The P.E.I. government is being urged to establish an "energy from biomass" program that would oversee the development of the growing non-food sector.

The idea was one of 14 recommendations in the final report of a government-appointed commission on the future of agriculture in P.E.I. An interdepartmental committee now evaluates and signs off on any biofuel project.

But commission co-chairman Rory Francis said the new program would help prospective developers who plan on using agriculture or forestry-related products to obtain access to risk capital.

Mr. Francis said during a recent news conference releasing the report there is a real opportunity for agriculture to play a leading role in the process.

"Large-scale ethanol and biodiesel development have limited potential on P.E.I. at current levels of technology and feedstock sources," the report says. "However, biomass energy and wind energy, as well as small-scale boutique initiatives like pure plant oil, have shown the potential to replace imported energy, including on farm fuel requirements."

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Supplied by Climate Change Central.