Genomics:GTL

Library of Documents Related to GTL Research

Energy Supply and Demand

• Annual Energy Outlook 2006 with Projections to 2030, Energy Information Administration, February 2006
  Projection and analysis of U.S. energy supply, demand, and prices through 2030. Projections based on results from the Energy Information Administration's National Energy Modeling System.
• Oil Shockwave: An Oil Crisis Executive Simulation, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and National Commission on Energy Policy, June 2005
  A group of former White House cabinet and senior national security officials participated in a simulated working group of a White House cabinet to examine the economic and global security impacts of world oil supply disruptions.

Energy Policy

• On the Road to Energy Security: Implementing a Comprehensive Energy Strategy. A Status Report. [PDF], U.S. Department of Energy, August 2006
  Overview of progress in implementing the comprehensive set of energy reforms and programs called for in Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct).
• Advanced Energy Initiative [PDF], The White House National Economic Council, February 2006
  In his 2006 State Of The Union address, President Bush outlined the Advanced Energy Initiative to help break America's dependence on foreign sources of energy.
• National Energy Policy: Reliable, Affordable, and Environmentally Sound Energy for America’s Future [PDF], National Energy Policy Development Group, May 2001
  The U.S. national energy policy document that outlines recommendations to modernize infrastructure, increase U.S. energy supplies (including renewables), accelerate protection and improvement of the environment, and increase energy security.

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Climate Change

• U.S. Climate Change Technology Program Strategic Plan, U.S. Climate Change Technology Program, September 2006
  A plan describing measures to accelerate the development and reduce the cost of new and advanced technologies that avoid, reduce, or capture and store greenhouse emissions.

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Reports Related to Bioenergy

Bioenergy Overviews

• Ethanol Industry Outlook, Renewable Fuels Association, Annually 2002 to present
  Overview of current production capacity, economic impacts, opportunities in international markets, and overall status of the U.S. ethanol industry.
• Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture and Energy in the 21st Century, Worldwatch Institute, June 2006
  An eight-page summary of a report assessing opportunities and risks associated with the large-scale international development of biofuels. The full report is available for purchase.
• Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production [PDF], CRS (Congressional Research Service), May 18, 2006
  An overview of economic, energy efficiency, and supply issues and major legislation related to farm-based energy production (primarily biofuels and wind energy).
• Biofuels for Transport: An International Perspective [PDF], International Energy Agency, April 2004
  An international assessment of biofuel technologies (primarily biodiesel and ethanol from starch, sugars, and cellulose), biofuel costs and market impacts, biofuel compatibility with vehicles, land availability issues, and biofuel-related policies.

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Economics and Feasibility of Bioenergy

