Herbaceous biomass feedstock production. The economic potential and impacts on US agriculture

This paper addresses the economic feasibility and impacts on US agriculture of establishing a biomass crop industry capable of producing 8.4 million GJ of methanol or 9.9 million GJ of ethanol by the year 2030 from grasses grown as biomass feedstocks. The results suggest that such an industry could become commercially viable and that the agricultural economy would benefit. Producers of traditional and biomass crops would benefit most. Consumers and livestock producers would lose from higher crop prices, but these losses would be offset by gains to society from reduced government payments to crop producers.