Gas 2.0 Attending GM Cellulosic Ethanol Backgrounder on Feedstocks Tomorrow

Tomorrow, General Motors is hosting a backgrounder on cellulosic ethanol feedstocks at the Thousand Oak (CA) based laboratories of Ceres, Inc.

Coverage of non-food based ethanol tends to focus on fuel production technologies, but Ceres works one step further up the supply chain: they’re using genetic technology to engineer plants optimally suited for conversion into something you’d want to put in your gas tank.

I’ve already had the chance to speak with Richard Hamilton, President and CFO of Ceres, about the potential to produce super-strains of perennial grasses like sweet sorghum and switchgrass, and I’m looking forward to hearing more details tomorrow.

• » See also: Biofuel Update With Emerson Process Management
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In the course of the day we’ll also be hearing from:

• Charles Wyman of Mascoma Corp.
• Arnold Klann of BlueFire Ethanol
• Candace Wheeler of General Motors

I covered GM’s partnership with Mascoma earlier this year, and I’ll be interested in updates on the status of their cellulosic ethanol projects. To learn more about Mascoma, see:

• GM Announces New Cellulosic Ethanol Partnership with Mascoma Corp
• Mascoma Update: Cellulosic Ethanol Company Adds $10 Million From Marathon Oil

And here are a few more stories about GM’s other partnerships and general strategy:

• GM Announces Biofuel Partnership: Cheap, Green Ethanol? (Coskata)
• GM Backs Hydrogen Refueling Station Near LA
• GM’s Grand Plan For Solving America’s Oil Dependence

Stay tuned for more coverage.

Addendum: Dedicated Energy Crops Could Replace 30% of Gasoline: Ceres, Inc. Wants to Make it Happen

Disclosure: GM is paying for my trip

Photo Credit: Unindered by talent via Flickr under Creative Commons License

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