LONDON (Dow Jones)--U.S. President George W. Bush's alternative fuel goals for the next 10 years are "technically feasible", according to U.S. Department of Agriculture's undersecretary for rural development, Thomas Dorr.
"I am confident that these goals can be met," Dorr said Monday in a speech at the Clean Fuel Finance Forum in London.
"The pace of innovation is quickening. The rate of private investment in new technologies is soaring."
Last week Bush proposed a mandatory alternative fuels standard to use 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017. This would be about
seven times the amount of current biofuel production capacity.
"The next couple of years will be difficult transition years," Dorr said, pointing to necessary work in increased corn production and improved technology
in cellulosic ethanol production. It will not be "pain free," he added.
Currently, nearly all U.S. ethanol production is from corn, which Dorr said is creating extremely high demand. He added that the U.S. hasn't seen a
slowdown in corn export demand.
The move to more cellulosic ethanol - production primarily from plant fibers-would be vital to reach Bush's 10-year goal. Dorr said cellulosic ethanol
production on a commercial scale is closer to reality than many think.
He added that the Bush's Farm Bill proposal will contain another $1.6 billion for energy innovation including both research and project support for the
commercialization of cellulosic ethanol.
Source: Lisa Kallal; Dow Jones Newswires; (4420) 7842 9415; lisa.kallal@dowjones.com