Development of Logistics Systems for Sustainable Supply of Herbaceous and Woody Feedstocks - Final Report - Vance Morey Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering Collaborators: Gary Sands, Nalladurai Kaliyan, Dario Sanchez Douglas Tiffany Applied Economics North Central Regional Sun Grant Center Annual Meeting Bloomington, MN March 18-19, 2015

Project Support DOT Biobased Transportation Research Program

Introduction Sustainable production of biofuels/bioenergy/bioproducts depends on the sustainability of biomass feedstock production and supply logistics system. A combination of herbaceous and woody crops may be needed to provide large amounts of feedstocks. Users of biomass operate on an industrial cycle while biomass is produced on an agricultural cycle. Need for development of supply logistics system to deliver biomass throughout the year to the users. Need for a holistic analysis on economics, energy, environment, and sustainability factors for biomass logistics systems.

Project Objectives Develop supply logistics systems for corn stover, prairie grass (switchgrass), and short rotation willow. Compare the logistical systems for three biomass feedstocks in terms of the following criteria: Cost (per ton of biomass and per unit of energy) Fossil energy use Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions Change in soil organic carbon (SOC) Nitrogen loss (surface, subsurface, and atmosphere losses) Soil loss due to erosion Disseminate project results to those in the biomass supply chain, and public agencies and policy makers.

Project Tasks for Three Biomass Feedstocks Production system analysis Sustainability (soil and water quality) indicators Collection/harvest system analysis Local storage system analysis Pre-processing (bale to bulk processing) and transport system analysis Logistics system integration and evaluations Conduct outreach and extension activities

Systems for this Project Corn stover – include sustainability (soil and water quality) indicators Corn stover with cover crop – include cover crop establishment and sustainability indicators Switchgrass – include production and sustainability indicators Willow – include production and sustainability indicators US Midwest Corn grown on highly productive crop land Switchgrass and willow grown on less productive land

Corn Stover Logistics System

Agricultural to Industrial System Requires supply throughout the year Agricultural – One harvest per year

Corn Stover Systems Item Bulk Product (Round Bales) Rectangular Bales Bale size 6 ft D x 5 ft L (1.8 m D x 1.5 m L) 8 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft (2.4 m x 1.2 m x 0.9 m) Bale wrap Net wrap Plastic twine Bale density (w.b.) 9 lb/ft3 (144 kg/m3) 13 lb/ft3 (208 kg/m3) Storage (near field) Outdoor (5% DML) Indoor (1% DML) Delivered product (truck) Roll press compacts, bulk density 15 lb/ft3 (240 kg/m3) Rectangular bales Common Assumptions: Corn yield (#2 yellow) – 200 bu./acre (12.6 Mg/ha) Stover removal rate – 70% every other corn year Stover yield – 3.31 dry ton/acre (7.4 dry Mg/ha) Moisture content – 15% (w.b.) Field to storage site – 2 mile (3.2 km) radius Storage site to plant – 30 mile (48.3 km) radius

Tub-Grinding/Roll-Press Compaction Previous SunGrant Project (2009 – 2012)

Roll Compacted Corn Stover

Corn Stover – Total Delivered Cost Land rent – $0/acre Moisture content – 15% (w.b.)

Corn Stover – Fossil Energy Consumption 1127 Tub Grinding Bulk Product (Round Bales) – 9.5% dry stover energy Rectangular Bales – 5.8% dry stover energy

Corn Stover – GHG Emissions Excludes soil organic carbon (SOC) change

Switchgrass Production and Logistics System

Switchgrass http://sites.udel.edu/poultryextension/tag/switchgrass/ http://www.geotimes.org/mar08/article.html?id=nn_switchgass.html http://www.window.state.tx.us/txinnovator/ti-summer08/webex.html

Switchgrass Production and Logistics System (10 year lifecycle) Establishment 1-2 yrs (Marginal land) Field preparation Sowing (20% Reseeding) Weed control Fertilizing 2 – 10 years Harvesting / Collection 2 – 10 yrs (4 ton DM/yr) Field drying Round bales, net-wrap Local Field Storage Pre-processing to increase bulk density Delivery to Facility Truck transport Round bales Roll compacted products Sources: Duffy (2008) – Iowa State University Lazarus (2010) – University of Minnesota Khanna and Huang (2010) – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Switchgrass Systems Item Bulk Product (Round Bales) Rectangular Bales Bale size 6 ft D x 5 ft L (1.8 m D x 1.5 m L) 8 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft (2.4 m x 1.2 m x 0.9 m) Bale wrap Net wrap Plastic twine Bale density (w.b.) 9 lb/ft3 (144 kg/m3) 13 lb/ft3 (208 kg/m3) Storage (near field) Outdoor (5% DML) Indoor (1% DML) Delivered product (truck) Roll press compacts, bulk density 15 lb/ft3 (240 kg/m3) Rectangular bales Common Assumptions: Life span – 10 years Yield (3 – 10 years) – 4.2 dry ton/acre/year (9.4 dry Mg/ha/year) Harvest percent – 80% DM (harvest once after first frost) Harvest yield – 2.9 dry ton/acre/year (6.5 dry Mg/ha/year) Moisture content – 15% (w.b.) Field to storage site – 2 mile (3.2 km) radius Storage site to plant – 30 mile (48.3 km) radius

Switchgrass – Total Delivered Cost Land rent – $80/acre Moisture content – 15% (w.b.)

