May 26, 2006—The budget for the State of New York includes a $20 million program for the development of a cellulosic ethanol pilot facility, Governor George Pataki announced recently.
The pilot facility will produce ethanol from cellulosic biomass sources such as willow, switchgrass, paper mill wastes, and agricultural and forestry residues. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will administer the program, using a competitive process to make the award.
Currently, Iogen Corporation in Canada is the only commercial producer of cellulosic ethanol, generating about a million gallons annually from wheat, oat, and barley straw in their demonstration facility. In addition, several US ethanol plants are engaged in research and demonstration projects with the US Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE operates a pilot plant at its National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For more information, see the governor’s press release.
