Energy crops are grown for both conversion into alternative fuels (biofuels), such as ethanol, methanol and biodiesel, and as boiler fuels for use in industrial heating and power generation. The potential for using energy from biomass is significant.
Biomass crops include annual row crops such as corn, herbaceous perennial grasses such as witchgrass, and short-rotation woody crops such as poplar. Biomass-derived fuels, recognized as a feasible alternative or substitute for fossil fuels, offer potential market opportunities for agriculture. Land conversion would allow marginal lands to be used for biofuels and biomass production and, at the same time, restore land that had been drastically disturbed by agricultural uses.