USDA, DOE ANNOUNCE NATIONAL BIOFUELS ACTION PLAN

Moving toward non-food feedstocks

  A "national biofuels action plan" has been released by USDA and the Department of Energy (DOE), a broad interagency effort to accelerate development of the domestic alternative fuels industry.  The plan, part of President Bush's goal to reduce gasoline consumption by 20% over the next 10 years, is built off of $1 billion in congressionally authorized spending on such things as cellulosic ethanol, and is designed to ensure  "...the next generation of biofuels that are made primarily from feedstocks outside the food supply..."  Part of the plan examines using higher percentages of ethanol in gasoline, increasing the average from 10% blends (E10) to E15 or E20. DOE has been conducting testing on the higher blends since 2007, and has thus far found no significant changes in emissions.  The plan also takes a look at the "deployment of cellulosic biorefineries" as critical to hitting biofuel mandates, and DOE announced an additional $76.3 million in grant money to ongoing projects. Subject to appropriations, DOE and USDA will award another $7 million in grants to five projects to develop cost-effective, environmentally friendly ways to convert non-food feedstocks into stabilized pyrolysis oils - those developed though superheating of biomass.