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As cellulosic ethanol mandates continue to increase so will the demand for energy crops as feedstock for ethanol production facilities. According to an article in Science Daily, based on a study done by University of Nebraska, Lincoln, switchgrass along with other perennial grasses, have shown to be viable feedstock for ethanol production on an economic scale.
"Switchgrass grown for biofuel production produced 540 percent more energy than needed to grow, harvest and process it into cellulosic ethanol, according to estimates from a large on-farm study by researchers at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Results from the five-year study involving fields on farms in three states highlight the prairie grass' potential as a biomass fuel source that yields significantly more energy than is consumed in production and conversion into cellulosic ethanol, said Ken Vogel, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service geneticist in UNL's agronomy and horticulture department."
RMS is currently engaged with alternative crop specialists and local farmers to provide a full turn-key solution to meet energy crop demands by developing large tracts of land in Northern Nevada. Portions of the RMS projects will be focused on energy crop production near key transportation features such as major railways and interstates, and the projects will include other synergistic renewable energy sources such as geothermal power facilities. As technology continues to develop and commercial scale projects become more feasible, energy crop production will become a vital component for meeting the demands of ethanol production facilities.
"In the future, perennial crops, such as switchgrass, as well as crop residues and forestry biomass could be developed as major cellulosic ethanol sources that could potentially displace 30 percent of current U.S. petroleum consumption, Vogel said. Technology to convert biomass into cellulosic ethanol is being developed and is now at the development stage where small commercial scale biorefineries are beginning to be built with scale-up support from the U.S. Department of Energy."
Even though researchers were pleased with results of the current University of Nebraska study, there will continue to be new advances in improved yield production and economic efficiency in farming operations and biofuel conversion processes.
"Future research will include further studies of improving management practices including work on improving establishment and harvesting methods, improving biomass yield, and improving conversion efficiency and net and total energy yields, Vogel said."
To read more about this article go to: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109110629.htm
University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Biofuel: Major Net Energy Gain From Switchgrass-Based Ethanol." ScienceDaily 14 January 2008. 10 February 2010.
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