US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, announced a five year agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) "to develop aviation fuel from forest and crop residues and other "green' feedstocks in order to decrease dependence on foreign oil and stabilize aviation fuel costs" according to a USDA news release.
"The participants will develop a tool to evaluate the status of different components on feedstock supply chain, such as availability of biomass from farms and forests, the potential of that biomass for production of jet fuel, and the length of time it will take to ramp up to full-scale production. The agencies already have existing programs and collaborative agreements with private and public partners and resources to help biorefiners develop cost-effective production plans for jet aircraft biofuels."
This agreement is part of a larger effort by USDA to accelerate the development of "a commercial advanced biofuels industry across the United States." The plan intends to "include as many U.S. rural areas as possible to maximize the economic benefits of biofuel across the country."
To read the USDA news release, click here.
Posted: 10/27/2010
