Ewen Coxworth
November, 2005
This review paper examines some of the criticisms leveled by Pimentel and Patzek (2005) and others at ethanol production from grains, grasses and wood, and looks at possible solutions for western Canada to the issues they raised. This present report discusses ethanol produced from grain or from lignocellulosic raw materials, such as sawdust, bark, perennial grass hays or crop residues. The main emphasis is on ethanol made from small grains, such as CPS wheat, since most ethanol plants in western Canada are, or are planned to be, grain based. However, the major resources for production of large amounts of biofuels are lignocellulosic raw materials, such as forest residues and crop residues.
