Challenges
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The potential production of sustainable liquid fuels such as ethanol as a means of diversifying energy supplies while at the same time complementing farm revenues is a complex issue that needs to be carefully explored. Although it is technically feasible to produce ethanol from a variety of crops and/or wastes, the critical issue is the long-term economic viability of the potential project. Just a few years ago with depressed corn and grain prices, it made economic sense to divert some lower grade crops to fuel production. With rising prices of farm commodities for food purposes, the economics of fuel ethanol production from food commodities are changing. It is likely that in the longer term, technologies will improve substantially so that complex biorefineries will allow the harvesting and processing of the total biomass grown into food, chemicals and fuels or energy in a sustainable manner.
Scale of conversion facilities is of much importance. To achieve optimal yields and production costs, it is necessary to scale up to very large biorefineries employing the latest technologies. The limit to the size of the production unit is usually dictated by the amounts of biomass available within a radius of 50-100 km.
Modified: 03-31-2008
