2. A Convergence of Issues
Energy
Environment
Economy

3. RFS2 Mandates by Biofuels Category
U.S. Department of Energy Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 1: Economic Availability of Feedstocks. M. H. Langholtz, B. J. Stokes, and L. M. Eaton (Leads), ORNL/TM-016/160. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 448p.

4. Our Region Has the Potential to Sustainably Supply Large Amounts of Biomass
2040 Combined potential supplies at < $60/dt, roadside.
Agriculture only: 3% yield increase.
Source:

5. will produce about 30 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year
The DuPont cellulosic ethanol facility in Nevada, Iowa. Source: ENERGY.GOV

6. Feedstock Supply and Necessary Farmgate Price
*Under a demand scenario with 325-million-ton national production target by 2040
U.S. Department of Energy Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 1: Economic Availability of Feedstocks. M. H. Langholtz, B. J. Stokes, and L. M. Eaton (Leads), ORNL/TM-016/160. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 448p.

7. Potential Supply of all Energy Crops and Residues at $60 per dry ton
U.S. Department of Energy Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 1: Economic Availability of Feedstocks. M. H. Langholtz, B. J. Stokes, and L. M. Eaton (Leads), ORNL/TM-016/160. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 448p.

8. cenusa bioenergy Key Lessons
Yield of perennial energy crops can be improved through conventional and molecular breeding approaches. There is room and means for improvement.

9. Timeline for Switchgrass Improvement
Efficient DNA marker selection
systems
Utilization of the entire growing season
Long-term sustained breeding and selection
Hybrid varieties (heterosis)
yes, just like corn breeding
Biomass Yield, Relative to 1990 (%)
Choosing adapted varieties
Year
Objective 1 –Casler, Vogel et al.

10. ‘Liberty’ Switchgrass: Biomass Yield
Cultivar
HZ 5a
DEK, IL
42oN
HZ 4b
ARL, WI
43oN
HZ 4a
MSH, WI
45oN
HZ 3b
SPN, WI
46oN
Mean
Mg/ha
Summer
8.48
7.24
8.31
9.20
Kanlow
4.57
3.16
2.52
4.87
Liberty
16.38
9.05
11.11
12.45
12.25
P-value
(<0.01)
% Increase
78%
25%
34%
36%
38%
Objective 1 –Casler, Vogel et al.

11. cenusa bioenergy Key Lessons
Perennial energy crops can be established and grown on marginal land and they outperform conventional row crops grown on the same land.

12. Perennials Outperform Corn on Marginal Sites
Miscanthus and Liberty SG outyield maize in these marginal environments (maize yields x 4 usually less than these perennials)-especially at SEPAC (Landfill). Throckmorton is OK corn land, but perennials still do better (8484 kg/ha x 3 years since 2015 was a complete stand loss-see next slide). NEPAC is sloping, coarse soil where we get bu soybean and <60 bu corn most years. Indiangrass (IG) and Big bluestem (BB) are not fertilized at these sites-Tilman approach to harvesting prairies for biomass.
Objective 2 – Volenec, Laird, Mitchell et al.

13. cenusa bioenergy Key Lessons
Harvest, transportation and storage logistics are important. They are more difficult than you would think and add significantly to the cost of delivered feedstock.

14. Economic Impact of Bale Density
8 – 10 lbs DM/ft3
10 – 13 lbs DM/ft3
Objective 3 – Shinners, Birrell et al.

15. cenusa bioenergy Key Lessons
Growing perennial energy crops on marginal land can have outsized impacts on water quality and other ecosystem services. There is no question that perennial energy crops can be used to address environmental issues and particularly water quality.

16. Mississippi River Basin - Relative Nutrient Loading from Tributaries (Nitrate)
Source: US Geological Survey.

17. cenusa bioenergy Key Lessons
Energy crops have to be as profitable as conventional crops if they are to be adopted by farmers. The decision to produce them is affected by a number of socioeconomic factors.
Farmers need:
Established markets
Long term land leases or ownership
Profits

18. Switchgrass Production Budgets On-Farm Trials
Perrin
This Nebraska budget is based on experiences of 10 farmers who collaborated with on-farm trials.
The prices and rates are based on current custom rates and materials prices in Nebraska.
Here we assume an average yield of 3.4 tons of DM per acre (about 4 tons of hay.
Both establishment year costs and annual production costs later are estimated at about $200 per acre, and if you amortize the establishment costs over the other production year costs, you
Arrive at a total annual & establ costs of $231/acre
This gives us a break-even cost for producing switchgrass under these conditions. What does break-even mean? Well, it’s the amount the producer would need to receive for switchgrass
To make him/her indifferent between producing switchgrass and selling it farmgate or doing nothing; it only covers costs…but as we’ll see, not all costs…
Break-even
Objective 6 – Perrin, Jacobs, Hayes et al.

19. Strong Corn Markets Discourage Adoption
Competition with Corn
Strong Corn Markets Discourage Adoption
Assuming a 3 t/a switchgrass, dry land marginal for corn, approximately equal annualized production costs
Stover is the “free” second crop ($50 - $75/ton); POET & DuPont are markets
If “marginal land” is erodible land, then other considerations that preclude or limit row crop production exist, and it’s not just a matter of profitability or even relative profitability.
Objective 6 – Perrin, Jacobs, Hayes et al.

20. cenusa bioenergy Key Lessons
The cost of delivered biomass is still too high for fuel production and other higher-value uses and products need to be developed to catalyze the industry.

21. Value-Added Products
Our analysis (Hu 2015, Dang 2016) indicates that bioproducts can enable biofuels by increasing the market resilience of integrated biorefineries.
Integrated biorefineres (such as pyrolysis systems) can tailor product portfolios to market conditions in order to reduce risk and maximize revenue.
Objective 5 – Brown et al.

22. Chemicals Are Worth More than Fuel

23. Integrated Biorefinery
Sugars
Phenolic Oil
Product Recovery
Biochar
Light Ends
Fermentation or Refining to Fuels and Chemicals
Carbon Fibers
Bio-Cement or Deicer
Lignocellulosic Biomass
Acetate
Pyrolyzer
Transportation Fuels
Bio-asphalt
Boiler Fuels
Heavy Ends
Pollard et al. (2012) Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 93,

24. cenusa bioenergy Solving the cost/price dilemma:
Key Lessons Strategies
Solving the cost/price dilemma:
Lower production, storage and handling costs
Develop higher-value end uses than fuel
Incorporate perennial energy crops into state and federal conservation programs

25. cenusa bioenergy Water quality / ecosystem services
Key Lessons Strategies
Water quality / ecosystem services
Landscape design approach
Tighter integration with exiting crops and biomass resources
Decision-support tools for navigating and managing the complexities

26. cenusa bioenergy
Educational Materials
Webinars
Videos
Fact Sheets

27. cenusa bioenergy Educational Materials

28. Midwest Sustainable Biofuels Vision
Regional system for producing advanced transportation fuels and other bio-based products
Perennial grasses grown on land that is either unsuitable or marginal for row crop production
Produce advanced biofuels
Improve the sustainability of existing cropping systems