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| Cellulosic ethanol may be the next generation of biofuels |
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| By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent
BROOKINGS S.D. — Pheasants Forever’s (PF) Dave Nomsen recently testified at a field hearing for the Energy Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee. PF was invited to offer its perspective at the national discussion on cellulosic energy (energy produced from a variety of biomass sources) production and the 2007 Farm Bill.
“The focus of the hearing was the next generation of biofuels; looking at the future for cellulosic ethanol as opposed to the current grain-based system,” said Nomsen, PF’s vice president of government affairs. “We talked about switchgrass and other perennial grasses.”
Discussion is ongoing about how to develop energy from biomass sources like switchgrass and wood waste. Groups like PF have expertise in the field on how to plant switchgrass, grow it and get it established, he explained. Nomsen testified that conservation could be complimentary to the use of biomass energy and he also expressed concerns over protecting the CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) program, which has been heralded as USDA’s most successful conservation program, he said.
“It’s done tremendous things for water quality and soil erosion and wildlife and yet it is a voluntary program,” Nomsen said. “I expressed my concern about making sure that CRP remains economically competitive and viable, and that regardless of the price of corn we need additional CRP out there on the landscape.”
One advantage is that switchgrass is a perennial cover, Nomsen said. Once it’s established it’s there for a number of years, so it doesn’t require as many inputs as an annually planted cro |
| 4/18/2007 |
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