"THE use of corn crops to produce ethanol fuel for cars has been dismissed as inefficient by one of the world's leading climate change scientists.
President Bush believes it is the answer to the US's dependency on oil and Gordon Brown aims to encourage the use of ethanol in his pre-Budget report by reducing tax on UK-blended biofuels from 53p a litre to just 8p.
But Sir John Houghton, who chairs the Scientific Assessment Working Group of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said the crops need too much fertiliser to grow well.
"You need to put so much fertiliser in to get a good crop and you need to burn fuel to sow it, spray it and harvest it and the amount you get out in the end is very small indeed," he said.
"We have to look at crops where the inputs are small."
Sir John believes elephant grass, or miscanthus, is a viable alternative.
"It does not need lots of fertiliser and does not need the best land and you can use it in relatively small power stations or mixed with coal," said Sir John.
"But there needs to be quite a lot of work done before it can be a source of viable biofuel."
Sir John said extensive work on miscanthus was underway at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (Iger).
"The way you process elephant grass needs to be changed but that will happen," he said.
Sir John told the Oxford Farming Conference last month that Britain could meet 3% of its energy needs if farmers grew one million hectares of miscanthus, the equivalent of 9% of the UK land mass. Short-rotation coppice willow was also appropriate.
"I think there's a good opportunity for Wales to grow eco crops like these," he said.
"But we need places to use them that are not too far away because biomass is bulky and transport costs can be large and heavy on fuel consumption, which defeats the purpose."
Sir John said Aberthaw power station planned to use biomass for 7% of its fuel.
Sir John, former head of the Met Office and currently Honorary Scientist of the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, spoke to Country & Farming at Narberth last week before addressing a packed public meeting of more than 250 people.
Along with opportunities for Welsh farmers, Sir John said tourist operators could also benefit from climate change.
"Rhodri Morgan was right about getting ready for tourists and it's a good idea," he said.
"Presuming nothing dramatic happens, we will have warmer and wetter winters and warmer summers.
"People won't want to go to the Mediterranean or other warm parts of the world because it will be too hot and dry and water supplies will be threatened by lack of rainfall."
He pointed out that the European heatwave of 2003 killed 30,000 people.
"I'm not hyping it - it's what has happened already," he said.
"Thousands of people died in India the same year because the temperature in Andhra Pradesh reached 47C - 125F - on seven consecutive days.
"We have only seen a small rise in global temperatures so far but we are going to see millions of environmental refugees - and where will they go in our crowded world?"
Sir John said he was frustrated at the lack of action from the UK Government.
Margaret Thatcher had been one of the first to warn of climate change in a speech to the annual dinner of the Royal Society in 1988 but, 20 years on, there was more talk than anything else.
"The only reason we kept our carbon dioxide emissions in 2000 down to 1990 levels was because we gave up all the coal power stations," he said.
"Compared with a lot of other countries in Europe, the UK is near the bottom of the list."
In Upper Austria, for instance, he said 14% of the energy for a population of 1.5 million came from local biomass in 2003 and this was planned to increase to 30% by 2010 and to continue to grow.
By contrast, the UK raises only about 1% of its energy this way, although Sir John said it would be possible to raise this to around 10% by 2050 with use of lower grade land, amounting to about 25% of the UK's total farmland.
Leading scientist
Sir John Houghton is one of the world's leading climate change scientists.
Born in Dyserth, he was head of the Met Office from 1983 to 1991 and lives in Aberdyfi.
Last year, he received the annual Japan Award for Science from the Emperor of Japan during a week-long celebration in Tokyo.
Sir John, who described climate change as "a weapon of mass destruction", said tidal energy was also the answer for an island with some of the biggest tides in the world.
"We should get on with that because we could get 20% of our electricity from tidal energy," he said.
"Wind is not the only solution and it's not the top solution and we don't want to cover our landscape with wind farms.
"And with tidal power you know when it's going to come and, unlike wind, it's very reliable.
"But the Government has not seemed very interested in tidal, for reasons that I don't understand.""
Oriģināls
2007-02-28
ASV Nacionālajā etanola konferencē runā par energokultūru priekšrocībām, salīdzinot ar tradicionālo pārtikas augu atlieku izmantošanu
"TUCSON, Ariz. - For five years or more, proponents have said the promise of making ethanol from biomass crops such as switchgrass and hybrid trees was just around the corner. That corner has yet to be reached, but last week it seemed a little bit closer when cellulosic ethanol producers and allied businesses spoke to the National Ethanol Conference.
Robert Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, host of the conference, said cellulosic ethanol will revolutionize the industry.
"Five years from now, the ethanol industry will be unrecognizable from what it is today, because of cellulosic ethanol," Dinneen said.
Almost all of the nearly 5 billion gallons of ethanol produced in the United States last year was made from corn kernels, with Iowa the No. 1 producer of the fuel. But there are limits to what the grain can do to meet the nation's renewable fuel needs, the 2,000 attendees at this year's ethanol conference were told.
That's why crops other than corn need to be developed so the world of cellulosic ethanol can begin, presenters said.
Anna Rath, director of business development at Ceres, a developer of energy crops for cellulosic production, said dedicated energy crops like switchgrass, a prairie grass native to Iowa, must be processed to meet President Bush's goal of producing 35 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2017.
Using dedicated energy crops produced expressly for ethanol production is a more reasonable approach to meeting the needs of expanded renewable fuel production than using crop residues from corn and wheat, she said.
Removing an excessive amount of wheat straw and cornstalks, leaves and cobs after harvesting the crops is not a good soil stewardship practice because a certain amount of plant residues need to be left in the fields, Rath said.
