U.S. ethanol industry may struggle to meet demand

While ethanol grew from 1% of the gas supply in the U.S. in 2000 to 7% in 2008, future growth may stall as a result of market limitations. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandates total renewable fuel to reach 36 billion gallons by 2022, but the ethanol industry would need to expand significantly to meet the production goal. Farmers have begun to grow dedicated energy crops such as switchgrass rather than corn, but new crops can take many years to become profitable. Amber Waves (09/2009)

Source:smartbrief