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36 billion gallons: How are we going to get there?

Posted: August 4, 2008 at 11:53 AM CST

If you’re like most people in the biofuels industry, you’ve probably found yourself wondering how in the world America is going to meet the 36-billion-gallon Renewable Fuels Standard by 2022. Or more specifically, how this country is going to crank out 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels — cellulosics, algae-derived biodiesel, biobutanol, etc. — in the next 14 years. Or even more specifically, how we’re going to make 600 million gallons of advanced biofuels, and an additional 500 MMgy of biomass-based diesel, by next year.

You’re not alone. These are the questions that many of us can’t seem to get our arms around lately. Sure, there’s a plethora of research, development and demonstration taking place—from Verenium Corp.’s cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in Louisiana to Neptune Industries Inc’s algae-based biofuels plans in Florida—but, so far, the goal of producing over 1 billion gallons of next-generation advanced biofuels by the end of 2009 looks almost unattainable.

The industry needs to get on a fast track. BBI recognizes and understands the challenge, and we set out recently to elucidate the advancements and progress that’s taking place out there in the world of advanced biofuels.

In Minneapolis, Minn., Sept. 28-30, we’re holding the inaugural Advanced Biofuels Workshop & Trade Show. Stay tuned for more updates to this blog … and tune into our Ethanol Producer Radio podcast next Monday (Aug. 11) to hear interviews with members of the event steering committee.

And by the way, BBI is still accepting speaker abstracts. The deadline for submissions is August 15.

More on this later today ...

-Tom Bryan