Montana has taken steps toward developing bio-based energy from ethanol research to biodiesel and biolubricants. The project has been driven under the leadership of the Montana Institute for Bio-based Products. The Institute structure allows for research decisions to be market-driven rather than production driven. Consequently, crop selection is made after market feasibility defines production parameters. As an example, biodiesel production costs were found to be 75% from based feedstocks (oilseeds) and 25% from processing. While improvements in processing are possible,the greatest road block has been farmgate prices required to provide product at a competitive price. Consequently, the project sought and found a crop with lower input demands, which in turn, can provide biodiesel at costs far below those available from conventional cropping systems. In addition, biolubricants such as greases, motor oils and hydraulic oils are fiscally feasible but functionally limited. Research into agricultural feedstocks has shown several crops suitable for these products.