Is using cellulose as fuel really possible?

[DavidPT40]

Is converting the cellulose in plants to fuel really a possibility? I was watching a show last night, and it said that an acre of a special type of grass, if converted into fuel, would produce about 1100 gallons of gas a year. Also, in producing it, it would have a 10 to 1 production ratio. Meaning it would take one unit of energy to make 10 units of fuel. In comparison, corn only has about a 1.3 production ratio, and an acre of corn only makes about 300 gallons of fuel (but the starch in corn is used, not the cellulose).

So whats the big holdup for this seemingly amazing fuel? I'm thinking it must be extremely difficult (or impossible) to convert to a liquid fuel. Besides that, is there even enough land in the U.S. to produce enough fuel to replace oil?

 

[justleesa]

is that rape-oil? Just read an article that the burn fumes are pretty potent

 

[DavidPT40]

No, it would produce a fuel similar to rubbing alcohol I believe.

 

[Walter]

Cellulose was our very first fuel. Wood is cellulose.