Saudi Arabia of the Plains?

The Saudi Arabia of Biorenewables? It shouldn't be too hard to convince Southwest Nebraskans that we may have something in common with the middle eastern kingdom.

But it's a new type of energy, not just an important oil industry and the scorching weather that could put our region in parallel with the Saudis.

That point was being driven home for more than 175 representatives of industry, commodity and environmental groups, agricultural producers, government and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at the Nebraska Biofuel Renewables Energy Roadmap Workshop in Lincoln this week.

We already know about ethanol -- one new plant is in full production and others are planned in our area. In fact, as Gov. Dave Heineman pointed out, only 10 years ago, Nebraska had one ethanol plant producing 12 million gallons a year. Now, 11 plants are pumping out 540 million gallons a year and another 10 are in various stages of development.

But that's just the beginning, according to Ken Cassman, the UNL professor who organized the conference. "The stars are aligning ... there's an incredible opportunity. The biofuel industry is uniquely suited for rural economic development."

Another speaker disputed a recent Cornell University and University of California-Berkeley study concluding that ethanol production uses 29 percent more energy that it produces. That study used outdated numbers that don't reflect significant efficiency gains in agricultural and ethanol production, the speaker, Dan Walters, UNL soil scientist, said.

His analysis shows that turning corn into ethanol produces 30 to 40 percent more energy than required to produce the corn, transport it, process it and deliver it to the pump.

And that doesn't take into account the environmental, political and health problems associated with fossil fuels.

But biorenewables doesn't include just ethanol. For example, 20 plants nationwide are producing biodiesel, a blend of diesel and soybean or other vegetable oil or animal fats. Ten more plants are in development, which could raise production from 150 million to as much as 400 million gallons.

And, a plant being developed near Mead bears close watching. Expected to be in operation by next spring, E3 Biofuels of Omaha's plant turns waste from a nearby feedlot into biogas to fuel ethanol production. In turn, distillers grains are fed to the cattle, to repeat the cycle.

Let's see: corn, cows, ethanol. Sounds like something that could work here.

If we keep an open mind and take opportunities that present themselves, could energy do for the Golden Plains what it's done for Saudi Arabia?