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Ferman Milster ferman-milster@uiowa 319.335.5132 Office of Sustainability 1680 UCC

Ferman Milster ferman-milster@uiowa.edu 319.335.5132 Office of Sustainability 1680 UCC Iowa City, Iowa 52242-5500. Agenda. 9:30 – Introductions and housekeeping 9:40 – UI Biomass Fuel Project 10:00 – Miscanthus Pilot Project 10:30 – New Energy Farms conference call

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Ferman Milster ferman-milster@uiowa 319.335.5132 Office of Sustainability 1680 UCC

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  1. Ferman Milster ferman-milster@uiowa.edu 319.335.5132 Office of Sustainability 1680 UCC Iowa City, Iowa 52242-5500 http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  2. Agenda • 9:30 – Introductions and housekeeping • 9:40 – UI Biomass Fuel Project • 10:00 – Miscanthus Pilot Project • 10:30 – New Energy Farms conference call • 11:00 – Open, questions and discussion • Targeting 2015 planting season • 1,000 acres not unreasonable • How do we do this? http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  3. Sustainability Social Environmental Economic Sustainable www.sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass

  4. Fuel Shed Area of Interest www.sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass

  5. “Marginal” Lands • High slope • Low corn suitability rating (CSR) • Prone to flooding • Soil type • High inputs required to produce row crops www.sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass

  6. Perennial Dedicated Energy Crops • Positive impact on nonpoint source nutrient runoff, field stays covered year-round, improving water quality from reduced storm water runoff and soil erosion • Deep root system facilitates growth in low moisture years • Increases soil quality and adds quantity • Sequesters more carbon, compared to annuals • Little, if any, nutrient requirements after establishment, and • Appropriate use of marginal cropland • Revenue stream for farmer independent of corn and bean prices www.sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass

  7. 16-acre Miscanthus Pilot • Five-year demonstration plot • UI has five-year contract with grower, pay land rent and grower services (cost +) • UI purchased rhizomes and planting services • UI owns crop each year, through year-five harvest • Experiment with different harvest methods (bale and silage) • Gather financial and growing data to promote production scale plantings www.sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass

  8. Giant Grass Miscanthus Can Meet US Biofuels Goal Using Less Land Than Corn Or Switchgrass Science Daily (Aug. 4, 2008) — In the largest field trial of its kind in the United States, researchers have determined that the giant perennial grass Miscanthus x giganteus outperforms current biofuels sources – by a lot. Heaton, Dohleman and Long (2008). Meeting US biofuel goals with less land: the potential of Miscanthus. Global Change Biology 14, 1-15. Switchgrass and Miscanthus Urbana, IL;Photocourtesy Matt Liebman

  9. A year in the life of perennial grasses Heaton, E.A., Introduction to Miscanthus, July 27, 2012

  10. 16-acre Pilot Project Presentation by Steve Schomberg http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  11. http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  12. Conference CallwithNew Energy Farms http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  13. Doing Business With UI Regents Board – Iowa Administrative Rules 681—8.1 (262) Procurement policy. 8.1(1) The best interests of the state of Iowa and of the regent institutions are served through implementation of a full and free competitive purchasing system fostered by the use of open specifications, competitive bids or quotations, and awards to the lowest responsible bidder. To further a competitive and economical system, the following operating rules are hereby adopted………………… http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  14. Target Economics • Establishment cost down to $400 per acre • Production at 10-tons per acre of dry matter • 1st year weed control (Harness or Harness extra, tillage) • 2nd year nitrogen and nutrients? • ½ crop at year 2 • Full crop at year 3, and beyond http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  15. Target Economics • At 10 tons per acre, and 7,000 Btu per pound, one acre yields 140 MMBtu (million British Thermal Units) • $5.00 per MMBtu is a ‘delivered, ready to burn’ price, assume $1.00 per MMBtu after farm gate • $4.00 per MMBtu equates to $560 per acre revenue per year http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  16. Business Models / Ideas • UI or grower takes risk for establishment? • Individual contracts between UI and growers • Aggregator (third party) has one contract with UI for supply, and contracts with individual growers • Cooperative or Association • Other http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  17. Needs • Custom planting • Custom harvesting • Storage and transportation • Bales or silage, or both • Final sizing, blending with coal, and delivery to Main Power Plant • Crop insurance http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

  18. Questions and discussion How do we make this happen? http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/biomass/

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