Also, switchgrass and other dedicated energy crops have a higher density of energy than crop residues, she said, so more ethanol can be produced from fewer acres.
Rath said Ceres, which is based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., is developing switchgrass with superior characteristics. Their work, she said, is much like the work done by early corn-breeding pioneers. They developed hybrid corn and, later, added transgenic traits that have boosted yields from 30-bushels-an-acre 70 years ago to 200-bushels-an acre today.
Dedicated energy crops need to be improved, as corn was, for higher yields, more disease and pest resistance and other characteristics that will mean better crop stands on more marginal lands.
"We're just at the start of developing dedicated energy crops," Rath said.
Getting farmers to grow new crops, developing harvesting equipment and delivering bulky biomass crops to the plant all must be dealt with before cellulosic production can become a commercial reality, she said.
But the three biggest challenges for dedicated energy crops remain "yield, yield and yield," Rath said.
Other companies are planning to use crop waste in their cellulosic plants, conference presenters said.
Mike Muston, executive vice president for Broin Cos., said cellulose from crop residues has the potential to be turned into billions of gallons of ethanol.
Broin, which has headquarters in Sioux Falls, S.D., reported last year that its plant in Emmetsburg will be the first in the nation to make ethanol from corn stover, in addition to the ethanol it produces from corn kernels.
The Emmetsburg plant makes 50 million gallons of ethanol. After the expansion of its corn ethanol capacity and the addition of cellulosic production, the plant will make 125 million gallons a year.
Broin is working with Iowa State University and Deere & Co. in researching harvesting techniques for efficiently collecting stover.
Iogen Corp., a company based in Ottawa, Ontario, wants to break ground near Shelley, Idaho, for a plant that will use wheat straw to make ethanol, said Jeff Passmore, executive vice president at Iogen.
The company has a demonstration plant in Canada making ethanol from wheat straw, he said, but wants to build in the United States because it has the best available supply of biomass in the world.
Idaho, he said, has a ready supply of wheat straw and Iogen has 320 farmers to supply the feedstock for the company's ethanol plant.
Iogen wants to break ground on the plant site in the fall but can't until a U.S. government loan guarantee comes through, he said.
Gerson Santos-Leon, executive vice president of Abengoa Bioenergy R&D Inc., said his company will open a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in York, Neb., in May.
Abengoa is developing a commercial-size cellulosic ethanol plant in Kansas that, it hopes, will qualify for a Department of Energy grant.
The company also is opening a plant in Spain this year that will convert wheat straw into ethanol.
Celunol President Carlos Riva said the Cambridge, Mass.-company has a pilot cellulosic plant in Jennings, La., and is building a demonstration plant there that it hopes to have up and running by the fourth quarter this year, he said.
As its cellulosic feedstock, Celunol will use sugar cane residues called bagasse that are left over from processing.
Brazil, the second-largest ethanol producer behind the United States, uses bagasse for its ethanol production.
Celunol plans to use its demonstration plant to train plant operators, perfect its continuous ethanol production methods and to show lenders that it can run a commercial-sized plant that will make 25 million gallons of ethanol a year.
Construction of that 25 million-gallon plant could begin in the first or second quarter of 2008, Riva said.
Last week, Celunol merged with Diversa Corp. of San Diego in a deal estimated to be worth $155 million.
The merger means Diversa's enzymes can be used to more efficiently turn cellulose into sugars for ethanol fermentation, Riva said."
Oriģināls
Robert Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, host of the conference, said cellulosic ethanol will revolutionize the industry.
"Five years from now, the ethanol industry will be unrecognizable from what it is today, because of cellulosic ethanol," Dinneen said.
Almost all of the nearly 5 billion gallons of ethanol produced in the United States last year was made from corn kernels, with Iowa the No. 1 producer of the fuel. But there are limits to what the grain can do to meet the nation's renewable fuel needs, the 2,000 attendees at this year's ethanol conference were told.
That's why crops other than corn need to be developed so the world of cellulosic ethanol can begin, presenters said.
Anna Rath, director of business development at Ceres, a developer of energy crops for cellulosic production, said dedicated energy crops like switchgrass, a prairie grass native to Iowa, must be processed to meet President Bush's goal of producing 35 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2017.
Using dedicated energy crops produced expressly for ethanol production is a more reasonable approach to meeting the needs of expanded renewable fuel production than using crop residues from corn and wheat, she said.
Removing an excessive amount of wheat straw and cornstalks, leaves and cobs after harvesting the crops is not a good soil stewardship practice because a certain amount of plant residues need to be left in the fields, Rath said.
Also, switchgrass and other dedicated energy crops have a higher density of energy than crop residues, she said, so more ethanol can be produced from fewer acres.
Rath said Ceres, which is based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., is developing switchgrass with superior characteristics. Their work, she said, is much like the work done by early corn-breeding pioneers. They developed hybrid corn and, later, added transgenic traits that have boosted yields from 30-bushels-an-acre 70 years ago to 200-bushels-an acre today.
Dedicated energy crops need to be improved, as corn was, for higher yields, more disease and pest resistance and other characteristics that will mean better crop stands on more marginal lands.
"We're just at the start of developing dedicated energy crops," Rath said.
Getting farmers to grow new crops, developing harvesting equipment and delivering bulky biomass crops to the plant all must be dealt with before cellulosic production can become a commercial reality, she said.
But the three biggest challenges for dedicated energy crops remain "yield, yield and yield," Rath said.
