percent more ethanol per acre than corn.

Other creative sources of fuel are pond algae, certain fruits and animal food wastes.

“Any kind of relief or help we can get from a cheaper source of oil could impact the agriculture industry tremendously throughout the country, throughout the world,” said Florida citrus farmer Bryan Beer. During peak harvesting, his tractors consume 120 gallons of fuel a day.

Many of America’s best minds are working to create what many believe will be one of the keys to a truly renewable energy system in this country and around the globe. It is projected that the impact of these research developments won’t be seen for about five to 10 years, but we do know that whatever the solution, farmers will have major roles to play.

There are still many questions that need to be answered, and many seem to directly influence the American farmer. Do you believe that cellulosic fuel is the answer? Is moving away from corn and soy-based fuel – products that many in the industry are finally catching up with – a wise decision? Could you see yourself growing these new crops? Let me know your thoughts. Please comment below.