Sustainable Bioproducts Initiative (SUBI) First Year Progress Report. Vadim Kochergin

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1 Sustainable Bioproducts Initiative (SUBI) First Year Progress Report Vadim Kochergin LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Institute for Biofuels and Bioprocessing (LIBBi) A Regional Program for Production of Multiple Agricultural Feedstocks and Processing to Biofuels and Biobased Chemicals

2 Sustainable Bioproducts Initiative (SUBI) Highlights - USDA NIFA funded AFRI CAP competitive grant - $17.3 million over 5 year period ( started August 1, 2011) - 16 Partners from 8 states ( Academia, Industry and National Labs) Main Objectives - Production of energy cane and sweet sorghum for biofuels and biochemical - Dollars per acre to be sustainably earned by a farmer for each feedstock - Dollars per gallon of fuel (or per pound of chemical) paid by the consumer

3 Project Strengths Necessary infrastructure and experience in growing and processing sweet sorghum and energy cane Strong participation and feedback from industrial partners, both in agricultural and processing sectors Efficient collaboration between the agricultural, technology and engineering, economics and business, extension and education teams

4 Development Production Research Conversion Extension Education Economics / Business

5 Feedstock Development NIR calibrations for rapid compositional analysis of energy cane and sweet sorghum feedstock good correlation > 0.9 for all traits Energy cane populations (seedlings and clones) derived from wide crosses with sugarcane were evaluated in northern Louisiana locations well outside of the sugarcane belt Genetic markers have been mined from cold responsive genes of energy cane. These markers will be used to develop energy cane germplasm better adapted to growth in colder, more northerly environments Seed cane of Types I and II energy cane material are being increased to provide adequate amount of material to the pilot plant and to plant several experiments next year

6 Breeders are developing energy cane varieties adapted for growth outside of the traditional sugarcane belt Energy cane seedlings (left) and clones (right) derived from genetically diverse crosses with sugarcane are being evaluated for adaptability (cold tolerance) in as far north as Winnsboro, LA (32o 9 48 N)

7 Production Experimental sites have been selected, and soil compositional analysis have been performed Seed cane is being increased to provide adequate seed for planting of experiments next year A trial to evaluate cultural practices that improve cold tolerance of energy cane was planted at Winnsboro, LA (32 o 9 48 N)

8 Sweet Sorghum Harvesting Early planted sweet sorghum harvested in late July 2012 Yields from 18 to 31 tons/acres of biomass

9 Sweet sorghum/energy cane Harvesting (~6 months) Leaf matter? Transportation Biomass Primary Processing Plant (C6 sugars) Operation ~ 6 months Bagasse Wood chips Bagasse/wood chips storage Power Generation plant Syrup (70-75%DS) Juice (10-15%) DS) Bagasse Syrup storage Lignocellulosic Conversion Plant - (C5/C6 - sugars) Biorefinery (attached to Primary Processing Plant) Operation - 12 months Biofuels Biochemical By-products Juice (6-10%DS) Syrup(70-75%DS) Syrup storage

10 Conversion Technologies - Engineering study has been accomplished to prepare bids for the experimental facility next to growing areas for processing variable feedstock into multiple products - First shipment of equipment is expected at the end of Septeber, commissioning shortly after that - A mass and energy balance model is being developed for different pathways from crop to final product - Work continues with conversion partners

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12 Economics and Business Projected energy cane production costs are being estimated through harvest of a 4th, 5 th and 6 th stubble crop Estimates have been started on total farm production cost Mean and variability of energy cane yields havew been estimated Mathematical equation structure for breakeven yield determination has been specified, awaiting final production and yield cost estimates. Initial discussions have been held to start to identify feedstock production regions for economic viability analysis.

13 Education - Course streams have been identified for Chem.Eng and Biological Eng. that constitute a Renewable Energy Concentration - Four bioenergy seminars were conducted in June and July 2012 for 45 students and 75 farmers and agricultural producers at SU. Two bioenergy presentations were made to 120 freshmen students participating in summer program at SU - A SU workshop on biofuel for 25 summer interns and participants in July, Started developing online courses related to renewable energy

14 Extension Field day stops at Sugar Research Station, Dean Lee Research Station, and Rice Research Station Upcoming energycane/sweet sorghum field day at the USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma Demonstration plots planted in north Louisiana Variety identification guide Producer Survey

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16 Regional Coverage Agricultural and environmental research will be validated across the Southeastern Region Pre-processing and transportation methodology and models are broadly applicable Processing/conversion, carbohydrate quality targets will be established. Biomass samples from various regions will be evaluated Engineering data are scalable and transferable depending on the regional infrastructure Economics team involves experts from across the Southeastern Region Education and extension components will have applicability within and beyond selected regions

17 Commercial Partners - Trajectory to Commercialization Gasoline Pilot Design Design/build Build Commercial Jet Fuel Pilot Design Design/build Build Commercial Butanol Lab/pilot Pilot Demo Design Build Isoprene Lab Pilot Pilot Design Build Bioplastic Lab/pilot Pilot Demo Design Build

18 Thank you Always thinking outside the box