Other companies are planning to use crop waste in their cellulosic plants, conference presenters said.
Mike Muston, executive vice president for Broin Cos., said cellulose from crop residues has the potential to be turned into billions of gallons of ethanol.
Broin, which has headquarters in Sioux Falls, S.D., reported last year that its plant in Emmetsburg will be the first in the nation to make ethanol from corn stover, in addition to the ethanol it produces from corn kernels.
The Emmetsburg plant makes 50 million gallons of ethanol. After the expansion of its corn ethanol capacity and the addition of cellulosic production, the plant will make 125 million gallons a year.
Broin is working with Iowa State University and Deere & Co. in researching harvesting techniques for efficiently collecting stover.
Iogen Corp., a company based in Ottawa, Ontario, wants to break ground near Shelley, Idaho, for a plant that will use wheat straw to make ethanol, said Jeff Passmore, executive vice president at Iogen.
The company has a demonstration plant in Canada making ethanol from wheat straw, he said, but wants to build in the United States because it has the best available supply of biomass in the world.
Idaho, he said, has a ready supply of wheat straw and Iogen has 320 farmers to supply the feedstock for the company's ethanol plant.
Iogen wants to break ground on the plant site in the fall but can't until a U.S. government loan guarantee comes through, he said.
Gerson Santos-Leon, executive vice president of Abengoa Bioenergy R&D Inc., said his company will open a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in York, Neb., in May.
Abengoa is developing a commercial-size cellulosic ethanol plant in Kansas that, it hopes, will qualify for a Department of Energy grant.
The company also is opening a plant in Spain this year that will convert wheat straw into ethanol.
Celunol President Carlos Riva said the Cambridge, Mass.-company has a pilot cellulosic plant in Jennings, La., and is building a demonstration plant there that it hopes to have up and running by the fourth quarter this year, he said.
As its cellulosic feedstock, Celunol will use sugar cane residues called bagasse that are left over from processing.
Brazil, the second-largest ethanol producer behind the United States, uses bagasse for its ethanol production.
Celunol plans to use its demonstration plant to train plant operators, perfect its continuous ethanol production methods and to show lenders that it can run a commercial-sized plant that will make 25 million gallons of ethanol a year.
Construction of that 25 million-gallon plant could begin in the first or second quarter of 2008, Riva said.
Last week, Celunol merged with Diversa Corp. of San Diego in a deal estimated to be worth $155 million.
The merger means Diversa's enzymes can be used to more efficiently turn cellulose into sugars for ethanol fermentation, Riva said."
Oriģināls
2007-02-27
Zemkopības ministrija mainījusi maksājumus mazāk labvēlīgo apvidu atbalsta programmā
Līdz 2010. gadam ZM plāno saglabāt gandrīz tādus pašus maksājumu apjomus par hektāru, kas maksāti arī iepriekšējā plānošanas periodā – no 2004. līdz 2006. gadam. Tie būs lielāki par Lauku attīstības programmā sākotnēji paredzēto. 2007.g., saimniekojot noteiktajā 1. kategorijas mazāk labvēlīgajā apvidū lauksaimnieki saņems 33 eiro par hektāru, 2008.gadā – 25 eiro par hektāru, 2009.gadā – 25 eiro par hektāru. Savukārt 2. kategorijas noteiktajos mazāk labvēlīgajos apvidos lauksaimnieki 2007.gadā saņems –46 eiro par hektāru, 2008.gadā – 40 eiro par hektāru, 2009.gadā- 40 eiro par hektāru. 3. kategorijas noteiktajos mazāk labvēlīgajos apvidos attiecīgi 2007.gadā - 64, 2008.gadā - 58, 2009.gadā - 58 eiro par hektāru.
Subsīdiju nolikumā gan nekas nav teikts par atbalstu energokultūrām, izņemot atbalstu izpētes projektiem par lauksaimniecības kultūru izmantošanu bioenerģijas ražošanai.
Subsīdiju nolikumā gan nekas nav teikts par atbalstu energokultūrām, izņemot atbalstu izpētes projektiem par lauksaimniecības kultūru izmantošanu bioenerģijas ražošanai.
2007-02-20
Kultuvētas kārklu plantācijas Indijā Kašmiras štatā varētu dot līdz 40 tonnas sausnas biomasas pieaugumu gadā
"The change is to be brought from the grassroots if we are serious in preserving our green wealth. Research about forests is to be professionalized for better results, comments Dr Nazir Ahmad Masoodi
Reassessment of actual forest area:
Total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir is 1,01, 378 sq km. Conflicting reports about the forest area of Jammu and Kashmir are being published by Forest Survey India and Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department. While FSI reports 8,151 sq km. recorded forest area in this part of Jammu and Kashmir, State Forest Department claims to have 20, 230 sq km under its control. Similar contradictory reports are available concerning the Forest cove of Jammu and Kashmir. While J and K Forest Department envisage that the forest cover is 19.95 percent, Indian Remote sensing Institute Hyderabad has estimated it to be 13.68 including wasteland plantations, social forestry plantations and private plantations. 1793 sq km (22.06 percent of these forests) has been declared degraded, 925 sq km (11.36 percent) is engulfed by barren rocks and forest blanks and more than 1630 sq km (20 percent) of the forest land has been diverted for non forest use. Illegal encroachment of forest land is spectacular in every forest division and forests are mostly absent on western and south western aspects of these forests.
Estimation of actual conditions of Forests of Jammu and Kashmir by reliable government agencies through GIS system should be a priority of the new forest policy of Kashmir.
