An evaluation of U.S. and Canadian lignocellulosic biomass supply and ethanol production costs

Cellulosic biofuels are an attractive renewable fuel option. An improved understanding of lignocellulosic biomass resource availability and the expected cost of biofuel production can facilitate the development of appropriate renewable fuel policies and targets. Fifteen studies estimating lignocellulosic biomass availability for the U.S. and Canada were compared. Considerable differences in reported biomass estimates were found, largely due to different assumptions about crop yields, land area availability, and the inclusion of economic considerations. In the near-term, the largest biomass categories for the U.S. and Canada are predicted to be agricultural residues and logging residues, respectively. Near-term cellulosic ethanol production costs were reviewed and compared using a standardized methodology. The largest components of ethanol production cost are feedstock costs and capital investment and recovery costs. Further technological progress and associated cost reductions were found to be needed prior to the commercialization of biochemical conversion processes for producing ethanol.