Grass Makes Better Ethanol than Corn Does

[ZombieHorde]

By David Biello

Farmers in Nebraska and the Dakotas brought the U.S. closer to becoming a biofuel economy, planting huge tracts of land for the first time with switchgrass—a native North American perennial grass (Panicum virgatum) that often grows on the borders of cropland naturally—and proving that it can deliver more than five times more energy than it takes to grow it.

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For those interested in environmental science there is more at link.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=grass-makes-better-ethanol-than-corn

[Konza]

1. Thanks

Love this stuff. Something very interesting is about to happen in energy policy.

[ZombieHorde]

6. Wow

I wasn't expecting anybody to actually post since the primaries are going on.

Something very interesting is about to happen in energy policy.

It is really exciting. I had concerns about corn being used because I heard that some people were going without food because the food was being used as fuel.

[liberaltrucker]

2. Oh, THAT grass!

:smoke:

So does hemp (cannabis indica). C sativa? I take the Fifth!

:evilgrin:


Jokes aside, :toast:

[OmahaBlueDog]

5. The fifth?

Those bottles haven't been called that since I was a kid -- they're 750 ml bottles now.

[liberaltrucker]

10. The Fifth AMENDMENT!

No self-incrimination, ya know?

:)

[OmahaBlueDog]

3. UNL just released a study along this line

I'm sorry -- I don't have a link, but the U of Nebraska, Linclon found they could get 300 gal. of ethanol per acre from switchgrass versus 350 per acre of corn. This was without factoring in the much lower need for fertilizer and cultivation of the switchgrass.

Personally, I think sugar beets could beat both hands down, but that's just me. Between wind and biomass, the upper midwest will go from being the corn belt to the alternative energy belt. I love it!

[Konza]

12. Sugar beets are great but

the water needs are the problem for us here. We did sugar beets here in the great plains and they require irrigation. That's going to be an issue. Also, overreliance on food crops for fuel will mess with food prices. The great thing about switchgrass is the water needs are so low and it doesn't really compete with food crops. It can grow easily from North Texas to South Dakota will few inputs. I think what will emerge is a diversity of sources that can be converted into alcohol. Here in KS native grasses are the ones getting the most attention. In Louisiana maybe sugarcane. What matters is each region can have biomass that is appropriate to the environment and this in turn can fuel the 21st century. Cheaper, cleaner and and closer to home.

Its going to be fascinating

[bunnies]

4. It also makes better brownies. wheee!. :) nt

[ZombieHorde]

7. Awesome. nt

[bunnies]

9. (and cookies)...,

:toast:

[ZombieHorde]

11. And herbal tobacco substitute...

[no name no slogan]

8. The Corn Industry's dirty little secret

switchgrass is a hell of a lot cheaper to grow than corn, and is better for the environment.

Unfortunately, we don't subsidize the hell out of the corn industry in this country.