Biomass Production Growth analysis and Eco-physiological studies of Existing Forests:
Due to accelerated rate of erosion and high level of atmospheric pollution, biodiversity of these forests has changed during last 60 years. Efforts directed to increase Production potential of all these forests can be successful and profitable only after conducting massive eco- physiological studies.
Management of Forests with in situ research:
Till date forests of Kashmir have been managed on the Research findings of Uttar Pradesh and other states. After completion of First rotation age of 90 years these research findings have resulted in absolutely denuded forests with zero regeneration on southern and south western aspects of our forests. Aggressive, unspecific introduction of female clones of Populus deltoids from Tarai belt of UP in 1980,s and Robinia psedoacacia (kikar) in fifties and their plantation within cities and towns have resulted in tremendous air pollution during summer season. Pertinent to mention here, that in UK and USA use of these two species as avenue plantation has been banned since last 40 years. Similarly unplanned exploitation of willows has resulted in the extinction of female cultivar of willow (Salix alba var caerulea) from the vale of Kashmir. A cricket bat from this willow costs Rs.5, 000-Rs. 15,000 in the international market. By 2012 requirement of these cricket bats will be around 4 million. Management of willow under short rotation coppice system will produce more than 40 tons of biomass per ha per year against present yield of 6 tons per ha. per year. This biomass can be used in the generation of electricity from gas turbine Pampore at a cost of Rs. 5.0 per KWH against the prevailing cost of Rs. 32 per KWH. Use of willow as raw material in gas turbine Pampore will result in zero pollution and-generate thousands of employments.
Production of Quality plant Material with respect to conifers:
Productions quality plant materials that will suffer minimum mortality under harsh plantation conditions by adopting new and improved technology are fundamental for any production forestry program. Use of clonal forestry and improved nursery techniques will reduce the rotation age of conifers from 120 years to just 90 years.
Plantation Forestry with conifers alone in combination with forest closure:
This practice will ensure regeneration of degraded forest in just 4-5 years instead of long span of 40 years as practiced in high forest system of management. All forest areas in Jammu and Kashmir are acidic in nature. Plantation of these areas with broad leaved species will result in wastage of resources. Furthermore, level of atmospheric pollution and water pollution is at maximum ebb during autumn and winter months. Deciduous species will not be effective in controlling this pollution. Most of the precipitation in vale of Kashmir occurs during winter and spring season. Conifer plantation being ever green will conserve this water in soil thereby reduce flooding and soil erosion and conserve more water in the soil.
Re-organization of forest departments from grassroots level and engagement of technocrats (forestry graduates):
Since last thirty years many departments such as Social forestry, Forest Research Institute, State Forest Corporation, Forest protection, Ecology and environment, Territorial Forest department, Wild life etc have been carved out of single department. But little attention has been diverted for the reorganization of these departments at grassroots level. It seems that none of the department has a well defined mandate. Forest protection department meant for the protection of forests is functioning outside forest area whereas green felling or forest fires occur within forests. Reforestation of denuded forests has not been attended to properly. In view of the fact that research in forestry science is the mandate of agriculture universities of the State, a complete co-ordination between State Forest Departments and Agricultural Universities will solve the basic problems like regeneration of degraded forests, increase in the productivity of forests, production of quality plant material, grazing land problems, fuel wood production, soil erosion and conservation of wetlands on modern techniques The department may be reorganized at grassroots level with technocrats in forestry science. Forestry is much advanced science in the Western countries. Engagement of non professionals or diploma holder from Dehradun will lead to accelerated degradation of these precious natural resources."
Oriģināls
Reassessment of actual forest area:
Total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir is 1,01, 378 sq km. Conflicting reports about the forest area of Jammu and Kashmir are being published by Forest Survey India and Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department. While FSI reports 8,151 sq km. recorded forest area in this part of Jammu and Kashmir, State Forest Department claims to have 20, 230 sq km under its control. Similar contradictory reports are available concerning the Forest cove of Jammu and Kashmir. While J and K Forest Department envisage that the forest cover is 19.95 percent, Indian Remote sensing Institute Hyderabad has estimated it to be 13.68 including wasteland plantations, social forestry plantations and private plantations. 1793 sq km (22.06 percent of these forests) has been declared degraded, 925 sq km (11.36 percent) is engulfed by barren rocks and forest blanks and more than 1630 sq km (20 percent) of the forest land has been diverted for non forest use. Illegal encroachment of forest land is spectacular in every forest division and forests are mostly absent on western and south western aspects of these forests.
Estimation of actual conditions of Forests of Jammu and Kashmir by reliable government agencies through GIS system should be a priority of the new forest policy of Kashmir.
Biomass Production Growth analysis and Eco-physiological studies of Existing Forests:
Due to accelerated rate of erosion and high level of atmospheric pollution, biodiversity of these forests has changed during last 60 years. Efforts directed to increase Production potential of all these forests can be successful and profitable only after conducting massive eco- physiological studies.
Management of Forests with in situ research:
Till date forests of Kashmir have been managed on the Research findings of Uttar Pradesh and other states. After completion of First rotation age of 90 years these research findings have resulted in absolutely denuded forests with zero regeneration on southern and south western aspects of our forests. Aggressive, unspecific introduction of female clones of Populus deltoids from Tarai belt of UP in 1980,s and Robinia psedoacacia (kikar) in fifties and their plantation within cities and towns have resulted in tremendous air pollution during summer season. Pertinent to mention here, that in UK and USA use of these two species as avenue plantation has been banned since last 40 years. Similarly unplanned exploitation of willows has resulted in the extinction of female cultivar of willow (Salix alba var caerulea) from the vale of Kashmir. A cricket bat from this willow costs Rs.5, 000-Rs. 15,000 in the international market. By 2012 requirement of these cricket bats will be around 4 million. Management of willow under short rotation coppice system will produce more than 40 tons of biomass per ha per year against present yield of 6 tons per ha. per year. This biomass can be used in the generation of electricity from gas turbine Pampore at a cost of Rs. 5.0 per KWH against the prevailing cost of Rs. 32 per KWH. Use of willow as raw material in gas turbine Pampore will result in zero pollution and-generate thousands of employments.
