Cellulosic biofuels show that the grass is indeed greener

Biofuels, like ethanol or other fuels made from plant materials, offer that ray of hope that we can dramatically reduce global warming pollution. But rising food prices and the looming threat of a global food crisis are adding fuel to the tummy or tank debate surrounding biofuels.

Many consumers are asking, “Should food crops be diverted into energy production?”

Biofuels are not entirely to blame in the shrinking global food supply. Increased demand for livestock feed, a multi-year drought in Australia and market speculation are being touted as contributing factors.

That’s where cellulosic biofuels offer a viable alternative to traditional grain-based biofuels. Utilizing the leaves, stems and stalks of the raw plant material, cellulosic biofuels can produce fuel from hardy perennial prairie grasses.

Take switchgrass as an example. Not only is it a potentially abundant raw source, but because it’s a native species, it doesn’t require any harmful pesticides and fertilizers. The key benefit is cellulosic biofuel does not compete with food crops for land. In fact, certain celluloid biofuel crops could prove beneficial to farmland, protecting against soil erosion and increasing soil carbon.

Thanks to cellulosic biofuels, we could see biofuels for sale on par or less than the average price for gas and diesel fuel as early as 2015. By 2050, biofuels could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.7 billion tons per year. That’s more than 80 percent of the current greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

Proving that the grass is indeed greener on the other side.