Energy Department to award $200 million for cellulosic ethanol facilities

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it will be offering $200 million over 5 years to support the development of small-scale cellulosic biorefineries in the United States.  The goal is make cellulosic ethanol production cost-competitive by the year 2012.

“This research will provide the next necessary step toward developing cellulosic biorefineries that can transform our transportation sector in a clean and cost-effective manner,â€? [Energy] Secretary [Sam] Bodman said.  “As world demand for energy continues to grow, so too must our supply of clean, domestic sources of energy – and cellulosic biofuels provide a promising way to meet President Bush’s goal of displacing twenty percent of gasoline usage within the decade.â€?

More on this opportunity can be found at www.energy.gov/news/5031.htm.