• Recommendations for Social, Economic, and Environmental Science Priorities for Bioenergy Research, Education, and Extension: Results of the Joint USDA-DOE Experts Workshop on Bioenergy, Washington, DC, June 21-22, 2007 [PDF] (Discussion Paper)
• The Human and Social Dimensions of a Bioeconomy: Implications for Rural People and Places [PDF]. Discussion paper from the Social Science Working Grouop of USDA - CREES, March 29, 2007
• Economic and Agricultural Impacts of Ethanol and Biodiesel Expansion [PDF], The University of Tennessee Department of Agricultural Economics, December 2006
  A study examining the agricultural and economic impacts of producing 60 billion gallons of ethanol and 1.6 billion gallons of biodiesel by 2030.
• A Guide for Evaluating the Requirements of Ethanol Plants [PDF], U.S. Department of Agriculture, Summer 2006
  A guide to assist communities, cooperatives, and other agricultural organizations in making an initial determination regarding the economic feasibility of developing an ethanol project.
• The Economic Feasibility of Ethanol Production from Sugar in the United States [PDF], U.S. Department of Agriculture, July 2006
  Estimated costs of producing ethanol from sugar feedstocks and an analysis of other factors that may influence the economic feasibility of converting sugar feedstocks into ethanol. Comparisons are made with grain feedstocks, specifically corn.
• Issue Brief: Economic Impacts of Ethanol Production [PDF], Ethanol Across America, Spring 2006
  A twelve-page brochure with case studies describing how the ethanol industry affects the U.S. economy and local communities.
• Ethanol: Energy Well Spent. A Survey of Studies Published Since 1990, National Resources Defense Council and Climate Solutions, February 2006
  A comparison of the ten most influential studies examining the non-renewable energy inputs used to produce corn and cellulosic ethanol.
• Ethanol: The Complete Energy Life Cycle Picture [PDF], Argonne National Laboratory, December 2005
  A brochure from Argonne National Laboratory’s Center for Transportation Research that analyzes the fossil energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with ethanol production from corn grain and cellulosic biomass.
• Issue Brief: Energy Security [PDF], Ethanol Across America, Summer 2005
  An overview the role of biofuels and ethanol in reducing oil consumption and increasing energy security.
• Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply [PDF], U.S. Department of Energy / Oak Ridge National Laboratory, April 2005
  An analysis of U.S. land and biomass feedstock resources that could be available to produce a sustainable supply of bioenergy sufficient to displace 30% or more of the country's present petroleum consumption. Accomplishing this goal would require approximately one billion dry tons of biomass feedstock per year.
• The Economic Impacts of Bioenergy Crop Production on U.S. Agriculture [PDF], U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy, February 2003
  A report that examines how converting cropped, idle, and pasture acres, as well as Conservation Reserve Program acres, to bioenergy crop production could impact crop prices and farm income.
• Ability of the U.S. Ethanol Industry to Replace MTBE, Governors' Ethanol Coalition, March 2000
  An assessment of U.S. ethanol production capacity needed to completely replace Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), an oxygenate added to gasoline that presents potential risks to public health and the environment.

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Roadmaps and Recommendations for Bioenergy Development

• Biofuels: DOE Lacks a Strategic Approach to Coordinate Increasing Production with Infrastructure Development and Vehicle Needs GAO-07-713, U.S. Government Accountability Office, June 2007
  A report that assesses the infrastructural impediments to expanding biofuel production, policy options to overcome these impediments, and DOE’s strategic approach to coordinate the expansion of biofuel production with the development of infrastructure and biofuel-compatible vehicles.
• National Biofuels Action Plan Workshop Summary Report Final [PDF], U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Biomass Program, May 2007
  [Supporting Documents]
  A report summarizing efforts to coordinate activities among participating agencies of the Biomass Research and Development Initiative in order to meet the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative and the DOE’s “30x30” goals.
• Ethanol From Biomass: How to Get to a Biofuels Future, Governors' Ethanol Coalition, December 2006
  Recommendations on expanding ethanol production in ways that efficiently deliver this renewable fuel to consumers at lower prices and in greater quantities.
• A High Growth Strategy for Ethanol, The Aspen Institute, 2006
  Recommendations from business, government, environmental and academic leaders to stimulate the widespread commercialization of both corn and cellulosic ethanol.
• Bringing Biofuels to the Pump: An Aggressive Plan for Ending America's Oil Dependence, National Resources Defense Council, July 2005
  Issue paper outlining a plan to develop a cellulosic biofuels industry that would make biofuels an affordable and sustainable alternative to petroleum while supporting American farmers.
• Ethanol From Biomass: America’s 21st Century Transportation Fuel, Recommendations [PDF], Governors’ Ethanol Coalition, April 2005
  Recommendations on policies to dramatically expand the production and use of ethanol in the United States.
• Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges [PDF], National Commission on Energy Policy, December 2004
  Key findings from a three-year effort to develop consensus recommendations for U.S. energy policy. Recommends revenue-neutral measures to ensure affordable and reliable supplies of energy while responding to concerns about energy security and risks of global climate change.
• Growing Energy: How Biofuels Can Help End America's Oil Dependence, National Resources Defense Council, December 2004
  A plan for making biofuels cost-competitive with gasoline and diesel, reducing global warming emissions, improving air quality, and investing more energy dollars in American farms.
• 25 by 25: Agriculture’s Role in Ensuring U.S. Energy Independence. A Blueprint for Action [PDF], Ag Energy Working Group, August 2004
  Recommendations for how the agricultural sector can provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States by 2025 while continuing to produce abundant, safe and affordable food and fiber.
• Energy Future Coalition: Policy Recommendations and Report of the Bioenergy and Agriculture Working Group, Energy Future Coalition [PDF], June 2003
  A report providing recommendations to accelerate commercialization of bioenergy technologies, increase and broaden bioenergy research, provide incentives to stimulate markets for bioenergy, and use government policies to capture society benefits.
• Roadmap for Biomass Technologies in the United States [PDF], Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee, December 2002
  A report that outlines a research and development roadmap and identifies public policy measures for promoting and developing environmentally desirable biobased fuels, power and products. Developed for the Departments of Energy and Agriculture. [Updates: 2006 Regional Roadmap Workshops]