Production of Quality plant Material with respect to conifers:
Productions quality plant materials that will suffer minimum mortality under harsh plantation conditions by adopting new and improved technology are fundamental for any production forestry program. Use of clonal forestry and improved nursery techniques will reduce the rotation age of conifers from 120 years to just 90 years.
Plantation Forestry with conifers alone in combination with forest closure:
This practice will ensure regeneration of degraded forest in just 4-5 years instead of long span of 40 years as practiced in high forest system of management. All forest areas in Jammu and Kashmir are acidic in nature. Plantation of these areas with broad leaved species will result in wastage of resources. Furthermore, level of atmospheric pollution and water pollution is at maximum ebb during autumn and winter months. Deciduous species will not be effective in controlling this pollution. Most of the precipitation in vale of Kashmir occurs during winter and spring season. Conifer plantation being ever green will conserve this water in soil thereby reduce flooding and soil erosion and conserve more water in the soil.
Re-organization of forest departments from grassroots level and engagement of technocrats (forestry graduates):
Since last thirty years many departments such as Social forestry, Forest Research Institute, State Forest Corporation, Forest protection, Ecology and environment, Territorial Forest department, Wild life etc have been carved out of single department. But little attention has been diverted for the reorganization of these departments at grassroots level. It seems that none of the department has a well defined mandate. Forest protection department meant for the protection of forests is functioning outside forest area whereas green felling or forest fires occur within forests. Reforestation of denuded forests has not been attended to properly. In view of the fact that research in forestry science is the mandate of agriculture universities of the State, a complete co-ordination between State Forest Departments and Agricultural Universities will solve the basic problems like regeneration of degraded forests, increase in the productivity of forests, production of quality plant material, grazing land problems, fuel wood production, soil erosion and conservation of wetlands on modern techniques The department may be reorganized at grassroots level with technocrats in forestry science. Forestry is much advanced science in the Western countries. Engagement of non professionals or diploma holder from Dehradun will lead to accelerated degradation of these precious natural resources."
Oriģināls
2007-02-15
Lauksaimnieku konferencē Lielbritānijā apspriestas nākotnes lauku apsaimniekošanas perspektīvas
"The Arable Group's Outlook Conference 2007
Future prospects for the North’s arable farmers are improving against a background of an increasing demand for biofuels, a growing world population and global warming, The Arable Group’s biennial Outlook conference at Scotch Corner was told by a line-up of keynote speakers.
Back left to right, Andrew Wells, Colin MacEwan, Guy Smith, Ian Crute, front left Clare Wenner and Carmen Suarez with conference chairman Julian Cook, right.
More than 180 people, the majority of them arable farmers, attended the conference on Thursday (Feb 8) which was addressed by Ian Crute, director of Rothamstead Research, Clare Wenner, head of transport biofuels Renewable Energy Association, Carmen Suarez, the NFU’s chief economist, Andrew Wells, principal consultant for TAG Consulting, Guy Smith an arable farmer and writer, and Colin MacEwan, TAG chief executive.
The challenges created by a changing environment were also an opportunity for producers in crop-based agriculture.
However, if the UK was to grasp this opportunity it was vitally important to hold onto a research and development base, scientist, director of Rothamstead Research and Newcastle University graduate Ian Crute told the conference. Too low a priority was being placed on skills and research.
And he also warned that emphasis was possibly being placed on the wrong problems – such as the number of skylarks per hectare rather than carbon emissions – and not doing enough to keep the next generation on the land.
“Globalisation, international development, population growth, energy security, regulatory regimes, the ‘green agenda’ and even national security issues are just some of the major issues that influence the business of crop-based agriculture,” said Professor Crute.
“At the start of the 21st century, crop-based agriculture faces a great challenge which is also a great opportunity. Human civilisation ‘runs’ on photosynthesis that occurred more than 100 million years ago – sooner or later we will have to start running on other energy and that includes ‘real-time’ photosynthesis,” he added.
Of the earth’s 13 billion hectares, 8.7 billion would support plant life. To support six billion people, currently 1.5 billion hectares was cropped.
Professor Crute said if it was not for advanced crop protection practices, the cropped land area to feed today’s population would be four billion hectares and doubling by 2025.
“However, we know that we will need to produce fuel and energy and food from the available land. This will only be done by major elevation in efficiency and per hectare productivity,” he said.
“The projected increased global demand by 2050 could theoretically be produced from plant biomass occupying about five pc of the global land area – the same area as that currently used for cereals.”
balance between land use for food crops and energy would need to be struck. Food crops for energy use will be important but energy from perennial crops such as short coppice rotation would dominate, he said.
Clare Wenner, head of transport biofuels with the Renewable Energy Association said plants were going to be the future for energy production.
“Five years ago when I started down this route there wasn’t a great deal of interest – it was another fad. Certainly that’s not the case now and it is very clear in the policy-makers’ minds that biofuels have an important part to play,” she said.
