April 21, 2008

US urged to veer away from corn-based ethanol

US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said Friday that the country has to move away gradually from making ethanol from corn, as this contributes to higher food prices.

The secretary's remark comes after president George Bush signed into law in December an energy bill that mandates 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel to be blended into the fuel supply by 2022.

Of the 36 billion gallons, 21 billion gallons would have to come from sources other than corn, such as wood chips. Ethanol from such alternative sources is known as cellulosic ethanol.

Bodman pointed that cellulosic fuels like ethanol are not on the US market in large volumes because the production process at present is too complex and too costly.