Article: Renewable Sustainable Future
Joanne M. Ivancic, Advanced Biofuels USA
A truly renewable sustainable future. That’s the promise of biofuels, advanced biofuels and other new technologies for creating liquid fuels for transportation, heat, power; and other bioproducts. Over the next 25-50 years the US and much of the rest of the world will transition to bio-based replacements for petroleum products. With 90% of our oil going to transportation, mobility will be a key focus; green chemistry principles will also apply to developing bio-based chemicals and plastics.
As advanced green fuels investment increases, employment will grow in research laboratories; agriculture production and processing; biorefinery operations; transport, distribution and delivery of raw feedstock, “green crude” and finished product; along with all the accounting, management and service jobs that support each link of this value chain. Because this is a new industry, entry level positions at research, pilot, demonstration and new commercial facilities provide “foot-in-the door” opportunities for career advancement.
Tomorrow’s fuels will power tomorrow’s engines, especially engines designed for the proposed new efficiency CAFÉ standards of 54.5 mpg. Matching optimal renewable fuel molecules and optimizing engine performance will generate new jobs.
For technical and entry-level jobs, employers look for skills related to lab techniques; plant operations; feedstock logistics; mechanics of industrial machinery and automotive/truck engines; fuel blending, transportation, delivery and storage; computer software design and maintenance; agronomy and agriculture farming; as well as legal, accounting, marketing and management knowledge tailored to this area.
Advanced Biofuels USA provides educational materials from “Biofuels Basics
” teaching and self-study materials to links to scientific and engineering studies, and topical articles to encourage and facilitate sustainable progress in this emerging industry, and we are pleased to work with the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) SEED Initiative to unveil these new resources for their Transportation & Fuels sector.