Wagoner: Forget auto technology and fuel economy, biofuels instead?

Have biofuels become the new fuel cells?

For decades U.S. automakers told Congress to take it easy regarding fuel economy standards in the U.S.. Legacy costs limited R&D, Detroit told Congress, but fuel cells were just around the corner. Consequently, a push towards hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles would take too much money away from fuel cells.

Thus, Congress let Detroit slide for decades.

Not there is a new, stronger-than-ever push for fuel economy. This time around, however, Detroit isn't using fuel cells as an excuse for inaction. This time it's biofuels.

"For example, it has become increasingly clear that, of anything we can do over the next decade, biofuels have by far the greatest potential to actually reduce US oil consumption, reduce oil imports, and reduce carbon gas emissions," Wagoner told members of the Senate.

Let's hope biofuels aren't this decade's fuel cells.