I think a major key in the future is the supply of reasonable priced feedstock in sufficient quantities. Who ever can do this holds the key for the future of the Biodiesel industry in his hands.
Our partner is using advanced breeding techniques on oil yielding crops for the development of non edible commercial crops for Biodiesel, suitable for growth in non arable lands under harsh condition and that require low inputs.
There project is aimed at developing oil crops, displaying increased oil yield, and hence creating significant economic value for the Biodiesel industry. This company has discovered a set of proprietary candidate genes that have high potential to increase economic oil yield and are currently undergoing validation in model plant systems.
In the USA we might expect to see production of as much as 5 billion gallons of biodiesel (8 percent of the total diesel fuel usage) by 2010; at EU, Biodiesel targets for 2010 of 19 billion liters, an increase from only 10% in oil yield (our partner is working on ~20%+ increase) would represent an economic value of more than $1,5 billion.
