Biomass Spotlight: Alabama
n 2005, Alabama had the potential capability to produce 591 million gallons of ethanol from cellulosic biomass. (see Table 1 for more statistics on Alabama’s current biofuels production).
Table 1. Alabama Biomass Sector Statistics [iv]
|
Current Situation in Alabama |
|
Gasoline Use |
2,404 million gallons (MG) |
|
Diesel Use |
683 MG |
|
Total Cellulosic Biomass |
9.3 million dry Tons (T) |
|
Total Crop Biomass |
0.3 million dry T |
|
E85 Stations |
2 |
|
Biodiesel Stations |
1 |
|
Ethanol Plants |
0 |
|
Ethanol Production Capacity |
0 MG |
|
Biodiesel Plants |
6 |
|
Biodiesel Production Capacity |
175 MG |
|
Potential Production in Alabama (2009) |
|
Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass |
629 MG |
|
% Corn/Sorghum Used for Ethanol |
40 MG |
|
Ethanol from Corn and Sorghum (Current) |
13 MG |
|
Total Ethanol |
642 MG |
|
Biodiesel from Oil Seeds (Current) |
37 MG |
|
Petroleum Displacement Result |
|
Gasoline Use Replaced by Ethanol |
17.6% |
|
Diesel Use Replaced by Biodiesel |
5.0% |
|
Co-Product Production |
|
Electricity |
2,201 GWh |
|
Animal Feed |
40.3 thousand T |
Alabama is expanding its production capacity of biofuels—especially biodiesel—in Huntsville as well as in Monroe and Covington Counties (see Figure 1); however, its main population centers (Montgomery, Birmingham, and Mobile) lack the refueling stations to deal with the existing renewable-fuel-capable vehicles (see Figure 2).