Renewable Energy (Bioenergy)
Following direction of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the Office of the Chief Scientist recognizes the development of bio-based energy as a strategic priority. Thus, USDA's science agencies work with other agencies across USDA as well as the federal government toward this goal.
OCS Point of Contact: Daniel Cassidy
USDA Science's strategic role in bioenergy (PDF, 202KB)
USDA Bioeconomy and Agricultural Research (PDF, 200KB)
USDA:
- Energy across USDA
- USDA in-house research on bioenergy (ARS)
- USDA in-house research on bioproducts (ARS)
- Economic analyses of the bioenergy sector (ERS)
- 2009 On-farm Energy Production Survey (NASS)
- Biobased Products and Processing research, extension, & education (NIFA)
- Sustainable Bioenergy research, extension, & education (NIFA)
- Forest Biomass and Bioenergy (USFS)
- Renewable Energy Subcommittee of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (NAREEEAB)
- USDA's Office of Energy Policy and New Uses (OCE)
- Biofuels in global markets (FAS)
- Bioenergy market news reports (AMS)
- Biofuel rail surcharges (AMS)
- Rural Transportation Study - mandated by Farm Bill 2008 to update the 2007 Ethanol Transportation Backgrounder. Chapter 4 is on Biofuels Transportation (AMS)
- eXtension Communities of Practice: Farm Energy
; Wood Energy; Home Energy and more
Federal Government:
- U.S. Biomass Research and Development Board: co-chaired by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE)
- Woody Biomass Utilization across the federal government and beyond
- Hydrogen and Fuel Cells across the federal government
- Biomass Program (DOE/ Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office)
- Report: The 2011 update to the Billion Ton Study, an estimate of "potential" biomass available within the contiguous United States (DOE)
- Bioenergy Research Centers (DOE)
- Biomass Program (NREL)
- Alternative Fuels Research Program (DOT/ Research and Innovative Technology Administration)
- Renewable Fuel Standard (EPA)