Switchgrass – Fossil Energy Consumption 1718 Tub Grinding Bulk Product (Round Bales) – 13.8% dry switchgrass energy Rectangular Bales – 9.9% dry switchgrass energy

Switchgrass – GHG Emissions Excludes soil organic carbon (SOC) change

Willow Production and Logistics System

Short Rotation Willow http://www.esf.edu/willow/ http://images.nrel.gov http://www.eereblogs.energy.gov/biomass/post/2013/01/28/Developing-Willow-Biomass-Reducing-the-Delivered-Cost-of-Feedstock.aspx

Willow Production and Logistics System (22 year lifecycle) Establishment 1 year (Marginal land) Nursery operations Field preparation Planting Weed control Coppice (Cutback) Fertilizing Spring 2, 5, 9, 13, 17 yr Harvesting Winter (4 ton DM/yr) Cut and chip harvester 5, 9, 13, 17, 21 yr Willow Chips Delivery to Facility 17 lb/ft3 at 50% MC Truck transport Willow Stool Elimination 22 yr, spring/summer Stock removal Five 4-year Rotations Coppice Regrowth Sources: EcoWillow Model – State University of New York Lazarus (2010) – University of Minnesota Gonzalez-Garcia et al. (2012) – EU Studies

Willow System Item Willow Chips Life span 22 years Rotation cycle 4 years, 5 rotations Yield (per year) 4.0 dry ton/acre/year (9.0 dry Mg/ha/year) Yield (project life) 88.3 dry ton/acre (198 dry Mg/ha) Moisture content 50% (w.b.) Storage (near field) None Distance from field to plant 30 mile (48.3 km) radius Delivered product (truck) Chips, bulk density 17 lb/ft3 (272 kg/m3)

Willow – Total Delivered Cost Land rent – $40/acre Moisture content – 50% (w.b.)

Willow – Fossil Energy Consumption Delivery of willow chips requires 3.3% of dry willow energy

Excludes soil organic carbon (SOC) change Willow – GHG Emissions Excludes soil organic carbon (SOC) change

Comparison of Total Delivered Cost

Comparison of Fossil Energy Consumption Tub Grinding Tub Grinding

Comparison of GHG Emissions Excludes soil organic carbon (SOC) change

Sustainability with EPIC Model EPIC (Environment Policy Integrated Climate) Change in soil organic carbon (SOC), Nitrogen loss, Soil loss due to erosion Corn stover without/with cover crop Location – Waseca, MN; Peoria, IL (22 years – 1998 to 2010) Yield (grain, stover) Amount of residue removed Tillage practice Switchgrass Yield Amount harvested

Corn Production Systems Tillage Intensity Spring Fall No tillage No till/rye cover crop Kill rye May 15 Plant rye Sept. 15 Reduced (medium) tillage Row cultivator Chisel plow Conventional tillage Tandem disk Moldboard plow Common Assumptions: Location – Waseca, MN Soil type – Nicollet-Webster Plant corn – May 1 Herbicide application 1 – May 15 Herbicide application 2 – June 1 Harvest corn – October 15 Nitrogen – 150 kg/ha Phosphorus – 15 kg/ha Potassium – 46 kg/ha

Cover Crop Seeding Options hagie.com rowbot.com

Corn Yield Vs. Tillage & Stover Removal

Change in SOC Vs. Tillage & Stover Removal

Soil Loss Vs. Tillage & Stover Removal

Nitrogen Loss Vs. Tillage & Stover Removal

Corn Stover – Change in SOC

Corn Stover – Change in SOC with Time NTCC = No Tillage with Cover Crop; NT = No Tillage. Stover Removal Rates = 0%, 35%, and 70%.

Switchgrass – Harvested Yield

Switchgrass – Change in SOC

Switchgrass – Soil Loss

Switchgrass – Nitrogen Loss

Switchgrass – Change in SOC with Time

Switchgrass Vs. Corn Stover – Change in SOC

Switchgrass Vs. Corn Stover – Soil Loss

Switchgrass Vs. Corn Stover – Nitrogen Loss

SOC Sequestration – Literature Moisture content – 15% (w.b.). Kwon et al. (2013), Biomass and Bioenergy 55: 299-310. Hudiburg et al. (2015), GCB Bioenergy 7(2): 366-374.

SOC Sequestration – This Study Moisture content – 15% (w.b.).

Project Outcomes and Impacts Compared logistics systems for corn stover, switchgrass, and willow Compared round bale/bulk and rectangular bale systems for corn stover and switchgrass Evaluated chipped biomass (50% moisture) for willow Cost, fossil energy, and lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions were lower for rectangular bale systems than for round bale/bulk systems for both corn stover and switchgrass Cost, fossil energy, and lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions were lower for corn stover than for switchgrass for both rectangular bales and round bale/bulk systems Cost, fossil energy, and lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for willow were between cornstover and switchgrass on a dry ton basis

Project Outcomes and Impacts Estimated change in SOC, nitrogen loss, and soil loss for corn stover and switchgrass Change in soil organic carbon, soil loss, and nitrogen loss for no tillage corn with a rye cover crop and 35% residue removal were comparable to no tillage corn with zero residue removal Change in soil organic carbon, soil loss, and nitrogen loss for no tillage corn with rye cover crop (35% removal) were comparable to switchgrass Results for corn stover suggest no tillage with cover crops allows significant residue removal in highly productive soils, aiding residue management, but monitoring change in SOC is important Results will aid in estimating carbon foot print for biomass logistics systems including changes in soil organic carbon Results can be used in developing policies related to biomass as a feedstock for biofuels

Products Journal article: Economic and Environmental Analysis for Corn Stover and Switchgrass Supply Logistics. BioEnergy Research DOI: 10.1007/s12155-015-9609-y Another journal article in preparation One poster presentation Four oral presentations Two Post-Doc/Research Associates supported

Questions? Vance Morey rvmorey@umn.edu