Perennial Biomass and Cover Crops in the Upper Sangamon River Watershed Agricultural Watershed...
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Transcript of Perennial Biomass and Cover Crops in the Upper Sangamon River Watershed Agricultural Watershed...
Perennial Biomass and Cover Crops in the Upper Sangamon River Watershed
Agricultural Watershed Institute
Steve JohnAgricultural Watershed Institute
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 adopters
2. R & D on landscape design concepts
3. 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