Switch Grass… Not So Funny!
T “he United States imports 60% of its petroleum� said David Bransby, Auburn University researcher, in his report “Celluloisc Biofuel Technologies.� What a lot of people don’t know is this heavy importation of petroleum could be stopped all together. The United States has the technologies and resources to fuel America.
Domestic biofuels could decrease our dependence on third world countries and increase natural energy. Biofuels being produced currently in America come from ethanol based crops like corn and soybean. While they provide a starting point for biofuel research and provide ethanol, this alone can not produce petroleum, gasoline and diesel. Auburn’s own David Bransby has been studying biofuel for years and has been approached by President Bush about his findings.
Over a year ago, President Bush addressed the nation’s problem with obtaining fuel and our increasing gas prices. Bush mentioned the prospect of domestic biofuels and one plant in particular, switch grass. That was it. Comedians and journalists all over the nation mocked Bush for mention that America could one day be fueled by switch grass. From the late night circuit to newspapers and magazines, Bush’s switch grass comment had people roaring with laughter.
Unknowing American’s weren’t the only ones shocked by Bush’s mention of switch grass. Bransby said he about fell out of his chair. The local Alabama government had known Bransby and his AU team was researching switch grass as a petroleum source, research which was funded by the United States Department of Energy. However Bransby didn’t know that research from Auburn, Alabama would make it all the way to President Bush.
“The comedians and journalists felt lost when the President mentioned switch grass and didn’t know what the heck it was. They just tried to turn the tables to try and make him look stupid� said Bransby, when I spoke to him about his research. In a recent ABC report, switch grass and Bransby are mentioned again, this time with a bit more credibility. Although mocked, Bransby thinks it is great that Bush mentioned switch grass in particular because “it gave the crop a lot of exposure, stimulating interest.�
When asked if using switch grass for fuel is a real possibility in the future, Bransby declared “yes!� Although other plants would be great for biofuels, switch grass works well because it is a native plant, making it economically and environmentally friendly. Ethanol from pine trees is the main biofuel being researched and produced right now. The ethanol works, but other plants such as switch grass would provide gasoline and diesel fuel. Running cars on ethanol would require special cars, pumps and would only account for about 2/3 of the energy that gasoline contains.
Bransby says once the idea gets off the ground, things will probably take off. The first commercial biofuel plant should be up and running in the next few years and could hopefully one day completely replace foreign oil. Recently, Bransby was invited to the White House to speak at a briefing on alternative fuels.
It is baffling to know that within the next few years our car fuel could be coming from a domestic crop and not the Middle East. It is even more baffling to know that research done at Auburn could be a cause of it. Congratulations and good luck to David Bransby and his team!
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