Looking past Cellulosic Ethanol

In addition to the mountains of money being poured into the commercalization of cellulosic ethanol, there has been a parallel line of research examining the process of converting biomass into synthetic gas, and then into liquid fuel than could potentially be used for transportation fuel.
Biomass magazine has an article here on recent technology advances in this area. there is also an article here about the biomass gasification facility at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

This just happens to be the facility where some of the PCWL field demonstration work will be conducted. PCWL cooperators with the U of M will be studying the energy production potential of CRP native grass mixes and several other native biomass sources. By using gasification technology it is hoped we can develop a local and sustainable source of transportation fuel. From my understanding of the technology it appears to have the potential to utilize more of the carbon content of the biomass, thus yielding more energy per ton of biomass harvested.

In April Minneapolis will be hosting the Biomass 08' conference and trade show. This conference will discuss a wide range of issues involving the emerging biomass energy industry.

Cellulosic ethanol has even more competition as the premier biomass to energy conversion technology. In a October 2007 article Biomass magazine examines the fast pyrolysis process, where biomass is heated to drive out volatile oils and compounds to produce bio-oil which can be used as a heating oil. The by product from this process is essentially a form of charcoal, which has a variety of uses. The byproduct, referred to as char can be used for many things including a soil amendment to sequester carbon while improving the nutrient holding capacity of soil, as well as industrial uses for activated charcoal such as waste water treatment plants.

I guess the lesson for today's post is that the future of biomass energy does not rest solely on corn and cellulose derived ethanol as some would have you believe. There are millions of dollars being invested in new truly energy clean energy technologies, and from the way it looks our country's energy portfolio will look drastically different in 20 years regardless of whether or not a renewable energy portfolio mandate was included in the 2007 energy bill. It seems highly likely biomass energy is here to stay for the foreseeable future, but the question is which technologies will make up the mix that will end our dependence on fossil fuels.