Biofuel Economics

Biofuel Economics – A New Series

With all of the public interest in energy and biofuels at the moment, I thought it would be useful to start with a series of news releases that discuss the various economic aspects of biofuels.

Biofuel Economics: 2007 Energy Act Charts a New Biofuel Roadmap

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 sets the biofuel industry on an entirely new course of action.

Biofuels Economics: How Many Acres Will Be Needed For Biofuels? Part I

Economists are striving to delineate the impact of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act on crop acreage demand.

Biofuel Economics: How Many Acres Will Be Needed For Biofuels? Part II

It is very difficult to know at this stage what the implications for crop acreage are under the 2007 Energy Act.

Biofuel Economics: Will Pure Switchgrass Stands Be Required for Cellulosic Ethanol?

Whether or not pure stands of any perennial grass will be required depends on which conversion technology ends up being the most efficient and economical for cellulosic ethanol production.

Biofuel Economics: Will Ethanol Wean the U.S. from Oil Imports?

Initially, critics of the emerging ethanol industry questioned whether there really was a net gain in fossil fuel produced.

Biofuel Economics: Role of Irrigation in Growth of Biofuel Energy

In my forecast of new demand for North Dakota acreage to meet the federal biofuels mandate, I assumed demand for irrigated cropland would grow on par with dryland acreage.

Biofuel Economics: Biocomposites - New Uses for North Dakota Agricultural Fibers and Oils

The goal of NDSU’s newly created BioEpic Center is to identify new markets for biobased value-added products that result in greater profit potential than existing sales in agricultural commodity markets.

Biofuel Economics: The Importance of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in New Biofuel Legislation

It is quite possible that future prices of ethanol will vary, depending on the fuel source used to heat the ethanol plant.

Biofuel Economics: How $700 Billion Bailout Will Affect Biofuels Industry - Part I

Accompanying the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act was a tax relief bill that extends and enhances a number of provisions benefitting the biofuels industry.

Biofuel Economics: How Will $700 Wall Street Bailout Affect Biofuels Industry - Part II

Oil prices have fallen by more than half since July as the severity of Wall Street’s problems became more apparent.

Biofuel Economics: Corncob Harvest Demonstration

Corncobs appear to be one of the more promising sources of biomass for cellulosic biofuel.