Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 6:30 AM
173-1

From feedlot to fuel lot: Preparing Toward a Viable and Sustainable Bio-Based Industry.

Klein E. Ileleji, Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University, 225 South University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Current interest by industry and the government for the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass feedstock for the production of clean, affordable and domestically-produced biofuels, biopower, and high-value bioproducts is at its peak. Total biomass consumption for energy increased 25 percent between 1990 and 2001. The vision of the Biomass Technical Advisory Committee established by the Biomass R&D Act of 2000 is to increase current biomass utilization for biopower, biofuels, and bioproducts by 5, 20 and 25 percent, respectively by 2030. Recent innovative developments in biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to sugars and thermochemical conversion to syngas, and its abundant supply have placed it as the model feedstock for future new biorefineries. An important component for the successful growth of a vibrant bio-based industry is to ensure that a sustainable and viable feedstock supply infrastructure is in place to support new plants. I will present current efforts in research and demonstration by that are underway to making this sustainable on a commercial scale. Focus will be on the feedstock supply infrastructure that will be needed to make large commercial biorefineries utilize biomass feedstock for fuels and chemical conversion and highlight some of the research efforts at Purdue to move biomass feedstocks from the feedlot to the fuel lot.