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Energy Crops for NC Dr Nicholas George
NC STATE UNIVERSITY
Energy Crops for NC Dr Nicholas George
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Why pursue alternative fuels?
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1. Climate change
There is a warming trend across the USA
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Biofuel crops are carbon-neutral.
They are therefore a way to reduce carbon emissions and address climate
change.
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2. Oil depletion
Oil is a finite resource!!!
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http://www.theoildrum.com/
How long do we have? Predictions vary…
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10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
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5
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Bill
ion
Bar
rels
per
Yea
r
We are here!
Me
My children
My grandchildren
…it will be problem for the next generation, not a problem far in the future!
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Western Society is EXTREMELY dependent on cheap oil!!! The
consequences of running out with no alternative are serious!
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3. Energy security
www.eia.doe.gov
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The USA consumes 10 bb/year but has only 210 bb proven reserves (i.e.
20 years)!!!Most of the oil we use comes from unstable nations or those hostile to
the USA.Domestic fuel production will
circumvent this.
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Coa
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Nat
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Gas
Die
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Jet f
uel
LPG
Gas
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Ker
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Nuc
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Bio
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www.eia.doe.gov
Bill
ions
of $
NC imports virtually all of it’s fuel. $16 billion a year could be used domestically!
4. Money flow
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Why biofuels and not some other energy source?
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Coal, hydro and nuclear
“Big”, centralized, expensive and environmentally damaging.
These do not produce a liquid fuel!
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Solar and wind
Small-scale, “diffuse” and environmentally benign, but unreliable.
These also do not produce a liquid fuel!
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HydrogenNon-polluting, but energy intensive to produce, and hard to transport and
store.
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Future power???
(i.e. fusion or satellites)
“Big”, expensive or will not be ready before we need them.
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Biofuels are potentially better options!
1. Environmentally benign (if done properly).
2. Diffuse & local production.3. Can produce liquid fuels.
4. Readily developed using existing technologies.
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What types of biofuels are there?
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Liquid fuels
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Biodiesel replaces regular diesel1. Easy to manufacture.
2. Biodegradable and non-toxic.
3. Less polluting than regular diesel.
4. Requires no engine modification.
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Biodiesel can be produced from any oil or fat
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Ethanol replaces gasoline1. Produced via fermentation and
distillation.2. Acts as an oxygenate.
3. Lower energy density than gasoline.4. Requires some engine modification.5. Problems with transport and storage.
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Ethanol is typically produced from starch sources, usually grains.
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SugarCellulose
But there are other sources of alcohol
EthanolSugar
Ethanol
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Sources of cellulose
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Crop residue
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Dedicated biomass crops
Switchgrass Miscanthus
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Wood chips
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Why go to the effort of making cellulosic ethanol?
Higher ethanol yields per acre!!!
Corn 5 tons / acre = 550 gal ethanol
vs
Miscanthus 15 tons / acre = 1500 gal ethanol
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Algae produces over 10 times the yield of crops, but infrastructure is intensive
and expensive.
Other biomass sources - Algae
Cellpharm tubular reactor New Mexico State University
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Biomass energy(as opposed to biofuels)
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VIDIR BIOMASS INCWood gas truck
Biomass gasification
BiomassHydrogen
Carbon MonoxideCarbon Dioxide
Methane
CombustionHEAT
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www.woodgas.com
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Craven County 50 MW Wood Energy Plant
Biomass combustion
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Important considerations for biofuels production
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1. Production feasibility
What technology and infrastructure is needed, what is the market for feed stock
and is production economical?
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ENERGY IN
ENERGY OUT
2. The energy balanceHow much energy does it take to
produce the fuel versus what you get out?
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http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com
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Fertilizers28%
Diesel27%
Electricity21%
Gasoline9%
Pesticides6%
Natural Gas4% LPG
5%
Energy used on US farms in 2002
DOE/Miranowski 2004
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3. Are the biofuels being grown in a sustainable fashion?
www.fao.orgwww.uga.edu
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Gasoline 4,327,000,000 gal/year 503 gal/person/year
Diesel 1,244,000,000 gal/year 145 gal/person/year
Fossil Fuel Consumption in North Carolina
4. We can only produce a limited amount of biofuels
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NC Gasoline Displacement Scenario
9.9%
3.5%
1.5%
0.9%
0.8%
0.8%
17.5%
82.5%
Gasoline
Forest Residue
Corn
Corn Stover & Wheat Straw
Sw itchgrass on CRP Lands
Hulless Barley
Sw itchgrass on Lagoon/Sprayfields
If we used all these sources we could only displace 17.5% of our gas usage.
