High-Value Renewable Energy from Prairie Grasses

McLaughlin, S.B.; Ugarte, Daniel de la Torre; Garten, Charles T.; Lynd, Lee R.; Sanderson, Matt A.; Tolbert, V.R.; Wolf, Douglas A.

doi:10.1021/es010963d

Cited by 267 publications

(161 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Under best management practices in either system, soil C increased by 2 Mg C ha −1 year −1 [11] with nearterm net GHG reductions of −29 to −398 g of CO 2 MJ ethanol −1 year −1 [90]. Soil carbon storage also has been measured under switchgrass in the Southeast USA, with sequestration rates ranging from 0.17 to 1.7 Mg C ha −1 year −1 [91,92].…”

Section: System Sustainability and Climate Change Mitigation Potentialmentioning

confidence: 98%

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Mitchell¹,

Schmer

Anderson

et al. 2016

Bioenerg. Res.

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Dedicated energy crops and crop residues will meet herbaceous feedstock demands for the new bioeconomy in the Central and Eastern USA. Perennial warm-season grasses and corn stover are well-suited to the eastern half of the USA and provide opportunities for expanding agricultural operations in the region. A suite of warm-season grasses and associated management practices have been developed by researchers from the Agricultural Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and collaborators associated with USDA Regional Biomass Research Centers. Second generation biofuel feedstocks provide an opportunity to increase the production of transportation fuels from recently fixed plant carbon rather than from fossil fuels. Although there is no "one-size-fitsall" bioenergy feedstock, crop residues like corn (Zea mays L.) stover are the most readily available bioenergy feedstocks. However, on marginally productive cropland, perennial grasses provide a feedstock supply while enhancing ecosystem services. Twenty-five years of research has demonstrated that perennial grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) are profitable and environmentally sustainable on marginally productive cropland in the western Corn Belt and Southeastern USA.

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Section: System Sustainability and Climate Change Mitigation Potentialmentioning

confidence: 98%

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Mitchell¹,

Schmer

Anderson

et al. 2016

Bioenerg. Res.

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“…Economic models account for biomass production for the internal market, exports and imports, and detailed costs and benefits of the major farming goods. The Polysis model (McLaughlin et al, 2002), developed for the U.S.A. estimates biomass production on the basis of the net profits compared with those derived from conventional crops. This model relies on many assumptions that range from farming practices to macro-economic variables of the agricultural sector.…”

Section: Energy Cropsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methods and tools to evaluate the availability of renewable energy sources

Angelis-Dimakis

Biberacher

Bravo

et al. 2011

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

350

132

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The recent statements of both the European Union and the US Presidency pushed in the direction of using renewable forms of energy, in order to act against climate changes induced by the growing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this paper, a survey regarding methods and tools presently available to determine potential and exploitable energy in the most important renewable sectors (i.e., solar, wind, wave, biomass and geothermal energy) is presented. Moreover, challenges for each renewable resource are highlighted as well as the available tools that can help in evaluating the use of a mix of different sources.

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“…eriving energy from plant biomass through burning and transformation to liquid or gaseous forms is a promising energy alternative that is capable of reducing reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions and improving rural economies (McLaughlin et al, 2002;Parrish and Fike, 2005;Simpson et al, 2008). Volatile price, uncertainties of supply, and energy security and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels have led to significant legislation and investments toward the use of biomass energy (US Department of Energy, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and its predecessor, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 are examples of such legislation (Hochman et al, 2008). Increased attention on the use of NPWSG species including switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), and Indian grass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash] as bioenergy feedstocks is one of the significant results of programs such as the Herbaceous Energy Crops Research Program launched by the US Department of Energy (Wright, 1994;McLaughlin et al, 2002;McLaughlin and Kszos, 2005). Bioenergy production systems using these species are C negative while producing positive net energy balances due to their high yielding capacity under diverse growing conditions (Gunderson et al, 2008;Mitchell et al, 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These benefits include improving water quality, soil conservation, and C sequestration, as well as providing wildlife habitat (McLaughlin and Walsh;1998;McLaughlin et al, 2002;Lee et al, 2003;Simpson et al, 2008;Bardhan and Jose, 2012;Bonin et al, 2014;Mitchell et al, 2016). For example, belowground C inputs by deep, extensive root systems of switchgrass and reduced erosion led to increased soil organic C levels when managed as a bioenergy feedstock (Lee et al, 2007;Liebig et al, 2008).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biomass Yield of Warm‐Season Grasses Affected by Nitrogen and Harvest Management

Weerasekara

Kitchen

Jose³

et al. 2018

Agronomy Journal

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Core Ideas Dry matter yields increased with N inputs although efficiency decreased.Applying nitrogen at 67 kg N ha–1 was superior in both yield and efficiency.Delaying the time of harvest until late fall or a killing frost increased yield. Native perennial warm‐season grasses (NPWSG) have drawn interest as bioenergy feedstocks due to their high productivity with minimal amounts of inputs under a wide range of environments. Nitrogen fertility and harvest timing are critical management practices when optimizing biomass yield of NPWSG. Our objective was to quantify the impact of N fertilizer rate and timing in combination with harvest timing and frequency on NPWSG yield. Research was conducted in 2014 and 2015 on four field‐plot locations in Missouri. The experiment was a split‐plot design with three replications where N rate and harvest timing were the main and sub‐plot treatments, respectively. Nitrogen rates were 0, 34, 67, and 101 kg N ha−1 with two application timings, all early spring and split N (early spring and following first harvest). Harvest timing included two single (September and November) and two double harvests (June followed by September or November) per year. Delaying harvest until November increased yield across sites. November harvest and N rates ≥67 kg ha−1 improved NPWSG biomass yields. Although N fertilization improved yield, partial factor productivity (PFP) of applied N did not increase with annual N rates >34 kg ha−1. Fertilization at 67 kg ha−1 yr−1 provides an opportunity to maintain a balance between yield and N efficiency. These results demonstrated that N fertilization and harvest management of NPWSG were not always independent, and therefore these practices should be simultaneously considered. For example, early‐season harvesting suppressed response to N when the second harvest was not delayed until after frost.

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High-Value Renewable Energy from Prairie Grasses

Cited by 267 publications

References 20 publications

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Methods and tools to evaluate the availability of renewable energy sources

Biomass Yield of Warm‐Season Grasses Affected by Nitrogen and Harvest Management

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