May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 1 : Catalysis and Metabolic Engineering Leader(s): Patrick Dussault, Don Weeks Coordinator: Sara Trickie

May 15, Group 1: Biocatalysis/metabolic engineering  Metabolic Engineering  Better understanding of plant or microbe metabolic pathways and pathway manipulation  Use Nebraska commodities (soybeans, corn, wheat) for high value/high energy products – “translational genomics”

May 15, Group 1: Biocatalysis/metabolic engineering  Metabolic Engineering  Use of algae as high oil organism that has great potential for genetic manipulation  Find a person that can interact productively with existing researchers at UNL to develop practical applications

May 15, Group 1: Biocatalysis/metabolic engineering  Metabolic Engineering  Perhaps bring in a biochemist/ metabolic engineer to work on corn, given the major boost in corn production and corn by-products that will result from ethanol production

May 15, Group 1: Biocatalysis/metabolic engineering  Metabolic Engineering  Summary: Focus on better understanding carbon flow in plants and, ultimately, apply this for practical purposes.

May 15, Group 1: Biocatalysis/metabolic engineering  Catalysis  Likely inorganic catalysis, but opportunities also in enzyme-based catalysis  Opportunities :  Conversions of emerging feedstocks  Catalytic upgrading of ethanol  Liquid phase chemistry equivalent to classic gas-phase catalysis (for example, cracking)

May 15, Group 1: Biocatalysis/metabolic engineering  Catalysis  Theme:  High-volume biofuel production should optimally be accompanied by high-value co-product chemistry.  Needed Facilities  High through-put screening  Metabolomics  Combichem - ?

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 2 : Integrated Biorefinery Systems Leader(s): Milford Hanna, David Jackson Coordinator: John Hay

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 2 : Integrated Biorefinery Systems Leader(s): Milford Hanna, David Jackson Coordinator: John Hay

May 15, Group 2: Integrated Biorefinery Systems Proposed Focus Areas: Primary emphasis on corn based ethanol and integrated technologies including  Fractionation  Gasification  Biodiesel production  Co-products of biofuel production  Expand range of uses  Biorefinery Course  Undergraduate/Graduate  Understanding the Nutrient Flow through the corn ethanol production system including  Feedstocks  Co-product fractions

May 15, Group 2: Integrated Biorefinery Systems  Funding sources?  First, we need to develop a compelling vision  Faculty positions and expertise needed?  Other needed resources and infrastructure?  Compile existing capabilities

May 15, Group 2: Integrated Biorefinery Systems  Group will meet again to discuss a vision of integrated biorefinery research at UNL

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 3 : Carbon Sequestration, Climate Change & Sustainability of Biofuel Systems Leader(s): Shashi Verma Coordinator: Tisha Mullen

May 15, Carbon Sequestration, Climate Change & Sustainability of Biofuel Systems Energy Science Retreat_May 15, 2007

May 15, Atmospheric CO 2 Concentration at Mauna Loa Observatory Potential Effects:  Global Climate Patterns  Functioning of Terrestrial Ecosystems Mitigation Options:  Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions  Remove Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere – Increase Carbon Stored in the Soil (“Carbon Sequestration”)  Use of Biofuels

May 15, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF BIOFUEL SYSTEMS Discussion Topics Overall Goal: Create environmentally friendly, sustainable, and economically viable biofuels systems that support our needs for food, feed, and fuel. Objectives: Develop fundamental quantitative understanding of carbon, energy, nutrient, and water cycles in major biofuel systems to achieve long-term environmental and economic sustainability. Develop fundamental quantitative understanding of carbon, energy, nutrient, and water cycles in major biofuel systems to achieve long-term environmental and economic sustainability. Use a combination of small-scale plots and production-scale facilities in an integrated, holistic approach to obtain relevant data on how biofuel cropping systems, livestock feeding operations, and bio-processing facilities influence food and feedstock supply and environmental impact. Use a combination of small-scale plots and production-scale facilities in an integrated, holistic approach to obtain relevant data on how biofuel cropping systems, livestock feeding operations, and bio-processing facilities influence food and feedstock supply and environmental impact.

