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Biofuels are energy sources that can power mobile sources like cars and boats. These energy sources are made from plants, including crops and trees. A great deal of corn ethanol is currently made from corn kernels. Some biodiesel is made from soybeans. Both are forms of biofuels. Each have significant environmental impacts, however, and do not make much fuel for the amount of energy that goes into their manufacturing (Hill et al 2007). Many people believe that a new form of ethanol, called cellulosic ethanol, is more promising than corn ethanol or biodiesel. Cellulosic ethanol is made from materials that have a lot of fiber, such as paper or corn stalks, but not a lot of sugar. Scientists at Michigan Technological University are working in a team to study the potential ecological impacts of cellulosic ethanol development. They are also studying how the manufacturing of cellulosic ethanol can be made cheaper. Finally, scientists on the team are investigating what people know about cellulosic ethanol and whether or not they believe government policies encouraging its development are a good idea.
A cellulosic ethanol plant. (Image: Courtesy of Department of Energy/NREL. Used with permission.) |
