US Administration moves on Biofuels: Most-Read Stories of the Year #4

Remarks by Secretary Chu showing a decided preference for electric cars and battery technologies, over bioenergy, drew a large readership, as well as a swift rebuke from the DOE for irresponsible publishing. The heavy tilt of DOE funding towards electric vehicles and electric technology throughout 2010 made it clear that the DOE “doth protest too much” and that DOE was more focused on electrons, while USDA would take up leadership in the advancement of fuel molecule-based technologies.

In other US Administration news, nothing drew more looks this year than a sweeping reorganization of bioenergy development which confirmed that DOE would take the lead on R&D, USDA on commercialization, and EPA on standards, as the Interagency Working Group on biofuels laid out its roadmap for achieving the 36 billion gallons Renewable Fuel Standard by 2022.

Later in the spring, the USDA would release its own roadmap for bioenergy feedstocks, with a decided emphasis on cellulosic ethanol and energy grasses, deciding not to make projections about the potential contribution of technologies such as microalgae.