While conventional ethanol is derived from soft starches (corn for example), cellulosic ethanol is derived from a wide variety of sources of cellulose (cell wall) plant fiber. These range from stalks and grain straw to switchgrass and quick-growing trees (poplar and willow)and even municipal waste.
In addition to freeing up land that would normally be dedicated to growing feedstock, this method of ethanol production is quite efficient in that it uses a resource that would otherwise be designated as waste to create a new and useful fuel.
The Alternative Fuel Bible: Find Answers to Your Fuel & Vehicle Questions
