Reaching a key milestone in the quest for a better biofuel, Virent Energy Systems has produced "biogasoline" from crops that aren't part of the nation's food supply.

The Madison biofuels firm announced it has made biogasoline from a combination of corn stalks and leaves left on farms after the corn harvest, as well as pine tree branches, needles and stumps left on the forest floor after logging.

The project is part of a $50 million national research effort, funded primarily through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and steered by the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium.

Cellulosic biofuels are considered important not only because they don't compete with food sources, but also because they are projected to generate far fewer emissions linked to global warming than current biofuels.

The national consortium is led by two of the Department of Energy's national research labs and involves a variety of companies. The federal stimulus package provided $35 million for the effort.

"Producing gasoline from cellulosics is an important milestone for our company, and for the biofuels industry overall," said Randy Cortright, Virent's founder and chief technology officer, in a statement. "We anticipate further development in our production of drop-in fuels and chemicals from biomass, giving our nation long-awaited access to a wider range of feedstock choices."

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