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Bioenergy Research and Development

• "Genomics of cellulosic biofuels," Edward M. Rubin, Nature, 454, 841-845 (14 August 2008)
• Microbial Energy Conversion, American Academy of Microbiology, November 2006 Report (from March 2006 Workshop)
  A summary of research issues relating to electricity generation from microbial fuel cells and microbial conversion of solar energy or biological materials into energy-rich fuels such as ethanol, hydrogen, methane, butanol, and biodiesel.
• Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol: A Joint Research Agenda, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science / Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, July 2006
  Research agenda for the development of cellulosic ethanol as an alternative to gasoline. The 200-page scientific “roadmap” identifies the biological research challenges to cost-effective cellulosic-ethanol production that can be overcome with recent advances in biotechnology.
• Multi-Year Program Plan 2007-2012: Office of the Biomass Program [PDF], U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, August 2005
  Detailed description of goals and objectives for the Biomass and Biorefinery Systems R&D Program (“Biomass Program”), including an examination of the external context in which the program operates, the program’s history, and reasons for funding a Federal program in this area.

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Plant Genomics

National Plant Genome Initiative

• The National Plant Genome Initiative: Achievements and Future Directions, an ongoing project of the National Academies.
  An ad hoc committee will conduct a study on the National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI); review accomplishments; assess contributions to science, research infrastructure, education of the next generation scientists, and international research collaboration; and recommend future research directions and objectives.
• The National Plant Genome Initiative: Objectives for 2003-2008 (2002), The National Academies Press study report.
  Recommendations encompass key questions in plant biology, promising avenues of research, and needs for human resources and technical infrastructure.
• National Plant Genome Initiative: 2003 - 2008 (Five Year Plan), National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Plant Genomes, January 2003 [PDF]
  The IWG describes the NPGI plan for next five years (2003 – 2008).
• National Plant Genome Initiative Progress Report, January 2007, National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science Interagency Working Group on Plant Genomes [PDF]
  Brief highlights of activities in 2006, illustrating rapid and important advances across the spectrum of NPGI activities.
• National Science and Technology Council Reports Archives

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Computing Reports

• Catalyzing Inquiry at the Interface of Computing and Biology; 2005 Report of National Research Council of the National Academies
  Potential synergies of computer science and biology. Provides a large sample of well-documented examples.

