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Cellulosic Ethanol
Ethanol made biologically from cellulosic biomass, including agricultural and forestry residues, portions of municipal waste, and herbaceous and woody crops, is “Cellulosic Ethanol” and it has been recognized as a unique transportation fuel with powerful economic, environmental and strategic attributes. Although underfunded, it has been advanced to be competitive with corn and sugarcane-based ethanol. While corn-based ethanol continues to attract criticism, ethanol produced from cellulosic material such as switch grass or corn stalks is viewed as a more palatable alternative, in part because it doesn't rely on food crops to be produced.
Plant matter is comprised of cellulose and hemi-cellulose, which are essentially sugars, and the structural material, lignin. Plants evolved to protect themselves from being consumed, and so the sugars they contain are not easily accessible. Deriving fuels from these materials is thus a complex, energy intensive process. Most conversion technologies depend on thermal gasification (high temperature and pressure) or enzymes to break down material and access the sugars within. In spite of the lack of viable technologies for making cellulosic fuels, the U.S. nonetheless passed a mandate for 16 billion gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol by 2022 in the Energy Independence and Security Act.
The focus on cellulosic fuels is mainly due to the advantages associated with it such as
1) The feedstocks are plentiful and can be grown on “marginal” lands2) They will not compete with food production3) They will provide better energy balances than corn ethanol
Related Links:
- Ethanol as Biofuels
- Cellulosic Ethanol Production
- Companies Involved in Producing Cellulosic Ethanol
- Investments & Funding
- Challenges & Barriers in the commercialization process
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