NEW CROPS FOR BIOFUEL/BIOPRODUCT PRODUCTION AND THE FEEDSTOCK READINESS PROFILE ABFC, NEW ORLEANS,JUNE 2015 Processing Research since 1892

FEEDSTOCK READINESS LEVEL CHART ProductionMarketRegulatoryConversion Process Preliminary Evaluation Identify Feedstocks Identify producers Identify regulatory requirements Identify conversion technologies Experimental Screen genetic resources for feedstock and fuel production Estimate Feedstock Production Determine potential societal resistance Test feedstock in conversion process Pre- commercial Conduct full scale farm trials and produce seed materials for full scale production Refine logistics and feedstock production capacity linked to market price Complete all regulatory requirements Confirm performance of feedstocks for selected products Commercial

COMMENTS Research Producers Government Processors Financiers The feedstock readiness chart is a useful tool, but I find it is linear in its approach, focused on the feedstock to market without emphasizing the information flow necessary to the financial component of the process.

AFRI-CAP PROGRAM # KEY TECHNICAL GOALS Suitable crops Low input farming Fermentable sugars Biomass sugars Sugars to fuels Economics/investment STATUS The Deep South has the climate, land and infrastructure to produce 50% of the Biofuel feedstocks for the United States

USEFUL PARAMETERS FOR BIOFUEL CROPS IDEAL Year round availability High yield Wide range Low-input Minimal agricultural and environmental disruption Economic sustainability REALITY Crops have a single harvest Species variable Climate and water requirement Soil fertility maintenance Replacement of existing crop cover may affect wildlife and water run-off Dependent on oil prices and by- product values

Sweet Sorghum July - September August - March February - June Complementary Crops with similar harvest and processing Bagasse, syrup, woodchips, molasses, etc. Energycane

MonthSorghumE-cane Commercial sugar Other Jan Feb Mar Apr Bagasse May Bagasse Jun Bagasse Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec YEAR ROUND FEEDSTOCK SUPPLY

Sept. 1 st Stubble – Courtesy of Chris Adams. Energycane- a perennial crop Has a sugar containing juice

EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION SITES Sites were established in different soil and climatic zones in Louisiana for growing energycane and sweet sorghum.

2” 3” 4” Soil depth packed on top of seed cane insulates against cold temperatures. January th, 2014, Chacahoula (Air temp low 20.6 ° F, wind chill 13.0 ° F)

DATE OF HARVEST CHACAHOULA Varieties Ho L Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho HoCP HoCP Harvest Date August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.

CELLULOSE = FIBER/BRIX+FIBER D* A C B F E C B C AAA *Bars with the same letter are not different at the P< level.

DATE OF HARVEST YIELD CD* B A *Bars with the same letter are not different at the P< level. Courtesy Paul While

DRY MATTER YIELD D* C A A C C B *Bars with the same letter are not different at the P< level.

ENERGYCANE PRODUCTION SUMMARY Dry matter yields of 9 tons/acre with very minimal inputs on marginal land. 7 Over 8 months, deliverable feedstock (dry matter) was between 9 – 16 tons/acre. Most e-canes tested pass EPA cellulose limits (>75%). So far nitrogen affects are limited, but it may be more important in stubble crops.

Annual crop Contains, a sugar containing juice, starch containing seed heads and fiber day crop cycle, can be grown across target region Gross structure similar to sugarcane Can be widely grown across Southern US About 6,000 acres required to sustain processing plant for 3 months SWEET SORGHUM

HARVESTING INITIATED AT HARD-DOUGH STAGE Dry-weight biomass yield ranged from approximately 1.0 ton/A to > 9.0 tons/A and fermentable sugar yields have ranged from 3 tons/A.…. Considerably less yield in years 2 and 3, which may be due to N leaching and cool/wet springs.

PLANTING HYBRIDS OF DIFFERENT MATURITY (90-DAYS TO 150-DAYS) FROM EARLY APRIL TO JUNE ALLOWED FOR THE HARVESTING FROM LATE JULY THROUGH OCTOBER (VIATOR) COMPARISON OF 90-DAY HYBRID TO 120-DAY HYBRID COMPARISON OF 90-DAY HYBRID TO 150-DAY HYBRID Varieties supplied by CERES

SWEET SORGHUM PRODUCTION FOLLOWING LEGUME INCORPORATION IN THE SOIL (LOW INPUT TESTING)

ISSUES OF CONCERN LODGINGERGOT

CROP COMPARISON Energycane Harvest time(months)7 Ag Inputsnone Planting perennial Acres/1000t/day factory 8,000 Growth in non- traditional regions yes Dry ton/acre9-16 Sweet sorghum Harvest time(months)3 Ag InputsNone* Planting annual Acres/1000t/day factory 6,000 Growth in non- traditional regions yes Dry ton/acre1 -9 *fallow with clover

4 (25,000-49,999) 3 (10,000-24,999) 2 ( < 10,000 ) Biofuel Feedstock Production Feasibility Index 5 ( > 50,000 ) 1 (no change) Energy Cane Production Acreage Potential Feedstock Breakeven Economic Analysis

CROP CHOICES ( APPROXIMATE SUGARS YIELDS) Wet ton/acre 51 lbs simple Sugar/ton lbs complex Sugar/ton Total lbs Sugar/acre 12,633 Wet ton/acre20 lbs simple Sugar/ton lbs complex Sugar/ton Total lbs Sugar/acre 7,410 EnergycaneSweet Sorghum Meets EPA requirement for RFS Does not meet EPA requirement

ESTIMATED VALUE OF FERMENTABLE SUGARS FROM CROPS CropLbs FS/wet ton 0.08/lbLbs dry biomass/ton Energycane Sweet sorghum tons/acreFS $/acreBiomass $/acre Gross value/acre est. Energycane * * Sweet sorghum * * *value of complex sugars in biomass

Sugar Syrups

TRANS- ACONITIC ACID IS AN ABUNDANT ORGANIC ACID IN ENERGYCANE AND SWEET SORGHUM. Aconitic acid ~1% on Brix solids Found in molasses at 3-5% Used as flavor ingredient and adjuvant (up to 300 ppm) Similar to citric acid 27 Aconitic acid “Green Plastic” By-Product (Plastics)