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Microbial Reports

Microbial Genomics

• The New Science of Metagenomics: Revealing the Secrets of Our Microbial Planet (a 2007 National Academies Report) and Understanding our Microbial Planet: The New Science of Metagenomics (an educational booklet derived from the report 2007)
• Reconciling Microbial Systematics and Genomics, American Society for Microbiology (ASM) American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), March 2007
  Previously, scientists categorized microorganisms almost exclusively by their physical characteristics. With genomic sequencing and genetic analysis, the understanding of relationships between different microorganisms changed. In light of this, what is the definition of a microbial species, and how should microbiologists be categorizing microorganisms?
• The Global Genome Question: Microbes as the Key to Understanding Evolution and Ecology, April 2004, ASM AAM
  Examines the current state of knowledge of microbial genomics, the technical challenges of using genomics in microbial systems, and the achievements that may now be possible by applying genomics to the study of microbiology.
• Microbial Ecology and Genomics: A Crossroads of Opportunity 2002, ASM AAM
  Discusses genomics-enabled next steps for microbial systematics, evolution, and ecology.
• The Microbe Project Report, 2001, National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Science, Subcommittee on Biotechnology's Microbe Project Interagency Working Group
  Rationale and interagency plan for the Microbe Project, a coordinated Federal effort in microbial genomics.
• Interagency Report on the Federal Investment in Microbial Genomics (2000) discusses each relevant federal agency's activities, plans, and areas of interest in microbial genomics and summarizes opportunities for and limitations to microbial research. The booklet was prepared for the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
• Microbial Genomes: Blueprints for Life, 2000, ASM AAM
  Details advances made possible through the genetic wealth and biological aptitude of microbes--and the new challenges arising from large-scale DNA sequencing.
• The New Science of Metagenomics: Revealing the Secrets of Our Microbial Planet, National Research Council, March 2007 NAS Report [Related Brief]
  A report on the current state of metagenomics. Identifies research obstacles and explores the potential of metagenomics.
• Systems Microbiology: Beyond Microbial Genomics, December 2004, ASM AAM
  Details the power of applying a systems approach to the study of biology and to microbiology, specifics about current research efforts, technical limitations, database requirements, education needs, and communication issues that surround the field of systems microbiology.

Energy from Microbes

• Microbial Energy Conversion November 2006, ASM AAM,
  Report from March 2006 colloquium on the production of energy fuels by microbial conversions.

Microbial Biodiversity

• Marine Microbial Diversity: The Key to Earth's Habitability, December 2005, ASM AAM
  Based on a 2005 colloquium, this report outlines how life on Earth may owe its existence to tiny microorganisms living in oceans, but the effect of human-induced change on the vital services these microbes perform for the planet remains largely unstudied.
• The Microbial World: Foundation of the Biosphere, 1997, ASM AAM
  Addresses the need for increasing knowledge of microbial diversity. Covers basic research, applications and expected benefits, and education issues.
• Microbial Communities: From Life Apart to Life Together, 2002, ASM AAM
  Discusses issues surrounding microbial communities and their role in human health, industrial processes, and ecological functions, with recommendations for future research, education, and collaboration.

Microbial Ecology

• Global Environmental Change - Microbial Contributions, Microbial Solutions; 2001, ASM
  The basic chemistry of Earth's surface is determined by biological activity, especially that of microbes, so to find solutions to global change problems, scientists and policy makers must look to microbiology.
• Microbiology in the 21st Century: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?, July 2004 ASM AAM
  Details the central importance of microbes to life on earth, the direction microbiology research will take in the 21st Century and ways to foster public microbial literacy.

Biotechnology

• New Biotech Tools for a Cleaner Environment: Industrial Biotechnology for Pollution Prevention, Resource Conservation, and Cost Reduction, 2004 Biotechnology Industry Organization Report
  Presents national data projections for environmental and energy saving. Highlights benefits already being realized in several major industrial sectors.

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Other

• Genome Synthesis and Design Futures: Implications for the U.S. Economy, February 2007 [Press Release, Download PDF]
  Analyzes recent and expected impacts of the advance and adoption of new gene sequencing and synthesis technologies and techniques, and looks in depth at their likely significance in three strategically important sectors of the U.S. economy: energy, chemicals, and vaccines.

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