Perennial Biomass and Cover Crops in the Upper Sangamon River Watershed

Agricultural Watershed Institute

Steve JohnAgricultural Watershed Institute

sfjohn@agwatershed.org

GLBW Conference October 16, 2012

The Upper Sangamon River Watershed

Lake Decatur has sediment and nitrate problems.The City supports watershed conservation efforts to protect the lake.

Lake Decatur Watershed

• 925 square miles

• 87% row crops

• Tile drainage

• Sediment & nutrients addressed by:

Dredging IX Treatment Watershed

management Map credit: ISWS

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

A collaborative project to begin

growing and using perennial

biomass crops in Central Illinois

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

LBI Vision Statement: Make the Lake Decatur Watershed a national showcase for perennial crops grown for both renewable energy & enhanced water quality.

Sustainable Decatur Plan – Year 2020 Indicators:

10,000 acres of perennial energy crops 75,000 tons/year of biomass used or exported

Perennial Biomass Crops• Switchgrass• Miscanthus• Other grasses• Prairie polycultures • Willows & other SRC trees

Today – heat, electricity, forage

Tomorrow – cellulosic biofuels, animal feed

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

1. Outreach & assistance to early adopters2. R & D on landscape design concepts3. Market development

Including ecosystem service markets

Local Bioenergy Initiative

Components of the Initiative:

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

Outreach & assistance to early adopters

Some landowners like the “GYOF” idea – Grow your own fuel!

Doug Gucker planting “Prairie for Bioenergy” plots, 2011

Prairie cordgrass cultivar small plots

in wet area

Prairie for BioenergySingle species demonstration plots

Future site of AWI—Cat—U of IPrairie cordgrass research plot

Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata):• High yielding warm season native• Thrives in wet conditions• Starts growing in early spring• Promising candidate for nitrate removal.

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

Develop/demonstrate landscape design concepts:

Optimize co-production of biomass & environmental benefits

• Water Quality• Biodiversity• Wildlife habitat• Recreation

Prairie grass buffer separates an

organic field from the adjacent conventionally-farmed field.

• Eroded, wet, or hard-to-farm land • Buffers, waterways, slopes – Biomass + WQ• Nature preserves – Biomass + wildlife • Converted lawns – Avoid mowing, “GYOF”

Local Bioenergy Initiative

Promising scenarios for growing energy grasses

Drainage discharge pipeDiverter

box

Riparian buffer Field

Biomass production in saturated buffers: Tile flow diverted to soil column under buffer.Nitrates removed via plant uptake and denitrification.“Lost” nutrients fertilize a perennial biomass crop.

Adapted from Dan Jaynes, USDA, 2009.

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

Market development

Markets for biomass~ and ~

Markets for ecosystem services …

Green Payments

Eastern Illinois University’s Renewable Energy Center burns wood chips during start-up period. May shift to a grass—wood blend.

Benton Schools Biomass Boiler Advanced Recycling Equipment (PA)

Made in the USA

Bob Thomas

Dr. Ken Staver with hydronic boiler at Wye Research Center (U of MD)

Made in the UK(But US-Made “bale burners” are now available)

• Re-connect people with food & energy sources• Attract and support agricultural producers with a

strong stewardship ethic – “Grass farmers”• Learn how to produce efficiently at small scale• Some consumers pay a premium for local &

organic food – Lesson for local bioenergy?• “Community Supported Energy” business model

Local Bioenergy can draw on lessons from Local Food movement:

Local Bioenergy Initiative

Community Supported Energy• Grow energy grasses• Make pellets or briquettes• Deliver biomass fuel to participating property owners• Collect ash and return nutrients to the soil

Indoor pellet furnace – heat a farm shedBig M Mfg (IL)

Made in the USA

Blade switchgrass in Cat plots was harvested for hay in August 2012

Flow Chart for Forage + Biomass + Clean Water

• Bridging the price gap – Coal or NG equivalent BTU price not sufficient to justify production and CHST of biomass for thermal energy

High opportunity cost of good croplandProduction cost lower on marginal landGreen payments may make up the differenceBiomass appears to be competitive with

propane or fuel oil without green payments

Agricultural Watershed Institute

Challenges for establishment of perennial energy crops:

• Carbon Credits or Renewable Energy Credits May become a significant driver … but when?

• Local sources of green payments:Source water protection (e.g. Lake Decatur)Conservation easements – Hunting leases“Wildlife and Water Quality” fund donations

• BCAP & USDA programs for working lands• Modify CRP to permit more harvesting

The Local Bioenergy Initiative

Potential green payments for perennial energy crops:

Final thoughts …Biomass crops can be used for thermal energy or forage without waiting for large biorefineries.

Hay producers can be pioneers to grow warm season grasses for forage + biomass + clean water.

Small U.S. manufacturers are finding a niche in the emerging Green Energy industry.

Stakeholder-led projects can be laboratories for R&D on biomass—conservation synergies.

Local Bioenergy Initiative

Funding for the Local Bioenergy Initiative

is provided by …• The City of Decatur• Walton Family Foundation

Partners include …• Agricultural Watershed Institute• Producers & biomass entrepreneurs• Caterpillar• ADM• University of Illinois Extension & researchers• Eastern Illinois University• County SWCDs