With the rise (and recent lowering) of gas prices and global warming, the need for biorefineries has become clear.  The recent profits of the oil industry seem to enhance the belief that alternative fuel-let alone the reduction of waste-is a great necessity.   With the creation of Biorefineries on the rise, it is clear that there is a greater need for ethanol, because of the flexiility of its use.  The question is are these companies worth investing in?  What are your opinions, and what do you foresee?

The Renewable Fuels Association has quite a list of refineries covering the Unites States.

Yep, I heard it has been used a lot in other countries.

 'What are your experiences in investing in them?  Are they worth it? 

There are several relatively recently built biorefineries in Nebraska, where ethanol production has been hailed by some as a way to increase available fuels while providing a mechanism for revitalizing depopulating communities.  Ethanol plants offer a readily available alternative market for farmers selling corn, and the manufacturing facilities provide employment opportunities which are sometimes in short supply in rural areas. 

There are significant disadvantages as well, however, i.e. concern that the corn is being removed from the food supply (and thus perhaps contributing to inflated food prices), and serious potential problems with groundwater contamination as a result of the increasing use of these biofuels.  Additionally, ethanol has been alleged to be a "clean" fuel, but it is still not healthy for our planet in my opinion from the standpoint of global warming.  In fact, ethanol as a gasoline additive may actually be prolonging reliance on fossil fuel gasoline as a primary power source for transportation.  It should be possible to develop cleaner technology.

I do not know whether investment in biofuels or biorefineries would be profitable over the long run, but recently construction of these plants has been quite popular in this area and several local educational institutions have developed job training programs for workers in this industry.

Recently saw a report on the local news here in Houston, talking about the success of a bio-plant here. They went to the chicken processors and asked for all the by products that no value to them. They are currently generating enough power for nearly 1000 homes in this one subdivision.

Now the chicken processors have so much demand for their formally worthless left overs, they are now beginning to charge for such.

I believe that most of these efforts have value, be it bio,wind,nuclear it is all needed for a combined effort to decrease our dependency on fossil fuel.

A few of these alternatives will come to be the leaders in the future as technology improves and costs go down.