May 15, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF BIOFUEL SYSTEMS Discussion Topics Overall Goal: Create environmentally friendly, sustainable, and economically viable biofuels systems that support our needs for food, feed, and fuel. Objectives (cont.): Accurately quantify the amounts of net carbon sequestered and trading value in a variety of major biofuel cropping systems. Conduct full carbon cost accounting (including all greenhouse gas emissions) and determine the net global warming potential. Accurately quantify the amounts of net carbon sequestered and trading value in a variety of major biofuel cropping systems. Conduct full carbon cost accounting (including all greenhouse gas emissions) and determine the net global warming potential. Management and use of co-products in a cost-effective manner that protects soil, air, and water quality. Reduce environmental challenges related to biofuels co-products use by grazing and confined livestock. Compare water and energy use with and without co-products as well as mitigate N, P, and other nutrient challenges. Management and use of co-products in a cost-effective manner that protects soil, air, and water quality. Reduce environmental challenges related to biofuels co-products use by grazing and confined livestock. Compare water and energy use with and without co-products as well as mitigate N, P, and other nutrient challenges.

May 15, Carbon Sequestration Research Facility at the UNL Agricultural Research and Development Center, Mead Site 1 Irrigated Continuous Maize Site 2 Irrigated Maize – Soybean Site 3 Rainfed Maize – Soybean

May 15, Co-Principal Investigators Shashi B. Verma School of Natural Resources Kenneth G. Cassman Agronomy and Horticulture Co-Investigators Timothy J. Arkebauer Agronomy and Horticulture Achim Dobermann Agronomy and Horticulture Anatoly A. Gitelson School of Natural Resources Kenneth G. Hubbard School of Natural Resources Johannes M. Knops School or Biological Sciences Gary D. Lynne Agricultural Economics Derrel L. Martin Biological Systems Engineering Donald C. Rundquist School of Natural Resources Madhavan Soundararajan Biochemistry Andrew E. Suyker School of Natural Resources Elizabeth A. Walter-Shea School of Natural Resources Daniel T. Walters Agronomy and Horticulture Haishun Yang Agronomy and Horticulture Carbon Sequestration Program

May 15, Carbon Cycle and Biofuel Energy Research Activities: Agronomy and Horticulture Soil carbon sequestration: Cassman, Dobermann, Yang, Arkebauer and Walters Soil carbon sequestration: Cassman, Dobermann, Yang, Arkebauer and Walters Ecology of perennial grassland systems: Schacht and Arkebauer Ecology of perennial grassland systems: Schacht and Arkebauer Perennial crop management and carbon budgets - cellulosic biomass: Schacht Perennial crop management and carbon budgets - cellulosic biomass: Schacht Soil organic matter dynamics and modeling: Yang, Cassman, Walters, Drijber and Wortmann Soil organic matter dynamics and modeling: Yang, Cassman, Walters, Drijber and Wortmann Greenhouse trace gas emissions from agricultural systems: Dobermann, Drijber and Arkebauer Greenhouse trace gas emissions from agricultural systems: Dobermann, Drijber and Arkebauer Full C cost accounting of biofuel systems: Walters, Yang, Liska and Cassman Full C cost accounting of biofuel systems: Walters, Yang, Liska and Cassman Biofuel energy systems simulation: Liska, Cassman, Yang and Walters Biofuel energy systems simulation: Liska, Cassman, Yang and Walters Transformation and breeding of oil, starch and sugar energy crops: Clemente and Dweikat Transformation and breeding of oil, starch and sugar energy crops: Clemente and Dweikat

May 15, Carbon Cycle and Biofuel Energy Research Activities: USDA – ARS, Lincoln, NE Soil carbon sequestration: Varvel and Wienhold Soil carbon sequestration: Varvel and Wienhold REAP (Renewable Energy Assessment Project) - Development of sustainable residue removal management practices: Wilhelm, Varvel and Vogel REAP (Renewable Energy Assessment Project) - Development of sustainable residue removal management practices: Wilhelm, Varvel and Vogel Cellulosic biomass harvest technologies: Wilhelm and Varvel Cellulosic biomass harvest technologies: Wilhelm and Varvel Soil organic matter dynamics and soil quality under cellulosic biomass removal: Wienhold, Wilhelm and Varvel Soil organic matter dynamics and soil quality under cellulosic biomass removal: Wienhold, Wilhelm and Varvel Energy balance and net energy yield using switchgrass as a cellulosic feedstock for ethanol production: Vogel, Wilhelm and Varvel Energy balance and net energy yield using switchgrass as a cellulosic feedstock for ethanol production: Vogel, Wilhelm and Varvel Switchgrass breeding for enhanced conversion efficiency and climate adaptation: Vogel, Pedersen and Sarath Switchgrass breeding for enhanced conversion efficiency and climate adaptation: Vogel, Pedersen and Sarath