Fuel security was the main factor driving the United States to develop its biofuels industry.
“Our government, after a lot of consultation, decided it would introduce the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation which comes into effect in 2008. I worry whether the UK government is taking it seriously enough,” she said.
Biofuels offered a solution to climate change and fuel security – but it was no silver bullet, she added.
arming in the future will be far more complicated than simply concentrating solely on producing what the market wants as efficiently as possible.
That was the message to the conference from Guy Smith who farms combinable crops in Essex and who is also a journalist.
“Firstly we must convince policy makers and tax payers that agriculture delivers ‘environmental goods’,” he said.
“Farmers must involve themselves in the argument as to what these environmental goods are and what they are worth in terms of bio-diversity, green sensibilities and reducing the carbon footprint.”
He said farmers needed to monitor the ecology of their units and promote the positives.
Tomorrow’s successful farmer was not only one who produced efficiently but who also communicated effectively, reminding people that the British countryside was a working and productive landscape and lobbying for the agricultural cause to secure market advantages for home produced biofuels.
Without the Single Farm Payment the average farmer, based on tenanted costings, would have lost money, according to the NFU’s chief economist Carmen Suarez.
Survey data showed that while cereal farms received 55 pc of revenue from crop output, 21 pc came from the SFP with 5 pc from agri-environment schemes and 19 pc from, other sources such as livestock and diversification.
“The bottom line is that the SFP is still crucial to arable enterprises so it is important to try to assess the nature of those payments – how much and when the payments are to be made and for how long,” she said.
In 2007 25 pc of agri-support would go into rural development, increasing to 80 pc in 2012.
Crop revenues would be influenced by the reduced stocks to use ratio with consumption outstripping production for the last few years.
Demographics including improved incomes in South East Asia leading to a demand for more meat and therefore animal feed, the effects of climate change which had already reduced Australia’s grain harvest by 60 pc and the demand for biofuels would all influence revenue."
Oriģināls
Future prospects for the North’s arable farmers are improving against a background of an increasing demand for biofuels, a growing world population and global warming, The Arable Group’s biennial Outlook conference at Scotch Corner was told by a line-up of keynote speakers.
Back left to right, Andrew Wells, Colin MacEwan, Guy Smith, Ian Crute, front left Clare Wenner and Carmen Suarez with conference chairman Julian Cook, right.
More than 180 people, the majority of them arable farmers, attended the conference on Thursday (Feb 8) which was addressed by Ian Crute, director of Rothamstead Research, Clare Wenner, head of transport biofuels Renewable Energy Association, Carmen Suarez, the NFU’s chief economist, Andrew Wells, principal consultant for TAG Consulting, Guy Smith an arable farmer and writer, and Colin MacEwan, TAG chief executive.
The challenges created by a changing environment were also an opportunity for producers in crop-based agriculture.
However, if the UK was to grasp this opportunity it was vitally important to hold onto a research and development base, scientist, director of Rothamstead Research and Newcastle University graduate Ian Crute told the conference. Too low a priority was being placed on skills and research.
And he also warned that emphasis was possibly being placed on the wrong problems – such as the number of skylarks per hectare rather than carbon emissions – and not doing enough to keep the next generation on the land.
“Globalisation, international development, population growth, energy security, regulatory regimes, the ‘green agenda’ and even national security issues are just some of the major issues that influence the business of crop-based agriculture,” said Professor Crute.
“At the start of the 21st century, crop-based agriculture faces a great challenge which is also a great opportunity. Human civilisation ‘runs’ on photosynthesis that occurred more than 100 million years ago – sooner or later we will have to start running on other energy and that includes ‘real-time’ photosynthesis,” he added.
Of the earth’s 13 billion hectares, 8.7 billion would support plant life. To support six billion people, currently 1.5 billion hectares was cropped.
Professor Crute said if it was not for advanced crop protection practices, the cropped land area to feed today’s population would be four billion hectares and doubling by 2025.
“However, we know that we will need to produce fuel and energy and food from the available land. This will only be done by major elevation in efficiency and per hectare productivity,” he said.
“The projected increased global demand by 2050 could theoretically be produced from plant biomass occupying about five pc of the global land area – the same area as that currently used for cereals.”
balance between land use for food crops and energy would need to be struck. Food crops for energy use will be important but energy from perennial crops such as short coppice rotation would dominate, he said.
Clare Wenner, head of transport biofuels with the Renewable Energy Association said plants were going to be the future for energy production.
“Five years ago when I started down this route there wasn’t a great deal of interest – it was another fad. Certainly that’s not the case now and it is very clear in the policy-makers’ minds that biofuels have an important part to play,” she said.
Fuel security was the main factor driving the United States to develop its biofuels industry.
“Our government, after a lot of consultation, decided it would introduce the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation which comes into effect in 2008. I worry whether the UK government is taking it seriously enough,” she said.
Biofuels offered a solution to climate change and fuel security – but it was no silver bullet, she added.
arming in the future will be far more complicated than simply concentrating solely on producing what the market wants as efficiently as possible.
That was the message to the conference from Guy Smith who farms combinable crops in Essex and who is also a journalist.
“Firstly we must convince policy makers and tax payers that agriculture delivers ‘environmental goods’,” he said.
“Farmers must involve themselves in the argument as to what these environmental goods are and what they are worth in terms of bio-diversity, green sensibilities and reducing the carbon footprint.”
He said farmers needed to monitor the ecology of their units and promote the positives.
Tomorrow’s successful farmer was not only one who produced efficiently but who also communicated effectively, reminding people that the British countryside was a working and productive landscape and lobbying for the agricultural cause to secure market advantages for home produced biofuels.
