BioEnergy Ag Feedstocks Overton 4 10 07

Solving the Need for Alternative Fuels through Agriculture Research“From Field To Fuel Tank”: 

Solving the Need for Alternative Fuels through Agriculture Research “From Field To Fuel Tank” Elsa A. Murano, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences Director, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station From Field To Fuel Tank

Energy Challenges: 

Energy Challenges Energy supply is an economic issue Energy security is a national security issue Energy is an environmental issue Energy access is a global issue From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide3: 

Updated July 2005. Source: International Energy Annual 2003 (EIA), Tables 1.2 and 8.1-O&GJ. Canada’s reserves include tar sands. The United States uses more oil than the next five highest-consuming nations combined. 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 7% 25% 7% 3% From Field To Fuel Tank

Outline: 

Texas and Bioenergy and the role of Texas A&M Agriculture An Overview of the U.S. and Texas’ BioEnergy Ag Roadmap Texas’ Potential Sources of Biofuels and Issues Research Initiatives of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Outline From Field To Fuel Tank

Responding to the Energy ChallengeWhy Texas?: 

Responding to the Energy Challenge Why Texas? From Field To Fuel Tank

Why Texas?: 

Why Texas? Texas: The energy friendly state Largest domestic producing state for both oil (26%) and natural gas (29%) 24% of U.S. natural gas proved reserves 5th nationally in coal production and is the largest producer of lignite coal Extensive energy infrastructure 26 Texas refineries 135,000 miles of natural gas pipelines Large network of crude oil, product, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipelines and storage facilities Petrochemical industry – major user of energy to produce commercial products (sector with + trade balance) From Field To Fuel Tank

Why Texas?: 

Why Texas? Leading agricultural state Large forest industry Major biomass producer Urban-based biomass-derived wastes 25% nation’s beef just in Panhandle alone Agri-geo diversity The state with the largest installed wind energy generating capacity Major universities and agencies with energy expertise From Field To Fuel Tank

Why Texas?: 

Why Texas? “Texas has more renewable and sustainable energy potential than any other state, according to a study done by the United Nations. Our potential is 400 times greater than our state’s actual energy consumption each year.” Secretary of State Roger Williams (5 Feb 2007) From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide9: 

National Leaders in Agriculture and Engineering Extensive research capabilities, contract and grant management experience Culture which values university-corporate partnerships Culture which promotes technology development and commercialization What is Texas A&M Agriculture and Texas A&M Engineering? Why Texas A&M? From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide10: 

Extensive research capabilities in basic and applied research, as well as in technology development. Culture which values stakeholder partnerships. Partnership in Texas A&M Agriculture and Engineering Bioenergy Alliance. The Role of Texas A&M Agriculture From Field To Fuel Tank

Outline: 

Texas and Bioenergy and the role of Texas A&M Agriculture An Overview of the U.S. and Texas’ BioEnergy Ag Roadmap Texas’ Potential Sources of Biofuels and Issues Research Initiatives of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Outline From Field To Fuel Tank

Presidential Goals: 

Presidential Goals 2012: Make ethanol practical and competitive. 2025: Replace 75% of all Middle Eastern oil imports. 2030: Replace 30% of current U.S. petroleum consumption with biofuels. Can we produce the required 1 billion tons of biomass needed to produce 60 billion gallons of ethanol a year? From Field To Fuel Tank

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Midwest – 9.1 Billion gal/yr in Production or Construction South – Only 575 Million gal/yr in Production or Construction Source: Renewable Fuels Association Source: Iowa State University. Ethanol Refining is Concentrated in the Midwest. From Field To Fuel Tank

Availability of Grain for Ethanol Production in Texas: 

Availability of Grain for Ethanol Production in Texas Texas gasoline consumption is approximately 12 billion gallons per year (2004 data) or 533 gallons per capita. Would require that 440 million bushels of grain be converted to ethanol/year. All feed grain harvested in Texas in 2005 was 322 million bushels, with a potential yield of 860 million gallons of ethanol. From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide15: 

Distiller’s Grain About 19 lb. of distillers grains and solubles (DGS) can be obtained from a bushel (56 lb.) of corn as a by-product of ethanol production. DGS could serve to enhance utility of corn for ethanol production by serving as feed source for cattle (10 to 40%). Protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, and fiber are higher than corn. From Field To Fuel Tank

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Distiller’s Grain BUT: Calcium and potassium content are lower than corn. Manure nitrogen and phosphorus levels can increase with a DGS ration. Need to evaluate: Effect of corn type on quality and nutrient profiles. Effect of different processing techniques (steam flaking vs. rolling) on nutrient content. Effect of feeding wet vs. dry DGS on animal growth, health, and other characteristics. From Field To Fuel Tank

President Bush’s Commitment: 

President Bush’s Commitment “We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol—using everything from wood chips to grasses to agricultural wastes.” President George W. Bush From Field To Fuel Tank

Outline: 

Texas and Bioenergy and the role of Texas A&M Agriculture An Overview of the U.S. and Texas’ BioEnergy Ag Roadmap Texas’ Potential Sources of Biofuels and Issues Research Initiatives of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Outline From Field To Fuel Tank

Biomass and Geographical Diversity: 

Biomass and Geographical Diversity Crop Acreage (2005) Wheat > 5M Sorghum > 3M Corn > 2M Cotton > 5.5M Hay > 5M Sugarcane 40.5K Rice > 200K From Field To Fuel Tank

Biofuels & Potential Sources: 