May 15, Biofuels Feed Byproducts Research Activities Animal Science Department Beef Cattle Evaluation of different byproduct types. Evaluation of different byproduct types. Evaluation of ratio of distillers grains to distillers solubles for growing and finishing cattle. Evaluation of ratio of distillers grains to distillers solubles for growing and finishing cattle. Methods to feed greater amounts (greater than 50%). Methods to feed greater amounts (greater than 50%). Impact of feeding byproducts on environmental challenges. Impact of feeding byproducts on environmental challenges. Use of byproducts in forage situations. Use of byproducts in forage situations. Optimizing other dietary ingredients (grain type, forages, etc.) in combination with byproducts. Optimizing other dietary ingredients (grain type, forages, etc.) in combination with byproducts. Methods of storage of wet byproducts for smaller producers and ranchers. Methods of storage of wet byproducts for smaller producers and ranchers. Economic impacts of utilizing byproducts. Economic impacts of utilizing byproducts. Dairy Cattle Evaluation of different byproduct types. Evaluation of different byproduct types. Optimizing other dietary ingredients in dairy rations containing byproducts. Optimizing other dietary ingredients in dairy rations containing byproducts. Evaluation of methods to increase inclusion and impact on milk quality. Evaluation of methods to increase inclusion and impact on milk quality.

May 15, Carbon Cycle Research Activities School of Natural Resources Tower eddy covariance fluxes of CO 2, water vapor and energy: Verma and Suyker Monitoring soil water: Hubbard Remote sensing of CO 2 fluxes, leaf area index and green leaf biomass: Gitelson and Walter-Shea Sandhills biocomplexity project – aboveground plant productivity, root biomass and soil C stores: Wedin Carbon sequestration in agroforestry: Brandle

May 15, Carbon Cycle Research Activities School of Biological Sciences Litter decomposition in maize-based cropping systems: Knops Prairie succession - quantify vegetation change, productivity and soil C and N accumulation: Knops Elevated CO 2, increased N deposition and plant diversity in prairies - quantify the impact of global change on the productivity, decomposition and soil C and N: Knops Department of Biochemistry Using carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry to separate the heterotrophic and autotrophic components of soil respiration: Soundararajan

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 4 : 21 st Century Power Generating Systems Leader(s): Jerry Hudgins Coordinator: Nathan Meier

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 4 : 21 st Century Power Generating Systems Leader(s): Jerry Hudgins Coordinator: Nathan Meier

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Electric power production and transportation power are the top demands for future energy.  Focus: efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide stable and secure grid & meet demand distributed supply demand  Storage issues

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Our power generating systems are impeded by policy.  Many technologies are sufficiently developed that could improve generation systems if policy (e.g., federal, state) shifted.

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  We expect distributed systems to come to fruition.  These distributed system architectures could be grid connected (e.g., local area networks) or stand alone.

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  A number of technical hurdles impede improvements to power generation capabilities. These include:  Storage  Combustion

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Storage  Hydrogen  Bonding (attachment and detachment)  Nano materials  Hydrogen storage  Batteries

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Combustion  Kinetics of ethanol and other hydrocarbons

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Reformers (fuel cells) utilizing fuels such as ethanol and methanol  Microbial fuel cells

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Co-generation plants to improve efficiency  Heat for associated chemical and biological plant operation  Informal science (public) education programs

May 15, Group 4: 21 st Century Power Generating Systems  Gaps in current expertise:  Nuclear chemistry  Electrochemistry  Cooperation between university and industry to affect appropriate policy changes.

