The Vision for Bioenergy and Biobased Technologies in the United States (2002) established far reaching goals to support the increased use of biopower, biofuels, and biobased products. It established aggressive goals for the role each of these should play in the U.S. economy by 2010, 2020, and 2030. The Vision, developed by the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (Committee), also provided the basis for creating the Roadmap for biomass technologies in the United States. The Roadmap represented the research strategy for achieving Vision goals. These documents together provided a set of goals as well as specific paths for the United States to achieve a biobased economy. They have also been used to provide technical guidance for the joint R&D solicitation issued annually by the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture.

In August 2005, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) Title IX, Section 941, directed the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy to "update the Vision and Roadmap documents prepared for Federal biomass research and development activities." In November 2005, the Committee held a workshop facilitated by DOE and USDA to update the Vision in coordination with the Interagency Biomass Research and Development Board.

This workshop drew experts from industry, academia, federal researchers and non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. to review the status of the Vision. Although much progress has been made toward the biofuels goals established in the 2002 Vision, real progress toward the biopower and biobased products goals was concluded to be uncertain. The nation is on track to achieve the Committee's biofuels goal for 2010 but does not appear on track to achieve its 2010 goals for biopower and biobased products. Rather than lower their sights and reduce the original Vision goals for 2010, the Committee decided to adhere to their original far reaching 2010 goals to illustrate the aggressive approach the U.S. must pursue to achieve the vision of a biobased economy. Additionally, the Committee included an interim goal for 2015 and reviewed and updated its 2020 and 2030 goals. Further, in its Vision update, it requested a study on the status of production of biobased products. It also clarified the definition of its goals for biofuels, biopower, and biobased products. Updated Vision goals are shown in Exhibit 1.

Exhibit 1: Vision Goals

The updated Vision was reviewed by an independent panel of peer reviewers. As a final step, the Vision was reviewed by the 2005 and 2006 Committees, as well as the Interagency Biomass Research and Development Board for comments and approval. In all, the Vision was reviewed by over 74 experts from academia, industry, and government. The Vision will be available on the National Biomass Initiative website.

The new Vision is being used as guidance for updating the Committee's 2002 Roadmap for Bioenergy and Biobased Products in the United States. A series of regional roadmap workshops have been held to update the Roadmap and to reflect the regional nature of biomass feedstocks and related infrastructures. The Roadmap is scheduled for release in 2007.

Regional Biomass Roadmap Workshops Central - Chicago, IL April 11-12, 2006; Chairman: Tom Binder, ADM Western - Sacramento, CA August 8-9, 2006; Chairman: Ralph Cavalieri, Washington State University Eastern - Syracuse, NY September 19-20, 2006; Chairman: Doug Hawkins, Rohm & Haas

Volatility in oil and gas prices and growing dependence on foreign sources of oil has heightened the demand to diversify our national's energy portfolio. The public outcry for less expensive energy will make the Vision and Roadmap critical documents in providing guidance to ensure more diverse and secure energy resources for the U.S. The Department of Defense has already begun official inquiries into how they can incorporate biofuels into its fleets. Calls for cleaner burning fuels, increased rural development, and better management of forest lands are also strong drivers for increased production of biobased power, fuel, and products.

Increased prices of natural gas have been a strong reason for U.S. chemical producers to move to the Middle East where natural gas is more affordable. Natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina highlighted the vulnerability of the U.S. petroleum refining industry which is concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico. Political uncertainty in many of the major petroleum-producing countries such as Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, and Nigeria has also added to petroleum supply uncertainty. All of these factors illustrate the need for increasing domestic resources to address U.S. energy demand. The Vision and Roadmap provide guidance for the U.S. to diversify its energy portfolio, boost rural economic development, and decrease vulnerability of energy supply to political events or natural disasters.