Definition

Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugars. Ethanol can also be produced from cellulosic biomass such as trees and grasses.

Scope

• The Team agreed to address conversion techniques including those for sugar and starch based ethanol and cellulosic (biochemical, thermochemical, and hybrid). They will also address other biofuels including Butanol.
• The Team will use available feedstock studies.
• Future potential production and market prices will be considered as well as projected market potentials for blends.
• Infrastructure and retail distribution options will be considered such as blender pumps that allow for a range of ethanol blends (e.g. E10 to E85) at the pump.
• Fuel /auto technology integration opportunities will be considered such as Flex Fuel Vehicles and flex-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Issues to be addressed

• The Team may produce recommendations for the Farm Bill that they would like the Governors to address before Dec 2007.
• The Team will address the need for auto manufacturers to optimize vehicles for biofuels.
• The Team will attempt to characterize how close to commercialization different conversion strategies are.

Biofuels Team

Meeting Summaries

May 14-15, 2007

Report

Final Working Group Report (January 10, 2008)