Sunday, October 5, 2008
Every major source of energy used by modern society has an environmental impact -- and all too often it's negative. Fortunately, things may be changing -- especially in the Washington region.
Indeed, those of us who live near the Chesapeake Bay have an unprecedented opportunity to take the lead in a new form of energy that can fuel our cars and heat our homes, while also protecting the environment and sustaining our farmland. The fuel would be made from plants that grow well in our region and would not compete with food sources.
These new biofuels are made from cellulosic (the flesh of plants) resources such as forest slash (the debris left after timber is cut), agricultural crop residues (such as the leaves and stalks of corn or barley), perennial grasses and even algae. The Chesapeake region is home to diverse feedstocks that could serve as sustainable crops for cellulosic biofuels throughout the year.
Because the Chesapeake region is so close to the major East Coast energy markets, our cellulosic feedstocks could be transported inexpensively. Several area universities and research institutes are already working on cellulosic biofuels, and the private sector is showing a growing interest in the industry, as shown by an increase in capital investment and the willingness of many companies to team up to develop competitive technologies.
Imagine that in the next three to 10 years, as the technology comes online, these materials could be transformed into liquid fuels to supplement our more traditional consumption of petroleum-based gasoline and home heating fuels. Given that 43 percent of the nation's home heating oil and kerosene and 13 percent of the nation's gasoline is consumed by the six states in the Chesapeake Bay's watershed, the opportunity is significant.
Each year our country has to assume more than $300 billion in additional debt just to finance our oil needs. This is jeopardizing our economy and our national security. And while corn-based ethanol has helped ease our dependence on foreign oil, some are concerned about the effect that devoting more acreage to corn will have on water quality and the impact that increased corn demand for ethanol production has had on food prices.
This year, the Chesapeake Bay Commission's Chesapeake Cellulosic Biofuels Project explored the feasibility and viability of next-generation biofuels and determined that the Chesapeake Bay region is strategically positioned to lead the nation in establishing this promising new industry. But to truly lead, we must lay down policies that favor the advancement of these technologies.
The commission has presented a road map for us to lead the nation in sustainable, homegrown, next-generation biofuels that will benefit farmers, the economy and the Chesapeake Bay. The three major areas where action is needed are the production of feedstocks; natural resource protection; and marketing and infrastructure. The public sector, particularly state government, can play a vital role in developing this industry in these areas. And while many decisions related to the development of the cellulosic biofuels industry will be made by the private sector, our goal of economic, environmental and social sustainability can be best achieved through the cooperative efforts of the public and private sectors.
We must act now to design and implement effective policy and legislation to seize the opportunity before us. The future environmental quality of our Chesapeake Bay, the strengthening of our agricultural communities and our energy future depend on our actions today.
-- James W. Hubbard
Annapolis
The writer is a Maryland state delegate, a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and chair of the Chesapeake Cellulosic Biofuels Project.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/03/AR2008100303408.html
