Sustainable Production and Distribution of Bioenergy for the Central USA

Agro-ecosystem Approach to Sustainable Biofuels Production via the Pyrolysis-Biochar Platform (USDA-NIFA AFRI CAP)

Oil Prices

Source: EIA for history, NYMEX for future

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Population2011   2030   2050

(billion) (billion) (billion)World 6.946 World 8.323 World 9.441

China 1.337

India 1.461

India 1.657

India 1.189

China 1.391

China 1.304

U.S. 0.311 U.S. 0.366 U.S. 0.423Indonesia 0.246

Indonesia 0.289

Nigeria 0.402

Brazil 0.203 Nigeria 0.264

Indonesia 0.313

Pakistan 0.187

Pakistan 0.243 Pakistan 0.291

Nigeria 0.166

Brazil 0.240 Ethiopia 0.278

Bangladesh 0.159

Bangladesh 0.211

Brazil 0.261

Russia 0.139

Ethiopia 0.162 Bangladesh 0.250

Japan 0.127

Philippines 0.138 Philippines 0.172

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, International Data Base

Liquid Fuel Usage2007 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

(Million Barrels Oil Equivalent per Day) (Percent of 2007 Value)

United States 20.6 98% 100% 102% 104% 107%

Canada 2.3 96% 96% 96% 100% 104%

Mexico 2.1 105% 110% 114% 129% 138%

Europe 15.3 92% 88% 88% 89% 90%

Japan 5.0 84% 86% 86% 84% 82%

China 7.6 132% 153% 178% 201% 222%

India 2.8 114% 129% 139% 154% 168%

Africa 3.1 113% 116% 126% 135% 148%

Central and South America 6.0 110% 112% 117% 125% 133%

World 86.1 103% 107% 113% 121% 128%

Source: Energy Information Administration

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Conventional Biofuels Cellulosic Biofuels

Biodiesel Additional Advanced Biofuels

Renewable Fuels Standard

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Bioenergy

This AFRI Challenge Area focuses on the priority to secure America's energy future. It supports the development of regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy and biobased products that contribute significantly to reducing dependence on foreign oil, have net positive social, environmental, and rural economic impacts, and are compatible with existing agricultural systems. The long-term outcome for this program is to implement regional systems that materially deliver liquid transportation biofuels to help meet the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 goal of 36 billion gallons/year of biofuels by 2022 and reduce the National dependence on foreign oil.

USDA’s Initiative

Create a regional system for producing advanced transportation fuels derived from perennial grasses grown on land that is either unsuitable or marginal for row crop production.

Improve the sustainability of existing cropping systems by reducing agricultural runoff of nutrients and soil and increasing carbon sequestration.

Midwest Sustainable Biofuel Vision

TheGrandVision

Key Feature: Distributed Processing

Target: Land Least Suitable for Corn/Soybean Production

Sources: NRCS, Purdue University, and Iowa State University

Pyrolysis Processing

Rapid thermal decomposition of organic compounds in the absence of oxygen to predominately produce liquid product known as bio-oil.

Fast pyrolysis can be built at small scales suitable for distributed

processing.

Co-product biochar is produced at yields

of 12-20 wt% biomass.

Biochar

Bio-oil is refined like petroleum into synthetic gasoline and biodiesel.

CenUSA Program Areas

• Feedstock Development• Sustainable Production Systems• Feedstock Logistics• System Performance• Feedstock Conversion• Markets and Distribution• Health and Safety• Education• Extension and Outreach

CenUSA Team

Led by ISU Agronomy professor Ken Moore Researchers from Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of Illinois,

University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin, University of Vermont, Idaho National Laboratory and USDA Agricultural Research Service offices in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Iowa

Feedstock DevelopmentGoal: to develop improved perennial grass cultivars and hybrids that can be used on marginal cropland in the Central US for the production of biomass for bioenergy

Switchgrass Big bluestem Indiangrass

Ken Vogel (USDA-ARS, UNL) and Mike Casler (USDA-ARS, UWM)

Sustainable Production SystemsGoal: to conduct comparative analyses of the productivity potential and the environmental impacts of promising bioenergy crops and management systems using a network of 14 fields strategically located across the Central US

Rob Mitchell (USDA-ARS, UNL) and Jeff Volenec (Purdue)

Feedstock LogisticsGoal: to develop systems and strategies to enable sustainable and economic harvest, transportation, and storage of feedstocks to meet the needs of industry

Stuart Birrell (ISU) and Kevin Shinners (UWM)

System PerformanceGoal: to provide detailed analyses of feedstock production options to help policymakers, farmers, and the bioenergy industry make informed decisions about:- which bioenergy feedstocks to grow

- where to produce them- what environmental impacts they will have

- how biomass production systems are likely to respond to and contribute to climate change or other environmental shifts

Jason Hill (UMN) and Cathy Kling (ISU)

Feedstock ConversionGoal: to perform a detailed economic analysis on the performance of a refinery based on pyrolytic processing of biomass into liquid fuels and provide biochar to other researchers on the project

Robert Brown (ISU)

Markets and DistributionGoals: 1) study farm level adoption decisions, exploring the

effectiveness of policy, market and contract mechanisms that facilitate broad scale voluntary adoption by farmers

2) evaluate impacts of expanded advanced biofuel system on regional and global food, feed, energy and fiber markets

Keri Jacobs and Dermot Hayes (ISU)

Health and SafetyGoals:1) conduct a detailed analysis of all tasks associated with

biofeedstock production for hazard targets of personnel, equipment, environment, downtime, and product

2) determine potentially hazardous respiratory exposure limits associated with the production of biofeedstocks

Charles Schwab and Mark Hanna (ISU)

EducationGoal: Provide rich interdisciplinary training and engagement opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in all areas of the bioenergy value chain to meet the workforce challenges of the bioeconomy

Raj Raman (ISU) and Pat Murphy (Purdue)

Extension/OutreachGoal: to deliver science-based information and informal educational programs for agricultural producers, general public, and youth audiences regarding perennial grass and biochar agriculture and biofuel production

Jill Euken (ISU) and Deana Covert (UNL)

Advisory Committee MembersName Position Expertise/Role

Tom Binder (Chair) SVP, Research, Archer Daniels Midlands (ADM) Bioprocessing

Albert Bennett Sr. Engineer and Scientist, ICM Biorefinery engineering

Sarah Alexander Director, Sustainability and Leadership Programs, The Keystone Center

Agricultural stakeholders

Scott Rempe Biofuels Research Engineer, Vermeer Ag equipment manufacturing

Jerry Kaiser Plant Materials Specialist, USDA NRCS Plant Material Center, MO-IA-IL

Seed supply industry

Denny Harding Bioeconomy Manager, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation

Agricultural producers

Jeremy Unruh Manager, Biorenewables/Energy, John Deere Ag equipment manufacturing

Tim McCoy Agriculture Program Leader, NE Game and Parks Fish and wildlife

David Stock President, Stock Seed Farms Seed supply industry

TBD 2 cooperating producers (Extension/Outreach) Agricultural producers

TheGrandVision

Thank you for your time and attention.

Any questions?

For more information, seewww.cenusa.iastate.edu