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Switchgrass Produces Biomass Efficiently
November 24, 2009A USDOE and USDA study concluded that 50 million U.S. acres of cropland, idle cropland, and cropland pasture could be converted from current uses to the production of perennial grasses, such as switchgrass, from which biomass could be harvested for use as a biofuel feedstock. Economically viable production of a perennial grass monoculture from which substantial quantities of biomass are removed annually is expected to require nitrogen fertilizer.
An agronomist at Oklahoma State University, Regents Professor Emeritus Charles Taliaferro, designed and conducted an experiment to determine biomass yield from alternative levels of nitrogen fertilizer for a single and double harvest per year system for four perennial grass species (bermudagrass, flaccidgrass, lovegrass, and switchgrass). Agricultural economics graduate student, Mohua Haque, used the data produced in the field experiments to determine the most economical species, level of nitrogen, and harvest frequency for several sets of nitrogen fertilizer prices and hypothetical biomass prices. The study was funded by the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service and by Oklahoma State University. Results from the study were published in the November-December issue of the Agronomy Journal.
Haque explains, "For the soil and weather conditions that prevailed at the experiment site for the duration of the study, switchgrass clearly produced more dry biomass per dollar cost than the other three species. If perennial grass for biofuel feedstock is the best alternative for a field, and if the biomass price exceeds the cost of production, the optimal strategy would be to establish switchgrass, and in post-establishment years, to fertilize with 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year, and to harvest once per year after senescence."
If an economically viable system for conversion of biomass from perennial grasses to biofuels is developed, millions of acres may be bid from current uses and seeded to switchgrass.
Results from the study will be incorporated into a model at Oklahoma State University to evaluate the economic potential of alternative cellulosic biofuels production systems for Oklahoma. The goal of the research effort is to construct and solve models to determine the optimal number, size, and locations of cellulosic biorefineries, feedstock production counties, harvest months, fertilizer levels, number of harvest machines, storage strategy, and feedstock transportation flows.
The American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
If an economically viable system for conversion of biomass from perennial grasses to biofuels is developed, millions of acres may be bid from current uses and seeded to switchgrass.
Results from the study will be incorporated into a model at Oklahoma State University to evaluate the economic potential of alternative cellulosic biofuels production systems for Oklahoma. The goal of the research effort is to construct and solve models to determine the optimal number, size, and locations of cellulosic biorefineries, feedstock production counties, harvest months, fertilizer levels, number of harvest machines, storage strategy, and feedstock transportation flows.
The American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
Biomass Current Events and Biomass News RSSBlack Carbon a Significant Factor in Melting of Himalayan Glaciers
The fact that glaciers in the Himalayan mountains are thinning is not disputed. However, few researchers have attempted to rigorously examine and quantify the causes. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist Surabi Menon set out to isolate the impacts of the most commonly blamed culprit-greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide-from other particles in the air that may be causing the melting.
Ecologists discover forests are growing faster
Speed is not a word typically associated with trees; they can take centuries to grow. However, a new study to be published the week of Feb. 1 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found evidence that forests in the Eastern United States are growing faster than they have in the past 225 years.
Are new genes always better?
Re-vegetation seems like a beneficial strategy for conserving and restoring damaged ecosystems, and using a variety of species can help increase biodiversity in these systems.
Seabed biodiversity of the Straits of Magellan and Drake Passage
A study of animals visible to the naked eye and living in and on the seabed - the 'macrobenthos' - of the Straits of Magellan and Drake Passage will help scientists understand the biodiversity, biogeography and ecology of the Magellanic region.
Microbes Produce Fuels Directly from Biomass
A collaboration led by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) has developed a microbe that can produce an advanced biofuel directly from biomass.
Sweet success for sustainable biofuel research
Scientists have found a way to increase fermentable sugar stores in plants which could lead to plant biomass being easier to convert into eco-friendly sustainable biofuels.
Study suggests theory for insect colonies as 'superorganisms'
New A team of researchers including scientists from the University of Florida has shown insect colonies follow some of the same biological "rules" as individuals, a finding that suggests insect societies operate like a single "superorganism" in terms of their physiology and life cycle.
Genetic analysis disputes increase in Antarctic minke whales
A new genetic analysis of Antarctic minke whales concludes that population of these smaller baleen whales have not increased as a result of the intensive hunting of other larger whales -- countering arguments by advocates of commercial whaling who want to "cull" minke whales.
Much of the early methane rise can be attributed to the spreading of northern peatlands
The surprising increase in methane concentrations millennia ago, identified in continental glacier studies, has puzzled researchers for a long time.
Warmer Climate Could Stifle Carbon Uptake by Trees, New CU-Boulder Study Says
Contrary to conventional belief, as the climate warms and growing seasons lengthen subalpine forests are likely to soak up less carbon dioxide, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study.
