The recommendation of our panel was that the following were specific areas of promising research: 1) A more complete technology assessment in broad terms. 2) Additional fundamental studies on microbial conversion to methane. 3) Conversion of wood or crop residues to feed for ruminants by the simplest possible methods. 4) More complete characterization of the quality of syrups produced by enzymatic or acid hydrolysis. 5) Continued study of effective use of the lignin and hemicellulose by-products.