At a recent conference, CEOs of advanced biofuel companies explained they are between a year and three years away from large-scale commercial development.
Speakers at this year's Advanced Bioenergy Markets had a markedly different tone than just a couple years ago. Two years ago the conversation was focused around subsidies and developing bioenergy technology to the point of commercialization within five years. Now, the leading-edge biofuel companies are stating they can produce commercial fuel within 12-36 months at a cost of $0.75 to $2.50 per gallon. This price would allow biofuels to compete with oil.
Representatives at the Advanced Bioenergy Markets conference included those from companies using feedstocks such as sugar cane, jatropha, and algae.
Despite the overwhelmingly excited tone of the conference, some CEOs warned that the instability of U.S. energy policy, including the current structure of the Renewable Fuel Standard, posed a significant threat to advanced biofuels.
They cautioned that without strong policy, and, at the very least, the Renewable Fuel Standard, companies will have a hard raising the equity and debt required to take operations to commercial scale as a result of low investor confidence.
Read the full story at Biofuels Digest: Biofuels industry CEOs predict parity with oil in 12-36 months, for leading-edge companies
Tags: Advanced Bioenergy Markets, advanced biofuels, algae based biofuel, biobutanol, jatropha, Joule Technologies, second generation biofuels, Sugar Cane, sugar ethanol, third generation biofuels
Source: energyboom.com