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Biomass and Alternate Fuel Systems: An Engineering and Economic Guide by Thomas F. McGowan (Editor), Michael L. Brown (Editor), William S. Bulpitt (Editor), James L. Walsh Jr. (Editor) This book explains characteristics of renewable fuels, especially biomass and wood, and the cost-effective and environment-friendly methods of handling, storing and burning these fuels. It is complete with the economic evaluation method, introduction of the pollution control equipment for limiting the emission from fuel combustion, case studies, and costs and carbon emission comparisons between conventional and alternate fuels. Many case studies are introduced here too. This book is an update and expansion of the "Industrial Wood Energy Handbook" by a team from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1984. It introduces new technologies new technologies not available at the time of the early version. |
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The Biomass Assessment Handbook: Bioenergy for a Sustainable Environment by Frank Rosillo-Calle (Editor), Peter de Groot (Editor), Sarah L. Hemstock (Editor), Jeremy Woods (Editor) Responding to the need for reliable and detailed information on biomass consumption and supply and overcoming the lack of standardized measurement and accounting procedures, this handbook provides the skills to understand the biomass resource base and the tools to assess the resource and the pros and cons of exploitation. Topics covered include assessment methods for woody and herbaceous biomass, biomass supply and consumption, and remote sensing techniques. International case studies, ranging from techniques for measuring tree volume to transporting biomass, help to illustrate step-by-step methods and are based on fieldwork experience. A set of technical appendices offer a glossary of terms, energy units, and other valuable reference data. The Biomass Assessment Handbook will... |
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Biomass Farmer & User by Home Grown Energy/G Macpherson | |
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The Handbook of Biomass Combustion and Co-firing by Sjaak van Loo (Editor), Jaap Koppejan (Editor) Prepared under the auspices of the IEA Bioenergy Research Programme, this unique handbook presents both the theory and applications of biomass combustion and cofiring, from basic principles to industrial combustion and environmental impact, in a clear and comprehensive manner. It offers a solid grounding on biomass combustion and advice on improving combustion systems. Written by leading international academics and industrial experts, it is an essential resource for anyone interested in biomass combustion and co-firing technologies varying from domestic woodstoves to utility scale power generation. The book covers subjects including biomass fuel pre-treatment and logistics, modelling the combustion process, concepts for co-firing biomass with coal and includes an overview of... |
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Prometheus Principle: Biomass - Academic Version w/ PPR Directed By: Carl A. Fechner To quote Henry David Thoreau: There is a reason for everything under the sun. All across Europe, scientists are taking this axiom to heart by developing a variety of creative alternatives to fossil fuels. From converting used cooking oil into biodiesel to using straw to generate electricity, this film focuses on the number of exciting projects under way--in the hopes that these sources will one day provide the majority of energy for millions of households and businesses around the world. In an Austrian lumber factory, scraps and shavings are carefully collected and processed into the ultimate environment friendly energy source: wood pellets that anyone can use as fuel. In Växjö, Sweden, the entire warmth for the city is produced out of wood trash. In a Bavarian town, organic waste is... |
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SIMPSON DURAVENT 33190 CORN/BIO-MASS VENT PIPE FITTING by SIMPSON DURAVENT DURAVENT" CORN/BIO-MASS VENT PIPE FITTING 4" - 90 degree elbow 304 stainless steel inner flue Stainless steel outer wall double wall construction Air insulated design for use with corn and bio-mass burning stoves 3" minimum clearance to combustibles UL & ULC tested & listed 25 year warranty Boxed Pipe is required for multi-fuel stoves. |
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Arkansas Electric Energy Law by Eric Hughes of Hughes & Hughes Law Firm Posts on electric energy law issues specific to Arkansas.Kindle blogs are fully downloaded onto your Kindle so you can read them even when you're not wirelessly connected. And unlike RSS readers which often only provide headlines, blogs on Kindle give you full text content and images, and are updated wirelessly throughout the day. | |
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Energy from Biomass: A Review of Combustion and Gasification Technologies (World Bank Technical Paper) by Hubert E Stassen (Author), Peter Quaak (Author), Harrie Knoef (Author) While energy is essential for development, standard fossil fuels are often in short supply in countries where it is needed most. However, alternative fuel resources abound in the form of agricultural and municipal waste or "biomass." This report reviews the state of the art of biomass combustion and gassification systems, their advantages and disadvantages. It also encourages investment in use of these technologies to enable developing countries to better exploit their biomass resources and help close the gap between their energy needs and their energy supply. |
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horchata biomass - necromass remixes by horchata various artists horchata (Performer) lo-end dark hop. dark ambient. Dark ambient soundscapes. Instrumental electronic music. Isolationism. | |
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Hunting: Mossy Oak BioMass by BioLogic An affordable blend of peas, beans, sunflowers and grain sorghum for spring and summer planting. Recommended for food plots of at least an acre or more. Available: 25lb. bag (plants 1 acre). |
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