Near‐term practical strategies to improve the life cycle techno‐economics, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of corn stover supply system for biobased industries

Abstract

Corn stover is predominantly used as the feedstock in the cellulosic biorefineries of the Midwestern USA; however, there are several opportunities to improve the performance of its supply chain. Thus, there is a need to optimize the corn stover supply system for the overall sustainability of the corn stover‐based industries. This paper presents three practical strategies that could be implemented in the near term to improve the performance of the corn stover supply chain. The first strategy involves reducing the corn stover collection area, which entails improving producers’ participation through enhanced knowledge transfer related to this industry, improving harvest ratio of biomass, and reducing dry matter loss during biomass handling and storage. The second strategy involves reducing the overall bale supply quantity, which primarily entails increasing bale density. The final suggested strategy involves reducing quantities of in‐field machinery, which is possible through improving the efficiency of field machinery, including windrowers, balers, and stackers, and increasing their harvest durations. By successfully implementing these strategies, the overall cost associated with the supply of corn stover, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced, on an average, by 34–35% from the current average benchmarks of $95.9/metric ton (t), 11% and greenhouse gas emissions is 58.4 kg CO2e/t, respectively. This can contribute toward creating a cost‐effective logistics system that is also environmentally sustainable. This will be critical for the long‐term success of the biorefineries using corn stover as the primary feedstock. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd