State agencies have teamed up with Salisbury University to study Maryland crops - primarily switchgrass - that might be well-suited for conversion to ethanol and could replace the currently popular corn-based ethanol. Demand for ethanol has been blamed for rising food prices. State officials said yesterday that they hope Maryland will attract researchers and developers of ethanol that is derived from other materials.
O'Malley acknowledged that a new technology could render existing alternative-fuel vehicles obsolete but said that the state must make "targeted, responsible investments" to make progress. The energy administration also will explore ways to move to plug-in electric hybrids that might become more widely available and to launch a public awareness campaign to provide money-saving vehicle tips.
"It won't be easy or immediate, but this is needed to accelerate the coming of a post-petroleum era," said Malcolm Woolf, director of the energy administration.
