The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is granting $8.8 million for the production of advanced biofuels.
This translates into jobs at associated facilities in 39 states becoming sustained. Credit goes to the successful Advanced Biofuel Payment Program that was laid out in the 2008 Farm Bill.
Advanced biofuels is another word for second generation fuels. Biofuels can be produced from several types of sustainable feedstock. The bio-based, renewable energy standards are becoming increasingly important during climate change being that a clean-energy economy could be established.
Biomass is less harmful than other sources, as it typically will not impact biodiversity, negatively impact food crops, and will produce little greenhouse gas emissions. It also provides a clear source of renewable energy and opens up new career paths in the biofuel energy industry.
A lot of the funding supports research but also infrastructure. The production process can be expensive.
The agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack commented, “Advanced biofuels expand America’s energy options and increase our sources of homegrown, renewable energy… These payments not only help to spur biofuel production, but also protect the environment and help create jobs by building a renewable energy economy in rural areas.”
The payment is biofuel production-based. The amount of advanced biofuels that are produced from renewable biomass, such as crop residue, waste, vegetable oil, and animal fat, determines the payment. Corn kernel starch does not comply with the list of desired sustainable feedback.
So far, payments in the past from the USDA translate into an amount of biofuel available that can provide over 391 billion kilowatt hours of electric energy. The payments totaled to $308 million and went to 382 producers.
A large sum of the money from the current grant apparently went to producers who used biodiesel. Upcoming challenges for the USDA include reducing greenhouse gases.