Biofuels & Potential Sources Ethanol & Other Alcohols Grain (corn) Cellulose (other crops & grasses) Plant and animal waste Biodiesel Grain (soybeans) Seed oil (sunflower, cotton) Animal fat and plant oil Algae From Field To Fuel Tank

Status of Cellulosic Biofuels*: 

Status of Cellulosic Biofuels* Cellulosic conversion technologies should be technically and economically viable within 3-6 years. One of the primary variables for industry is the cost to produce the most efficient enzymes for cellulosic conversion to alcohol fuels. The DOE has just announced guaranteed loans to build the first 6 pilot plants in the U.S. none of which are in TX. Two other significant variables for the successful development of a viable cellulosic biofuels industry are: Feedstock supplies (e.g. tonnage, composition) Logistics of producing, harvesting, storing, and transporting cellulosic feedstocks Texas A&M Agriculture is well positioned to be the leader in these 2 areas. *Enzyme-based cellulosic conversion From Field To Fuel Tank

Cellulose as Biomass: 

Cellulose as Biomass Higher yields = shorter travel distances Row crops fit into normal farming practices Bioenergy sorghums provide many benefits to Texas and Southern States Biomass that can be harvested per acre (dry tons) From Field To Fuel Tank

Why Sorghum as Biofuel Feedstock?: 

Why Sorghum as Biofuel Feedstock? Drought tolerance and water-use efficiency Produces more biomass than corn, using 33% LESS water. “Drought” will be one of the next major “traits” in plant biotechnology From Field To Fuel Tank

High-tonnage Sorghum: 

High-tonnage Sorghum TAES research endeavor for > 4 years. Emphasis on biomass production. Benefits: Long Canopy Duration Drought Tolerance High Biomass Accumulation (expect >20+ dry tons/acre) Considerations: Uses existing equipment BUT, requires Cellulosic Conversion Technology 2006 Field Trial - College Station, TX From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide25: 

Sorghum Genome Technology Platform Applied Genomic Initiatives at Texas A&M and Other Institutes: Genetic map (2000, 2006) Physical map (2001, 2006) Cytogenetic map (2002, 2005) Comparative maps (2002, 2006) Germplasm diversity profiles (2004, 2006) Gene expression platform (2003, 2006) Gene transfer/engineering (2000, 2006) Sorghum genome sequence (DOE 2007) From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide26: 

Sorghum’s high yield, drought tolerance and established production systems Lignocellulose yields of 15-20+ dry tons per acre. Produces ~33% more biomass per unit water used compared to corn A ratoon crop well adapted to drought prone, low input regions of U.S. Texas, U.S. and world-wide impact Current sorghum “infrastructure” within TAES Leading institute for germplasm and genome scale research Diverse sorghum germplasm collection (> 70,000 accessions) Breeding programs; testing centers available Genome sequence available (~800Mbp) Genome technology platform established Biofuel conversion testing in progress Translation to switchgrass and biofuel crops Why Sorghum as Biofuel Feedstock? From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide27: 

Biodiesel Production Conversion of oil (or animal fat) to fuel. Average biodiesel plant produces 2 -3 million gallon/year. Process of conversion of oil to biodiesel is $0.41/gallon (Esterification). Total cost of biodiesel is $2.95/gallon. From Field To Fuel Tank

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Biodiesel Feedstocks Algae – 15,000 gallons/acre Canola – 125 gallons/acre Castor – 113 gallons/acre Sunflower – 90 gallons/acre Jatropha – 75 gallons/acre Soybeans – 63 gallons/acre Cottonseed – 38 gallons/acre From Field To Fuel Tank

System Logistics: 

System Logistics The logistics of producing hundreds of millions tons per year of cellulosic feedstocks is the Achilles Heal! Production Harvesting Transporting Storage Processing From Field To Fuel Tank

Outline: 

Texas and Bioenergy and the role of Texas A&M Agriculture An Overview of the U.S. and Texas’ BioEnergy Ag Roadmap Texas’ Potential Sources of Biofuels and Issues Research Initiatives of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Outline From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide31: 

TAES Bioenergy Research Initiatives Development and evaluation of designer bioenergy crops, in order to: Minimize inputs Drought tolerance & pest resistance Maximize outputs Biomass or sugar Maximize fuel produced per unit Evaluation of residue feedstocks Cotton gin by-products Corn stover & rice hulls Forest residue Evaluation of alternatives to help animal industry (distiller’s grain as feed option) From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide32: 

TAES Bioenergy Research Initiatives Evaluation of feedlot biomass Collection and thermal conversion Coal-fired emissions reduction) Development and evaluation of conversion processes Enzymatic conversion of cellulose to ethanol Conversion of sugar and cellulose to mixed alcohols Economic/Policy analysis Probabilistic forecasts Economic feasibility and business plans From Field To Fuel Tank

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TAES Bioenergy Research Initiatives Environmental assessment Water and air Soil quality Computational science Existing data mining and analysis Small-to-large-scale simulations Production Logistics Production, harvesting, and storage Transportation From Field To Fuel Tank

Texas Legislative Request: 

Texas Legislative Request From Field To Fuel Tank

Slide35: 

Texas A&M: Established research history Biofuels Biomass Processing Genomics Texas A&M: “One-stop shopping” Relevant bioenergy research: basic, applied, and demonstration Laboratory and testbed infrastructure Host of IP in bioenergy-related technologies Broad and in-depth energy research Statewide, national, and global reach Building and managing large-scale research programs Excellent undergraduate and graduate education Technology commercialization services Conclusions From Field To Fuel Tank