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NC Petroleum Diesel Displacement Scenario
4.7%
4.3%
2.6%
1.3%
1.3%
1.0%
0.1%
15.4%
84.6%
Petroleum Diesel
Soybeans
Canola
Peanut, Cotton, Corn Oil
Lard (pig fat)
Poultry Fat
Used Vegetable Oil
Tallow (beef fat)
If we used all these sources we could only displace 15.4% of our diesel usage.
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This DOES NOT mean biofuels are a waste of time!
Energy costs NC $16 billion annually. Displacing a few percent of this equates to
a large amount of money!
It means we also need to save energy and use energy more efficiently
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What biofuel options exist for Martin County?
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Immediate prospects
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Canola (Brassica napus), also called Rapeseed.
Related to turnip, rutabaga, cabbage, brussels sprouts and mustard.
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Biodiesel
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rapese
ed
pean
uts
sunflo
werspu
mpkin
seed
soyb
ean
oats
corn
Gal
lons
/ ac
re
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Canola produces valuable oil and meal highly suitable for livestock feed.
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Canola can be produced using more-or- less existing agricultural equipment.
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Crop Farmers Net Return over All Specified Costs at Various Commodity prices
Yield/Acre (bushels) Commodity Price ($/bushel)
Wheat $2.25 $2.75 $3.36* $3.75 $4.25
30 -$140 -$120 -$100 -$90 -$8035 -$130 -$110 -$90 -$70 -$6040 -$110 -$90 -$70 -$50 -$3045 -$100 -$80 -$50 -$40 -$1050 -$90 -$70 -$40 -$20 $1055 -$80 -$50 -$20 $0 $3060 -$70 -$40 $0 $20 $5065 -$60 -$30 $10 $40 $7070 -$50 -$10 $30 $60 $90
Yield/Acre (bushels) Commodity Price ($/bushel)
Canola $4.50 $5.00 $5.40* $6.00 $6.50
30 -$90 -$70 -$60 -$40 -$3035 -$70 -$50 -$30 -$10 $040 -$40 -$20 -$10 $20 $4045 -$20 $0 $20 $50 $7050 $0 $30 $50 $80 $10055 $20 $50 $70 $110 $13060 $50 $80 $100 $140 $17065 $70 $100 $130 $170 $20070 $90 $130 $150 $200 $230
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Hulless Barley
Winter crop. Produces similar ethanol yields to corn. Uses around 25% of the energy as corn, achieving a
higher energy balance.Can be grown as a winter cover crop in a
soybean/corn rotation.
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Medium to long-term prospects
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Perennial grasses and forest
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Returns per Acre Above All Specified Costs
$30.00 $40.00 $50.00 $60.00 $70.00 $80.00
Crop (Price received for hay ($ / ton))
Switchgrass (biomass) $-116.47 $-66.47 $-16.47 $33.53 $83.53 $133.53
Switchgrass (hay and pasture) $-146.88 $-136.88 $-126.88 $-116.88 $-106.88 $-96.88
Bermudagrass (hay) $-271.79 $-226.79 $-181.79 $-136.79 $-91.79 $-46.79
Bermudagrass (pasture) $-187.83 $-187.83 $-187.83 $-187.83 $-187.83 $-187.83
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Local fuel production
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On farm fuel production
Average fuel use 9 gal/acre
Average Canola oil production 110 gal/acre
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Area of farm need to “grow” fuel needs is 8%
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Using manure as fertilizer
1. Application of biosolids can result in substantial growth responses for both young seedlings as well as established stands.
2. Biosolids can provide an excellent alternative to chemical fertilizers as a means of enhancing forest production.
3. Growth response is typically greater and lasts longer when compared to chemical fertilization.
Henry et al 1993, Kelty et al 2004, Adegbidi et al 2003
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“E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria survive 3 months in slurry or 1 month in solid manure
heaps or soil surface.”
Nicholson et al 2005
NC law requires that only crops used for animal feed be grown on sludge-application sites and the permit
requires an 18-month lag between sludge application and growth of crops for human consumption.
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No biosolid Low rate High Rate
Tree
vol
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(m3/
ha)
Biolsolid application on Pine
Kimberly et al 2004
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Contact:
Dr Nicholas George Biofuels Project Coordinator North Carolina Solar Center & Crop Science Department
North Carolina State University
Cell: 919-452-8894 Email: [email protected]