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 5 : Energy Efficient Architecture & Environmental Control Systems Leader(s): Wayne Drummond, Bing Chen Coordinator: Marla Rohrke

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 5 : Energy Efficient Architecture & Environmental Control Systems Leader(s): Wayne Drummond, Bing Chen Coordinator: Marla Rohrke

May 15, Group 5: Architecture & Control Systems  Conservation as “new energy”  Bring together faculty expertise in appropriate disciplines – Such as Architecture, Engineering, Computer Science, Social Studies, Physics  Create a coordinated and nationally recognized program

May 15, Group 5: Architecture & Control Systems  Universal Building Energy Observatory  Conservation  Beyond Green. Don’t repeat mistakes of the 70s and 80s. Prius – “cool”  Link energy efficiency and profitability  Improve efficiency and change behavior  Strong education and student involvement components (University Academy)

May 15, Group 5: Architecture & Control Systems  Bring group together  communication  Initial list of topics for discussion  First step project – Universal House Demonstration  Site-specific and mobile related to education  Material and sensory technologies

May 15, Group 5: Architecture & Control Systems  Funding – DOE, USDA, EPA, ASHRAE,NSF, DOD, DOC, CA Energy Commission, FIPSE, NEO, NE Home Builders Association  Congressional delegation, legislature  Partnerships with industries, NIFA, AIA, NPPD,OPPD  Other needed resources and infrastructure to be identified

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 6 : Energy Sciences Minor Leader: Ron Yoder Coordinator: Liz Banset

May 15, Group 6: Energy Sciences Minor Intended for students in all disciplines, including arts and humanities Get students excited enough to encourage them to take the requisite science courses Provide minor for students whose interest is piqued by need to develop alternative energy sources or by need to manage energy resources Learn about role & function of energy in society; environmental challenges Attract students majoring in non-science, science and engineering disciplines through all Colleges that choose to participate.

May 15, Group 6: Energy Sciences Minor  Requires 18 hours :  Introductory core courses (9 hours)  Higher-level, discipline-oriented electives (9 hours)  “Enrichment” courses (up to 3 hours)

May 15, Energy in Society (3) Introduction to Energy Systems (3) Economics, Policy, and Human Dimensions* Natural Resources* Plant and Animal Bioenergy Systems* Engineering* Energy Economics and the Environment (3) Nebraska Energy Tour (1), optional Energy Seminar (1), required Independent Energy Study (1), optional *Student chooses three courses (all are 3 credit-hour) from one, or more, of these lists Credit hours shown in parentheses Core Curriculum (9) Electives (9) Three 1-unit “enrichment” courses Energy Science Minor

May 15, Group 6: Energy Sciences Minor  Funding sources?  NSF, Dept of Energy, Dept of Ed  Faculty positions and expertise needed?  No new positions; create three basic courses; identify existing courses and develop some new ones to include as electives  Other needed resources and infrastructure?  Marketing strategy  Possible scholarships

May 15, Group 6: Energy Sciences Minor  Timetable:  First course offered Fall 2008  Workshop to be held in August 2007

May 15, Group 6: Energy Sciences Minor  University-wide minor  Learn about role & function of energy in society; environmental challenges  Attract students majoring in non-science, science and engineering disciplines through all Colleges that choose to participate.

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 7 : Opportunities in Other Areas Leader: Sandra Scofield Coordinator: Ann Selzer

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Breakout Group Reports Group 7 : Opportunities in Other Areas Leader: Sandra Scofield Coordinator: Ann Selzer

May 15, Group 7: Opportunities In Other Areas Focus AREA: Develop analysis, tools and strategies to encourage and foster a sustainable energy future for use by Nebraska citizens and decision makers.

May 15, Group 7: Opportunities In Other Areas JUSTIFICATION: Need a comprehensive approach to maximize energy resources for economic benefits while avoiding unintended consequences Current lack of models and tools to make informed decisions Numerous implications of a growing renewable sector in Nebraska. (workforce, community impacts, natural resources impacts, economic development opportunities; and health, well-being and quality of life issues

May 15, Group 7: Opportunities In Other Areas Need inventory of Nebraska energy assets Need to compile inventories of other Nebraska assets and information relevant to future planning; translate all into useful tools for decision-making We still have time to do it right!

May 15, Group 7: Opportunities In Other Areas FUNDING SOURCES: USDA, DOE, NSF FACULTY EXPERTISE NEEDED: Economists, Architects, Community & Regional Planners, Sociologists, Psychologists; Law; Political Science, Communication Studies; Leadership Studies; engineering; scientists in water, energy and soils and crop production. OTHER EXPERTISE NEEDED: State and federal agencies, NPPD and other utilities, community and state stakeholders and decision makers.

May 15, A Vision for Energy Sciences at UNL Closing Remarks