Without the Single Farm Payment the average farmer, based on tenanted costings, would have lost money, according to the NFU’s chief economist Carmen Suarez.
Survey data showed that while cereal farms received 55 pc of revenue from crop output, 21 pc came from the SFP with 5 pc from agri-environment schemes and 19 pc from, other sources such as livestock and diversification.
“The bottom line is that the SFP is still crucial to arable enterprises so it is important to try to assess the nature of those payments – how much and when the payments are to be made and for how long,” she said.
In 2007 25 pc of agri-support would go into rural development, increasing to 80 pc in 2012.
Crop revenues would be influenced by the reduced stocks to use ratio with consumption outstripping production for the last few years.
Demographics including improved incomes in South East Asia leading to a demand for more meat and therefore animal feed, the effects of climate change which had already reduced Australia’s grain harvest by 60 pc and the demand for biofuels would all influence revenue."
Oriģināls
2007-02-06
Īrijas Enerģētikas rīcības programmā iekļauts atbalsts īscirtmeta kārklu plantācijām
"The Ulster Farmers’ Union has welcomed DARD’s Renewable Energy Action Plan, which was launched this week by Minister David Cairns MP.
UFU Rural Enterprise Chairman Michael Harnett said DARD’s Action Plan and their acknowledgment that the land based sector is uniquely placed to grasp emerging energy markets is a positive signal to farmers. “We hope it now gives this issue a new focus” he said.
Mr Harnett added; “The market for environmentally friendly energy sources is undoubtedly there and what we now need is good information flow to farmers, and an effective infrastructure and supply chain for renewables in Northern Ireland”.
Michael Harnett said he was pleased that DARD’s Action Plan had incorporated many of the initiatives proposed by the UFU on behalf of the farming community. He said; “Climate change is now at the top of everyones agenda. DARD’s Action Plan is rightly focused on exploiting opportunities for alternative land uses and increasing awareness of new technologies. We welcome some of the specific initiatives which have been suggested such as a successor programme to support the continued establishment of short rotation coppice and we already have the £500,000 EBids Programme in place to help the establishment of infrastructure for the harvesting and storage of biomass such as willows”.
”The establishment of an Energy from Agri Food Waste Challenge Fund, for example to help utilise manures to produce renewable energy is also positive, as is planned co-operation between CAFRE and the Carbon Trust to give farmers new advice on energy efficiency on farms. We also welcome the commitment from CAFRE to offer technical advice and demonstration facilities to farmers and the commitment from AFBI to look at future technologies. We don’t want to see research duplicated, but we would urge AFBI to conduct research which would be specifically tailored to Northern Ireland issues”.
Deputy President Graham Furey said the Union would continue to press on issues which the UFU felt still needed attention. Mr Furey said; “We still need policies which would give growers in Northern Ireland an equal chance compared to growers in other EU Member States. For example farmers in the Republic of Ireland enjoy tax incentives on the production of biofuels and a financial top-up on the EU Energy Crops Scheme. This is not the case in Northern Ireland and damages our hopes of creating a sustainable supply of renewable energy off farms. We will also be addressing practical issues such as the very high connection charges which are currently in place for farmers who are seeking to generate electricity on farm and supply it to the national grid”.
“We also want to see significant progress with public procurement policies. The Government should take a lead in generating demand for heat and power produced from sustainable farm sources. DARD have suggested establishing a new policy unit to steer their involvement in the development of renewable energy in the agriculture sector and we will be working very closely with them on these and other issues. We will also retain our commitment to exploring other alternative land uses”. "
Oriģināls
UFU Rural Enterprise Chairman Michael Harnett said DARD’s Action Plan and their acknowledgment that the land based sector is uniquely placed to grasp emerging energy markets is a positive signal to farmers. “We hope it now gives this issue a new focus” he said.
Mr Harnett added; “The market for environmentally friendly energy sources is undoubtedly there and what we now need is good information flow to farmers, and an effective infrastructure and supply chain for renewables in Northern Ireland”.
Michael Harnett said he was pleased that DARD’s Action Plan had incorporated many of the initiatives proposed by the UFU on behalf of the farming community. He said; “Climate change is now at the top of everyones agenda. DARD’s Action Plan is rightly focused on exploiting opportunities for alternative land uses and increasing awareness of new technologies. We welcome some of the specific initiatives which have been suggested such as a successor programme to support the continued establishment of short rotation coppice and we already have the £500,000 EBids Programme in place to help the establishment of infrastructure for the harvesting and storage of biomass such as willows”.
”The establishment of an Energy from Agri Food Waste Challenge Fund, for example to help utilise manures to produce renewable energy is also positive, as is planned co-operation between CAFRE and the Carbon Trust to give farmers new advice on energy efficiency on farms. We also welcome the commitment from CAFRE to offer technical advice and demonstration facilities to farmers and the commitment from AFBI to look at future technologies. We don’t want to see research duplicated, but we would urge AFBI to conduct research which would be specifically tailored to Northern Ireland issues”.
Deputy President Graham Furey said the Union would continue to press on issues which the UFU felt still needed attention. Mr Furey said; “We still need policies which would give growers in Northern Ireland an equal chance compared to growers in other EU Member States. For example farmers in the Republic of Ireland enjoy tax incentives on the production of biofuels and a financial top-up on the EU Energy Crops Scheme. This is not the case in Northern Ireland and damages our hopes of creating a sustainable supply of renewable energy off farms. We will also be addressing practical issues such as the very high connection charges which are currently in place for farmers who are seeking to generate electricity on farm and supply it to the national grid”.
