Biofuels
Thanks to North Carolina’s leading agricultural industry, there lies a rich bed of resources for biofuels production and a growing industry. The state’s climate and growing conditions are favorable for producing the biomass needed to make ethanol. That’s why so many biofuels businesses have located in North Carolina.
The Current Infrastructure
According to the Biotechnology Center Company Directory, there are currently more than 40 biofuels companies in North Carolina, located in every region of the state. The Biofuels Center of North Carolina also administers a database of North Carolina Biofuels-related organizations. Both Centers provide early-stage funding for biotechnology companies in a number of sectors, including biofuels. The Biotechnology and Biofuels Centers have awarded nearly $8 million in grants and loans to support the biofuels sector.
What is Biofuels and Why in North Carolina?
There are two types of biofuel: Ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is a gasoline supplement that is produced from starchy biomass through an enzymatic process, and biodiesel is a diesel supplement produced from plant oils through a chemical process. These fuels are made from organic matter that represents a developing and promising market for growers across North Carolina.
While corn is a popular ingredient for biofuels production, North Carolina is abundant in biomass and feedstock that can also be used for ethanol production:
- Pine
- Switchgrass
- Canola
- Algae
- Kudzu
Abundant Training Opportunities
North Carolina’s colleges and universities provide workforce training in all functions of the biofuels production process. North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences provides industry training in a number of fields. The North Carolina Community College System offers associate’s degrees in biofuels, agricultural biotechnology, agribusiness and more.
