Problem:
The most widely produced biofuel globally is first generation bioethanol from crops like maize (corn) or sugar cane.
Required:
Question 1: Besides the costs of buying the feedstock, list the other steps in the process in the manufacture of first generation biofuels that have associated costs.
Question 2: Despite these other costs, the feedstock still makes up a large percentage of the overall costs of the process. How is ethanol from feed wheat made cost effective? And what needs to be done to make this so for straw based ethanol?
Please describe your answer.