New York sources of biofuel made from wood, grass and other forms of biomass could substantially reduce our consumption of gasoline and reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to a report from the Pace Law School's Energy and Climate Center.

“Producing biofuels and developing a biofuels industry in New York State has multiple benefits: Job creation opportunities, and reducing gasoline imports from outside the state which are dollars from New York going to some other place and no benefit in the economy,” said Dr. Timothy Volk, SUNY ESF.

Dr. Timothy Volk says the report, sponsored by the New York's Energy Research and Development Agency, the DEC and Ag and Markets Department, shows a reduction in gasoline consumption by as much as 16% with the use of biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel.

Biofuels are just any liquid transportation fuels made out of sources of biomass. Biomass can be a wide variety of different things. It's any organic or plant material that's been produced recently and is available on recurring and renewable basis.

The report envisions the creation of up to 14,000 jobs with the construction of biofuel production facilities, new sustainable forest management, and growing more crops like shrub willow or switch grass.

So when we did this in terms of determining how much biomass is out there we were very careful about sustainability, making sure that this biomass was renewable and the numbers end up being fairly large.

About nine and a half to 14 million dry tons a year, about double the biomass that's produced right here. In addition to being a renewable energy resource, another benefit is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

This study found that for a biofuels industry in New York, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by 65 to 85 percent relative to petroleum fuels used in New York State.