This viewpoint article offers the proposition that purpose-grown biomass buried in landfills constitutes a "virtual" biofuel that is more practical, economic, and immediate than the use of actual biofuels from cellulosics. While not a permanent solution, it may be a useful bridge to the hoped-for era of actual biofuels prior to the time technology for economically converting cellulosics to actual liquid biofuels is realized. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.