National

EISA

 President George W. Bush signs into law H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007,

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, at the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.

 

On December 19th, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), helping the nation reduce its oil dependence and bringing us one step closer to a cleaner, greener, more secure world.

The Energy Independence and Security Act addresses the United States’ energy concerns by implementing a Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) for 36 billion gallons by the year 2022. 21 billion gallons of this mandate must come from advanced (i.e., non-corn based) biofuels.

The Energy Bill will contribute to the growth of the U.S. ethanol industry as it guarantees a market for the fuel, encouraging investment in biofuels production, transportation and storage infrastructure, and technology.

The fact that the measure requires more than half of the RFS to be produced from advanced, non-corn based sources (such as field waste, soybean oil, and switchgrass) should help abate the food vs. fuel a single crop for supply and capitalize dilemma. Since its inception, the Interamerican Ethanol Commission (IEC) has promoted diversification of domestic feedstocks, the development of cellulosic technology, and the importation of cane-based ethanol from our neighbors in the Americas in order to relieve price pressures that result from relying onon the comparative benefits of non-corn crops.

The most generous of estimates predict that it will be at least 5 years before cellulosic ethanol becomes a viable fuel alternative and many agree with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson’s projections that the advanced fuel is at least a decade away from being commercialized.

The EISA calls for cellulosic ethanol to be incorporated in our fuel mix beginning in 2010, much before conservative estimates feel the fuel will be available. Though it may be challenging to meet some of the goals set forth in the act, it is our hopes that the measure will serve as a catalyst for cellulosic research, development and investment, making cellulosic ethanol a viable fuel alternative.

 
 
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