ABSTRACT
The United States is interested in expanding renewable energy resources to address the interrelated problems of finite fossil fuels and global climate change by changing the energy paradigm from one based almost solely on fossil fuels to another that integrates multiple renewable energy platforms (Johnson et al., 2007d). Plant biomass feedstocks will be among the sources of renewable energy. Ethanol from corn (maize; Zea mays. L.), grain, and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and biodiesel fuel from soybeans (Glycine max L.) and other oilseed crops are already used for transportation fuels. However, alone they are insufficient to replace petroleum (Perlack et al., 2005). Interest in using non-grain, cellulosic biomass has increased recently (Perlack et al., 2005). Agricultural and forest products represent potential non-grain biomass feedstocks for thermochemical (pyrolysis and gasification) and sugar (fermentation) platforms. Thermochemical technologies can substitute biomass for natural gas or coal and can also be used for producing liquid (pyrolysis oil) and solid (biochar) fuels (Islam and Ani, 2000; Gercel, 2002; Yaman, 2004).
