Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008 - (Page 12)

Stover for Ethanol How Much Can Be Removed With No Harm to Soil? tween 20% to 70% stover,” Clay said. The two main questions to be answered are: How much stover can be removed, and how is the soil’s carbon content affected by the stover removal? The experiments, Clay explained, are on three levels: • Pulling corn stalks off production fields. This spring the soil’s carbon will be measured prior to planting. • Small plot research looking at detailed records of what’s happening to the soil nutrient content. • Carbon levels are being analyzed from CO2 in the air to that in the soil. Also, the research will examine where the carbon is coming from and determining what the most important source is for carbon maintain needed levels. “We hope in three years, we will have some pretty good ideas of what’s going on in the soils,” Clay said, adding that the data will also be used to assess the impact of management on carbon footprints. Feedstocks in This Issue A. Irene Graves, an SDSU Extension Eductator, discusses with a producer how biodiveristy in energy production systems can be increased by planting prairie cordgrass along waterways. One of the major issues facing the cellulosic ethanol industry will be how much corn stover can be removed from a field without at the same time removing too many nutrients from the soil. South Dakota State University (SDSU) Plant Science Professors David Clay, Tom Schumacher, and Gregg Carlson are leading a five-year research effort to tackle this question. The intent of the research is to develop techniques that increase corn stover potential as a cellulosic ethanol feestock and at the same time not dimish corn yields. In addition, the research is looking at crops like prairie cordgrass and switchgrass both potential feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol. The research, funded by the SD Corn Utilization Council and the USDA-National Resource Conseravation Service, began in the summer of 2007 on 160- acre fields near the SDSU campus in Brookings, said Clay (605-688-5081). In addition, smaller plots are being utilized for more detailed soil nutrient studies. “So far, our research has found that some producers are able to remove be- One of the main challenges facing the biofuels industry is feedstock diversification and development. In this issue we feature several articles A South Dakota farmer harvesting the corn before going back for the stover. 12 BFJ | MAR/APR 08

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008

Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008 Contents Stover Ethanol Algae Research High Feedstock Prices Free Fatty Acids Biodiesel Process Fuel From Waste Oil Sustainable Feedstocks DDG Oil Extraction Processing Free Fatty Acids Pretreating Crude Oil Sorghum for Ethanol Barley Ethanol Woody Biomass Wheatstraw Ethanol Waste to Ethanol Switchgrass for Cellulosic Ethanol Sweet Energy Crop Jet Fuel from Algae Supplier Profile: Mason, Mason Mfg. Inc. Supplier Profile: Bensema, The Interstate Companies Managing Switchgrass Biomass Pretreatment Engineering Cellulosic Ethanol FEW 2008 Preview EPA Air Study Training Biofuels Workers Switchgrass Net Energy Monthly Ethanol Production State Report: South Dakota White Paper Studies Energy Act Ultrasonic Ethanol POET Increasing to E-20? Carbon Credits for Cellulosic Ethanol John Neufeld, White Energy John Wilkinson, Minister of Innovation, Ontario Blending Economics Credit Extension Waste to Fuel Enzyme Technologies Ethanol Dedicated Pipeline Husker Ag Inc. Higher Ethanol Yields Industry News Delta T Saving Energy, Water ACE Conference Preview Profile: Sowinski, GreenField Ethanol Profile: Maska, Western Wisconsin Energy, LLC Licensing Technology ICM DOE Grant Book Review Western WI Rail Expansion Ethanol World Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Under Consideration Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Construction Map Nova Biosource Fuels Freedom Fuels, LLC NBB Conference Wrap-up Biodiesel Powered Jaws Biodiesel News Biodiesel Space Age BP plc Chevron Corp. Exxon Royal Dutch Shell Florida Biodiesel Fleet Iowa Biodiesel Board Biodiesel Electricity Biodiesel World Profile: Arnold, Memphis Biofuels LLC Rahul Iyer, Primafuels, Inc. Europe’s Biodiesel Industry Slowdown Brownfield Biofuels Underground Storage Bioindustrial Innovation Biodiesel Buildup Jet Using Biodiesel Biodiesel Positive Energy Balance New Biodiesel Standards Benefuel Solid Catalyst Lipten Company Petroleum Equipment Institute Midland Manufacturing Railroad Industries Inc. Engineered Storage Products Company NARSTCO Inc. ConAgra Trade Group Lide Industries Bunting Magnetics Co. Aldon Company, Inc. Sludge Biodiesel Calendar Ad Index

Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008

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