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The ethanol industry is established mainly in the United States and Europe. In the US, over 95 percent of ethanol is corn-based. This ethanol production pathway has been criticized for having an unfavourable net energy balance and significant arable land and water requirements, as well as environmental impacts such as soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and higher volatile organic compound and NOx pollution. The legislation to limit green house gas (GHG) emissions is a key driver of lignocellulosic ethanol which has been shown to reduce GHG emissions drastically (88%). The feed versus fuel debate is also driving lignocellulosic feedstocks such as agricultural and forestry residues (canola straw), herbaceous (alfalfa, switch grass) and woody crops. For this reason, major ethanol producers such as the US have identified agricultural and forestry residues, municipal solid wastes, herbaceous and woody crops as feedstocks for the production of transportation fuel.