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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207311
Title: Issues in the production and conversion of lignocellulosic biomass crops to ethanol

Author
item Jung, Hans Joachim
item Dien, Bruce
item Vogel, Kenneth

Submitted to: Proceedings of American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2007
Publication Date: 3/28/2007
Citation: Jung, H.G., Dien, B.S., Vogel, K.P. 2007. Issues in the production and conversion of lignocellulosic biomass crops to ethanol. 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, March 25-29, 2007, Chicago, Illinois. Available: http://oasys2.confex.com/acs/233nm/techprogram/P1061547.htm.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Numerous national goals have been articulated for the eventual partial replacement of petroleum-based energy with renewable energy derived from biomass crops. While starch from corn grain is already being used on a large scale to produce ethanol, it has been concluded that cellulose and the other cell wall carbohydrates in lignocellulosic feedstocks (e.g., corn stover and cereal straw, and dedicated biomass energy crops such as hybrid poplar, switchgrass, and alfalfa) will be needed to meet the renewable energy goal of replacing 30% of 2004 gasoline demand with biofuels by 2030. This level of energy replacement will require the production and conversion to ethanol of approximately 1 billion tons of biomass annually. This paper outlines some of the major biomass production and conversion challenges to implementing lignocellulosic-based ethanol systems.