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The Energy Foundation's Advanced Biofuels Campaign
In June 2005, the Energy Foundation expanded its partnership with the
The McKnight Foundation on research
and policy development to encourage the use of advanced biofuels. Our
shared vision has two goals:
- Upper Midwest leadership-help the region lead the nation, and
the world, on clean energy development with its benefits to local
economies, national energy security, and the environment, and
- Sustainability-on a global level (in terms of global warming
pollution) and on a local level (in terms of sustainable agricultural
systems, local air impacts, and water pollution).
Rural America needs new economic development opportunities. At the same time, America faces the challenge of obtaining the affordable, reliable, and clean energy needed for economic growth. America's rural landscape is the place to substantially address both challenges. Converting crops to liquid fuels produces new income streams for farm communities and, by displacing oil imports, improves U.S energy security.
To reach these goals, we must move beyond corn ethanol, today's
leading source of biofuels, and toward more advanced conversion
technologies, especially processes to convert cellulose into fuels. It
is clear that the right biofuel for solving global warming is one with
low energy inputs, large production potential, and easy distribution.
From a perspective of sustainable agriculture, the best approach is one
that uses a diverse set of feedstocks, including perennials crops that
can provide continuous soil cover and habitat. To avoid conflicts with
food production, the ideal fuel is one that uses land not already in
production for food, or that uses food crop residues, or that creates an
edible co-product. Maximum rural economic development comes from
farmers owning biorefineries and capturing the added value. The
developing world will benefit if the technologies and feedstocks are
affordable, resilient, and easily replicated, and wild and fragile lands
are protected.
Managed by the Energy Foundation, this initiative is primarily
focused on commercializing cellulosic ethanol, an alcohol fuel that can
be made from a variety of crop inputs - from corn stover, to wheat
straw, to perennials like native switchgrass. Recent studies project
that cellulosic ethanol could meet a significant share of U.S. light
vehicle gasoline demand with big oil security benefits and large
reductions in vehicle global warming pollution.
While there is no single policy or technology that can affect all of
these, the highest priority task to capture the most long-term benefits
is to commercialize the suite of conversion technologies for turning
cellulose into liquid fuels.
To achieve this goal, our Advanced Biofuels Campaign will pursue three main strategies:
- Spur public and private investment in cellulosic conversion technology capable of using diverse feedstocks
- Urge government R&D spending tailored to advanced biofuel crops and technologies
- Create long-term markets to reduce the risk of long-term investments, such as through a renewable fuels standard
- Condition the market to steer investment toward low-impact biofuels
- Set and enforce standards for low environmental impact and sustainable biofuels
- Monetize the environmental benefits where possible, such as through carbon credits for low-carbon agricultural practices or low carbon fuels standards
- Develop the infrastructure that facilitates the transition to cellulosic feedstocks
- Reduce risk for dedicated energy crop producers, such as by reducing the risk of transitioning from annual to perennial crops
- Create incentives for biofuels distribution
and use
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