Switchgrass grown for biofuel can produce 540% more energy than needed to grow, harvest and process into cellulosic ethanol, according to estimates from a large on-farm study conducted by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Corn cobs and fiber, along with stover, are likely to remain the main focus for cellulosic ethanol research and deployment in the Midwest over the next few years, according to the National Corn Growers Association. Cellulosic ethanol is made from the woody parts of plants, rather than the more easily refined grain. Cellulosic studies are now moving from basic research to applications, the NCGA notes.