Agricultural Sources of Biomass

Transcription

1 Agricultural Sources of Biomass

2 Considerations of Agricultural Biomass Agricultural biomass is an acreage and volume business Acreage distribution a factor Low density, high volume Cost and logistics of inputs to grow and then harvest, store, transport biomass Looking for the balance (+ s & - s)

3 Sources of Agricultural Biomass Class Grains Grain Crop Residues Forages (whole plant) Annual Biomass Crops Perennial Biomass Crops

4 Sources of Agricultural Biomass Class Grains Grain Crop Residues Forages Annual Biomass Perennial Biomass Specific Corn, Soybean, Cereals Straw, stover Hay Whole plant Cereals (ie Rye) Switch grass, Miscanthus, Giant Reed, etc

5 Crop Acreage in Ontario Crops (OMAFRA, 2015) Acres Seeded a Production (tonnes) Hay 1,990,000 6,700,000 Soybeans (grain) 2,900,000 2,626,300 Grain Corn (grain) 2,100,000 6,401,000 Winter Wheat (grain) 930,000 1,839,800 Spring Cereals 530, ,000 Fodder Corn 300,000 5,125,600 Dry White Beans 50,000 43,000 Canola 45,000 38,900 Coloured Beans 45,000 38,600 Total Acres 8,900,000 23,464,200

6 Estimates of Accessible Residue Volumes Based on 2015 Harvest Numbers Corn Soybean Wheat Forages Area (million ac) Residue Yield (0% mt/ac) Total Residue (million mt) Practically Available (%) Sustainably Available (mt) ???? Estimates of residue volumes that can be practically removed McDonald OMAFRA, 2016 ~11 mmt grain residues forages = 15 mmt

7 Amount of Crop Residues That Can Be Sustainably Harvested in Corn-Soy-Wheat Rotations In Ontario Soil Organic Matter Best Case Elora Worst Case Rate of Mineralization (%) Rate of Formation (%) Southern 3,053, ,000 2,100 Western 2,240, ,000 4,950 Central 321,500 17,600 0 East 576,000 79,000 8 Total 6,190,000 1,113,000 7,000 1,400,000 t/yr of cereal straw presently harvested Note all farms and rotations can remove residue t/yr

8 Best opportunity for residue harvest because of long period of good weather Logistical Issues Harvest Timelines Wh. Harvest Wheat Growing Season Soybean Growing Season Corn Growing Season Soy Harv. Corn Harvest Need to plant winter wheat April May June July August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec Racing against snow!

9 Wheat a straw l Practical Implications of Residue Removal

10 Practical Implications of Residue Removal Wheat all goes through combine and straw left in convenient windrow for pickup by baler

11 Practical Implications of Residue Removal Soybean minus leaves goes through combine, residue volume less then cereals but can be left in neat windrow

12 Practical Implications of Residue Removal Lots there but most attached to the ground since only the cob is snapped off to enter the combine?

13 UofG Elora Switchgrass (Left), Bigblue Stem (Right), Late Fall 2009, 2 nd Yr t/ha 3-5 t/ac

14 UofG Elora Miscanthus, Fall 2009, 2nd Yr t/ha 8-11 t/ac

15 Minor Ag Areas Major Ag Areas

16 Land Class Distribution Class 1-2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5-6

17 Crop Acreage Distribution Wheat Forages

18 Economics Crop residues the only ones whose production cost allocated to another crop All other crops the revenue has to come from the crop itself

19 Operation Estimates of residue harvest and storage costs Corn Stover Cost ($/t) Soybean Straw Wheat Straw Chopping Baling Field Removal Storage Total Harvesting Cost a Total Nutrient 2008 Prices Total Nutrient 2010 Prices Break-Even 2008 Prices Break-Even 2010 Prices a Stewart and McDonald Possibility to reduce through delayed harvest due to nutrient leaching from residue??

20 Opportunities Equipment exists Agricultural Biomass Roundup Acreage and volumes likely available Farmers looking for alternatives Residue removal may benefit shift to reduced till Broader crop rotation potential, more perennials Constraints Production, harvest, densification, storage, transport costs Seasonality and logistics Distribution Sustainability (soil OM, erosion) Expansion of NG to rural Ontario Proper heating appliances to efficiently use ag biomass

21 Questions and Discussion The End! Ian McDonald Applied Research Coordinator Field Crop Unit, Ag Development Branch OMAFRA Rm 407 Crop Sci. University of Guelph GUELPH, ON., N1G 2W x

22 Typical Switchgrass Field

23 Typical Switchgrass Field