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With just a 3 percent share of the U.S. energy market, biomass has plenty of room to grow. ‘We have a long way to go to make an impact on the consumption of fossil fuels
critical questions.” The current state of the biomass industry has two faces, according to Groenewold. There are some top-notch ideas that deserve investment and development. There is also a lot of money being invested in questionable ideas by well-meaning people. “We’re here, in part at least, to help people figure out where to put their money,” he explained.
The center is working with its business partners and other funding sources to commercialize projects involving lignocellulosic ethanol, higher alcohols through the Fischer-Tropsch process, advanced tactical biofuels for the military, distributed electrical generation through biomass microgasification facilities, improving biodiesel’s cold-weather performance, integrated urea production at ethanol plants and aviation-grade ethanol.
Growth Potential Several factors are driving the current interest in biomass, according to Chris Zygarlicke, deputy director for research at the EERC. They include economics, the desire for energy security, global warming concerns, rural economic development, technical needs (such as the need for ethanol as an octane booster in
Groenewold, director of EERC, told conference attendees that there were a lot of excellent opportunities in the biomass industry, but that a lot of money is being invested in questionable schemes. One of his goals is to help people tell the difference. 38 BIOMASS MAGAZINE 7|2007