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Confessions of an Agriculturist : a biofuel opportunity

Confessions of an Agriculturist : a biofuel opportunity. Bruce Miller Agricultural Systems Technology and Education . What’s your Agricultural Paradigm?. Human Food Feed for Livestock Fiber for Clothing Energy Production Sun = 4 to 6 billion years Green plant photosynthesis

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Confessions of an Agriculturist : a biofuel opportunity

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  1. Confessions of an Agriculturist: a biofuel opportunity Bruce Miller Agricultural Systems Technology and Education

  2. What’s your Agricultural Paradigm? • Human Food • Feed for Livestock • Fiber for Clothing • Energy Production • Sun = 4 to 6 billion years • Green plant photosynthesis • Photovoltaic cells • Petroleum, Coal, Uranium, Natural Gas = ?

  3. Why Biofuels? • Rudolph Diesel used peanut oil when developing compression ignition engines. • Henry Ford ran first automobiles off of Ethanol • “We must learn to synthesize materials for every human need from the things that grow.” - George Washington Carver • Society must still rely on agriculture for food, feed, fiber AND …. recognize fuel responsibility as well.

  4. Sustainable Energy Production • Demand for food AND fuel projected to double by approximately 2050. • Energy and food are both vital to our society! • So, it appears to be ‘a perfect opportunity’ not a ‘perfect storm’ for agriculture. • Agriculture will continue to play a significant role in America’s Energy economy.

  5. Food vs. Fuel? • Commodity prices affect food prices???? • A 30% increase in corn price at the farm equates to ~1.1% increase in food prices containing corn. (Center for Agriculture & Rural Development – ISU) • Historically ethanol price does not track corn price. (Houston Biofuels Cons.) • “High energy prices cause higher food prices,…Based on the historical relationship between crude [oil] prices and corn prices, current prices for corn are lower than one would predict,”. (Consumers Federation of America) • Gasoline prices would be higher if biofuels not blended with gasoline • 20-35 cents per gallon (Samuel Bodman Secretary of the Energy Dep’t)

  6. Let’s talk Ethanol • U.S. capacity will approach 7.5 billion gallons by early 2009. • The 2005 Renewable Fuels Standard sets the target at 36 billion gallons by 2022. • Cellulosic ethanol production will yield 5x the energy needed to grow, harvest, transport, and convert. • Based on ‘near farm’ ethanol production sites. • On-farm storage and processing…

  7. Why Corn-based • Think chicken vs egg • Infrastructure building for near-farm production using other feedstocks • High feed value from corn-based byproducts • 96%-180% energy content of wet distillers grains compared to corn • Because we can….

  8. Biofuel Feedstocks • Primary biofuels on commercial scale in U.S. • Ethanol (~3% today and 7% projected in 2010) • Starch from corn and other grains • Biodiesel (transesterfied) • Soybeans and animal fats • USDA ‘POWER PLANTS’ at U.S. National Arboretum… Corn, Sorghum, Sunflower, Canola, Algae, Castor Bean, Lesquerella, Sugar Cane, Hybrid Poplar, Alfalfa, Cuphea, African Oil Palm, Barley, Sugar Beet, Soybean, Camelina, Peanut, Mustard, Switch Grass, Miscanthus, Jatropha, Babassou Palm

  9. Where will Biofuels come from… • Most of the current federal R&D is focused on the ‘next generation’ of biofuels. High emphasis on lignocellulosic • Short-rotation, perennial crops; rapid regrowth after harvest with multiple harvest per planting. • From a field to biorefinery… • Feedstocks will evolve to the most efficient • Consumers need to shift their pardigm of sustainable energy and agricultural production

  10. References Andrejczak, M. 11 June, 2008. Government: Ethanol helps keep gas prices low: Senate hearing to delve into U.S. renewable fuels policy and food prices. MarketWatch – The Wall Street Journal Digital Network. Retrieved 6/11/08 www.marketwatch.com/news/story/govt-officials-ethanol-helps-keep/story.aspx?guid=%7B81858B8C-CD9D-48AC-8D4D-B7EBB762F3C7%7D Buchanan, G., et al., February, 2008. The New Paradigm in Agriculture. Resource. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Buchanan, G., et al., April, 2008. Biomass Feedstocks: Opportunities to increase biofuels. Resource. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Buchanan, G., et al., July, 2008.From Field to Biorefinery. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Iowa State University Extension. 2007. Ethanol Coproducts for Cattle. IBC-19. Iowa State University. Johnson, T., Donkin, S., Schultz, M. 2006. Value of Distillers’ Grain Ethanol Co-Products to Dairy Replacements. ID-332-W. Purdue University. Westcott, P. 2007. U.S. Ethanol Expansion Driving Changes Throughout the Agricultural Sector. In Amber Waves: the economics of food, farming, natural resources, and rural America. USDA-Economic Research Service. Retrieved 7/22/08 www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/September07/Features/Ethanol.htm

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