Worldwide Biomass Potential: Technology Characterizations

A joint EERE-PI project was completed to estimate the world-wide potential to produce and transport ethanol and other biofuels, with an emphasis on the 5 year and 10 year potential for biofuels supply to the United States. The range of countries and/or regions identified in the joint EERE-PI project includes Brazil, the Caribbean Basin, Central America, Mexico, Europe, China, India and Sub-Saharan Africa. This project, discussed in this book, included four specific tasks: 1) to identify the range of countries to be included in the study, 2) to assess the resource potential for production of ethanol from sugar and starch-based feedstocks and biodiesel, 3) to assess the resource potential for production of other biofuels and 4) to integrate results into the MARKAL energy policy model. Additionally, the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) examined in this book was primarily concerned with estimating the plant gate price (PGP) of liquid biofuels from selected biomass feedstocks for countries included in the study using representative existing and developing technologies. A methodology for comparing costs between countries was developed as well.