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An estimated 7 to 15 percent of energy now used in California could come from cellulosic biomass, if fully utilized. From 20 to 35 million tons of this underutilized residue from forest and farming operations are produced annually in California; quantities from biomass farming on underutilized land would be substantially larger but are unknown at this time.

A major question in the production and use of fuel-grade ethanol is whether or not it yields a net energy gain after accounting for the fossil energy input required for bio-mass production, harvesting, transportation, and conversion. Two recent studies concluded that a net energy loss resulted in industrial-grade ethanol production from corn. Use of fossil fuel was assumed for all energy inputs.

Alcohols are simple chemical compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen (hydrocarbon) chains that contain one or more added hydroxyl (hydrogen plus oxygen) groups.

Lignocellulose—the material forming the woody cell walls of plants—represents the single largest supply of polysaccharides (carbohydrates) produced in the plant kingdom that can be hydrolyzed to sugars and converted into fuel alcohol. Biomass materials that are preponderantly lignocellulosic include all wood residues generated in logging and sawmilling operations; prunings of orchard, vineyard, and ornamental plants; stalks of cotton plants; and stems of grasses including wheat, rice, barley, corn (stover), sugarcane (bagasse after extraction of sucrose), and bamboo.

By testing to “ask” plants how well they're fertilized, the sugarbeet grower can avoid applying more nitrogen than needed for maximum yield.