UM Research on Alternatives to Delivered Fuels. Gary Wyatt, Extension Educator Diomy Zamora, Extension Educator

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1 UM Research on Alternatives to Delivered Fuels Gary Wyatt, Extension Educator Diomy Zamora, Extension Educator

2 Agroforestry Systems can generate biomass..the intentional combining of agriculture and working trees to create sustainable farming and ranching systems.

3 Outline: Bioenergy Feedstock Research (Bio-energy Crops) Processing Research

4 Biomass: SROC - Research Waseca, MN Corn Stover: 2 to 4 dry tons/a/yr (Note nutrient and carbon loss varies by region) Grasses/Forbs: Willows: Poplar: 2 to 4 dry tons/a/yr 3 to 6 dry tons/a/yr Harvest every 3 years 9-18 tons/a (3 yrs.) 3 to 6 dry tons/a/yr Harvest from 4 to 15 yrs tons/a (12-15 yrs.)

5 Corn Stover Tons produced varies with region, year and variety. 2 to 4 tons/a/year (average) Removal affects nutrient and soil carbon

6 Statewide Range of Locations for Corn Stover Biomass Facilities. Boundary lines indicates approximate ranges for locating larger (100,000+ ton per year) and smaller (below 100,000 tons per year) facilities. Due to soil conservation issues, a facility in the northern counties is not recommended. Counties with no or extremely limited corn production colored in white. (AURI, Corn Growers, UM study)

7 Granada, MN (Martin County)

10 SROC Waseca, MN

13 13 SROC Willow Production

14 Site Preparation Willow Biomass Production Cycle Three years old after coppice Planting Harvest Early spring One year old after coppice First year growth Coppice Tim Volk, ESF SUNY

15 Willow Biomass Plantings 15

17 Willow - 5 Weeks after planting

18 Willow - 5 Weeks after planting Willow First year post coppice Willow Third year post coppice

20 Willow Harvesting System New Holland forage harvester with specially designed head used to cut and chip willow biomass crops

27 Bio-Baler or Willow Harvester

33 Alley Cropping: Red Pine & Poplar with Willows UM Cloquet Forestry Center

34 Willows in twin rows (alleys)

35 Red Pine (3 rows) Willows on both sides (alleys)

36 Planting Hybrid Poplar and Willow sticks Planted June 27 30, 2013

37 Photo September 12, 2013

38 Bioenergy Willow & Shrub Study SROC in Waseca 3 bioenergy willows 2 native willows 2 shrubs American Cranberry Gray Dogwood Living snow fence w/ Single twin rows Double twin rows

39 UM Morris Native Grass Harvest Biomass Yield Data Predicted Harvested Tons Yield Acres Acres Harvested Ton/Acre Eldorado Geise Klason Pepperton Lamprecht Total ±.75 Average Biomass Harvesting of Native Grasslands in West Central Minnesota: 2007

40 CRP YIELD STUDY

41 Four CRP fields tested: (Sites) 1. Switchgrass: 2002, Burned 2006, 6lbs/A 2. Grass/forbs mix with Cool Season (G): 1999, Mowed, Burned 2000, Gophers, 4 8.5lbs/A, 0.5lbs/A. 3. Grass/forbs mix: 2004, Mowed, Spot mowed lbs/A, lbs/A. 4. Grass mix: 2004, Never burned, Sprayed 2006 & 2009 for Thistles, 5 10lbs/A, forbs 0.5lbs/A

42 CRP Time of Harvest Spring (May 18, 2009) Fall (November 11, 2009) Harvest regrowth of Spring cut Harvest virgin cut

43 Spring Harvest Yield: tons/acre

48 Spring CRP Harvest:

49 Fall CRP Harvest:

50 Spring and Fall CRP Harvest:

51 Summary: Yields varied from 0.62 to 5.60 tons/a Grasses yielded more than poly mix (G/F) All plots yielded the most when we added the spring and fall strips together (same strip harvested twice in 1 year) Grass plots 1 & 4 yielded 5.25 & 5.60 tons/a

52 CRP FEED VALUE STUDY

53 CRP Feed Value: (Livestock) Sampled: Summer: July 13, 2009 Fall: November 5, samples per strip (6 strips per field) 3 samples mixed together for each strip Samples sent to DHIA lab in Sauk Centre Tested for Basic NIR

54 Grab Sample from 1 square foot:

55 Relative Feed Value:

56 Total Digestible Nutrients:

57 Summary: Relative feed value was superior from the summer harvest: 77 to 109 where as the fall harvest ranged from 48 to 64. Total digestible nutrients were similar for each of the harvests, 51 to 60 in the summer to 30 to 43 in the fall. Site #3 which was the grass/forbs mix recorded highest levels of nutrients from the summer harvest.

58 Feed or Bio-Energy: Therefore, if producers know that their fields will not be used for bio-energy and can be harvested for forage, harvesting in the vegetative stages in the summer (July) resulting in higher relative feed values than a fall harvest (when more fiber is available) More research is needed to identify peak RFV and yield.

59 Processing Bioenergy Crops

60 Pyrolysis Bio-refining Portable unit being tested at UM Dr. Roger Ruan, head researcher Multiple feedstocks from grass to woodys Inch chip size End products Bio-oil and Char

64 AFEX Biomass Process Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX) Developed at Michigan State University Multiple grass (non-woody) feedstocks Developed for local processing (5 10 miles) 10% of a fuel-shed area (35,000 acres) 100 tons/day processed into pellets

66 The AFEX Process Pelletizing AFEX treated biomass is dried and pelletized

68 AFEX TM is highly effective on many agricultural residues & grasses Glucan conversion for various AFEX treated Feed stocks Switchgrass Corn stover Sugarcane Bagasse Rice straw Miscanthus DDGS Glucan conversion after enzymatic hydrolysis Source: Bruce Dale, Michigan State University UT=No Pretreatment AFEX=Ammonia Pretreatment

69 AFEX Preprocessing Depots Sited like grain elevators Use many feedstocks Retain value in local communities: owned by producer coops? Market to livestock farmers OR biorefineries

73 Questions: Gary Wyatt Diomy Zamora

DENSIFYING & HANDLING AFEX BIOMASS: A COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT

DENSIFYING & HANDLING AFEX BIOMASS: A COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT Bruce E. Dale Professor of Chemical Engineering Associate Director: Office of Biobased Technologies Michigan State University Presented