January 2, 2007 > Cellulose challenging corn as ethanol's main
ingredient Cellulose challenging corn as ethanol's main
ingredient By MARK STEIL Minnesota Public Radio WORTHINGTON,
Minn. (AP), Dec 27 _ Ethanol has become a major component of the
nation's alternative energy drive, and that makes its main
ingredient a source of intense debate. The basic technology of
distilling corn into alcohol has been around for centuries. It
was a natural choice for the ethanol industry when it started
more than 20 years ago. Corn has limitations, though. David
Tilman, a University of Minnesota ecology professor, said there
may not be enough corn to feed humans, livestock and fuel
refineries. ``The estimates are within 40 or 50 years we're
going to need twice as much food on the world and twice as much
energy as we have now,'' Tilman said. ``And we don't have twice
as much land to use. We don't have that much land left in the
world now that we can convert to agriculture.'' Tilman studied
native prairie plants as a substitute