2. Agenda
• Overview of BION2: Bioenergy Crop
Production and Harvesting
• Research data from MI
• Handling and logistics
3. BIOEN2: Bioenergy Crops
2.1 Analyzing the economics of bioenergy crop
production
• Cost-benefit analysis in farm decision-making
• Bioenergy crop budgets
• Analyzing potential markets
• Federal and state incentive programs for
production of biomass
4. BIOEN2: Bioenergy Crops
2.2 Bioenergy Crop Production: a crop by crop
analysis
• Crop production
– 19 fact sheets
– Crop Comparison Matrix
• Energy Potential Box
15. Cass County (Edward Lowe
Foundation)
2010 2011
Yield1 Ethanol2 Yield1 Ethanol2
Switchgrass 3.57 303.5 7.28 618.8 a
Indiangrass 5.02 426.7 6.97 592.5 ab
Miscanthus 3.77 320.5 6.56 557.6 ab
Big Bluestem 3.07 261.0 3.43 291.6 b
1 tons of dry matter/acre
2 tons/acre X 85 gal/ton = gal of ethanol/acre
3 Ethanol yield calculated at 2.8 gallons per bushel for corn grain.
17. Energy Sorghum
High Biomass Sorghum Photoperiod Sensitive Sorghum
12-13 foot tall 14-15 foot tall
Produced seed head No seed head
10.87 tons DM per acre 8.53 tons DM per acre
KBS KBS
18. Ottawa County (GVSU)
2010 2011
Yield1 Ethanol2 Yield1 Ethanol2
Switchgrass 1.9 161.5 6.48 550.8
Miscanthus 2.88 244.8 8.96 761.6
Sweet Sorghum 6.7 572.1 - -
Corn grain 68.0 190.4 - -
Corn stover 3.6 303.5 - -
1 tons of dry matter/acre
2 tons/acre X 85 gal/ton = gal of ethanol/acre
3 Ethanol yield cacluated at 2.8 gallons per bushel for corn grain.
20. Miscanthus Establishment
• Purpose: compare transplants started in
greenhouse to planting bare rhizomes in non-
irrigated soil
• Treatments:
– m-root = bare root planted directly in soil
– m-trans = live plant grown for 8 weeks in
greenhouse
In partnership with and funded by
the Energy Biosciences Institute at
the University of Illinois.
25. Switchgrass Variety Trial (KBS)
Yield (tons DM/acre)
Ecotype Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Alamo L a 3.59 3.87
Blackwell U a 4.51 4.67
Cave-in-Rock U a 4.22 4.48
Dakota U a 1.71 1.81
EG 1101 L 1.44 2.42 -
EG 1102 L 2.18 4.08 -
EG 2101 U 0.94 2.41 -
Kanlow L a 2.62 4.40
NE28 L a 2.53 2.47
Shelter U 0.90 2.12 -
Southlow U a 2.44 3.46
Trailblazer U a 2.25 2.30
aIn varieties established in 2009, yield data was not collected due to the fact that mowing was needed for weed control.
L=lowland ecotype (typically out produces upland, grown in southern states)
U=upland ecotype (better overwinter survival in northern states like Michigan)
27. Biomass Feedstock Sources
Amount needed
to reach U.S.
bioenergy goals
Forest
• Logging residues
Forest
• Excess timber (fuel treatments)
• Fuel wood
• Processing residues
• Pulping liquors
Agricultural
Agricultural
• Crop residues
• Grains Total
• Perennial Grasses
• Woody crops
• Food processing waste
0 500 1000 1500
• Municipal solid waste
Million Dry Tons Per Year
Source: Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical
Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply, U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department
of Agriculture, April 2005.
28. Density
125,000 acres Physical
1000 lbs/(36” x 48” x 96”) = 10.42 lb/ft3
115,000 acres Physical
56 lbs/1.24 ft3 = 45.16 lb/ft3
50. So which system is better?
Bales Bulk
• More dense • Less dense - requires
• Easier for farmer to handle packing equip for
• Cheaper at the farm end transportation
• Saves de-twine, de-bale and
chop operations at
biorefinery
• Cheaper at biorefinery
51. Other issues
• Year round supply – can’t deliver all at harvest
• Storage on farm
– Covered bales
– Bunker silo
• Equipment cost – baler is much cheaper
52.
53. Cellulosic Ethanol
• How close is it?
• 3-5 years?
• Poet Ethanol
– Reduced energy use, enzyme costs, raw material
requirements and capital expenses (Dec. 09)
$4.13
$2. 35
Photo by Dr. Cole Gustafson, NDSU
54. Cellulosic Ethanol
• How close is it?
• 3-5 years?
• Genera Energy
• $1.65 cash costs + $0.30 capital costs
$2. 00