“We also want to see significant progress with public procurement policies. The Government should take a lead in generating demand for heat and power produced from sustainable farm sources. DARD have suggested establishing a new policy unit to steer their involvement in the development of renewable energy in the agriculture sector and we will be working very closely with them on these and other issues. We will also retain our commitment to exploring other alternative land uses”. "
Oriģināls
Bioenerģija un enerģētiskās koksnes plantācijas Austrālijā
"Forest and wood products can play a key role in Australia meeting its future greenhouse gas emission targets, according to the nation's major forestry body.
The forestry sector delivered more than 43 million tonnes of carbon dioxide abatement in 2004, says the National Association of Forest Industries.
In a submission to the Federal Government's national emissions trading taskforce, NAFI said forestry was now lumped in with land clearing or other land-use changes.
NAFI chief executive Catherine Murphy said this was unfair.
"The forest industry, through the carbon sequestration benefits of native forest and plantations in wood products, can assist in offsetting emissions from other sectors," she said.
"The plantation sector could assist agriculture as well as other sectors in offsetting emissions."
Mrs Murphy said the full net benefits of wood products should be included in the development of a national emissions trading scheme.
She said recognising the long-term storage of carbon in wood products would:
Storage of carbon in wood products was a more secure way of locking up carbon, she said. Forests were always threatened by fires, disease and natural mortality. "A frequent harvest-planting regime would minimise the risks associated with the long-term build-up of fuel load in permanent forests," she said.
Establishing more plantations through the 2020 Vision — the target of trebling the area of commercial tree crops by 2020 — would produce an estimated 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide offsets a year, Mrs Murphy said.
"This could be achieved by recommitting to the strategy in the context of the benefits for emissions reduction and climate change," she said."
Oriģināls
The forestry sector delivered more than 43 million tonnes of carbon dioxide abatement in 2004, says the National Association of Forest Industries.
In a submission to the Federal Government's national emissions trading taskforce, NAFI said forestry was now lumped in with land clearing or other land-use changes.
NAFI chief executive Catherine Murphy said this was unfair.
"The forest industry, through the carbon sequestration benefits of native forest and plantations in wood products, can assist in offsetting emissions from other sectors," she said.
"The plantation sector could assist agriculture as well as other sectors in offsetting emissions."
Mrs Murphy said the full net benefits of wood products should be included in the development of a national emissions trading scheme.
She said recognising the long-term storage of carbon in wood products would:
- Make carbon trading more attractive for industry.
- Increase the value of carbon sequestration in forests as the penalty now paid due to the false belief all carbon is emitted at harvest would be removed.
- Encourage more plantations for carbon sequestration, encouraging small growers.
- Increase the use of carbon-storing wood products over high carbon-emitting materials.
- Encourage the use of wood waste residues for renewable energy and biofuels. Mrs Murphy said wood products were renewable and required less energy in their production than alternative materials.
Storage of carbon in wood products was a more secure way of locking up carbon, she said. Forests were always threatened by fires, disease and natural mortality. "A frequent harvest-planting regime would minimise the risks associated with the long-term build-up of fuel load in permanent forests," she said.
Establishing more plantations through the 2020 Vision — the target of trebling the area of commercial tree crops by 2020 — would produce an estimated 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide offsets a year, Mrs Murphy said.
"This could be achieved by recommitting to the strategy in the context of the benefits for emissions reduction and climate change," she said."
Oriģināls
Koksnes un zālaugu biomasas pelnu izmantošana kārklu plantācijās
"Ash composition in general
The composition of ash depended on plant species (e.g., wheat, rape, Salix) and variety, growth conditions, ash fraction (bottom ash, fly ash) and heating plant. Independent of the biofuel source, fly ash has generally higher concentrations of several heavy metals than bottom ash. Wood ash has generally higher Cd contents than straw ash.
Ash from cereal and rape straw
The composition of 79 samples of straw ash from 7 heating plants was analysed. Compared with bottom ash, Zn, Pb and Cd concentrations in fly ash were 10-90 times higher. Also the concentrations of Cu and K were higher, although to a lesser extent. With respect to heavy metals, pure fly ash is therefore not suitable as fertiliser on arable soils.
The content of Cd per unit of P in straw bottom ash was similar to that of the average in P fertilisers sold in Sweden in 1997 (0.03 g Cd kg-1 P). The Cd/´P ratio in fly ash was 0.6 g Cd kg-1 P.
The liming effect varied between 3.5 and 44 % CaO and depended mainly on the Ca content. Ash from rape straw had a higher Ca content and liming effect than that of wheat straw, and the liming effect of rape ash was more than three times higher than that of wheat ash.
Due to high K contents, straw ashes are suitable as fertiliser especially on soils low in K or to crops with a high demand for K. Since K competes with Mg with respect to plant uptake the K/Mg ratio of the soil must be considered.
Ash used as fertiliser in Salix
Ash amendments were used either to supply 24 kg P yr-1 (0.6-1.5 t ash ha-1 yr-1) or as liming agent (6 t ha-1 containing 2.0-2.9 t CaO-equivalents) in two Salix plantations, one on clay soil and one on sandy soil. Ash treatments were compared with lime and commercial fertiliser treatments. All treated plots received non-limiting doses of N fertiliser. Treatment effects were monitored during the first rotation of the crop (4-5 years).
Ash additions gave equal Salix stem mass as commercial fertilisers did. However, a lower uptake of P in the ash treatments than in treatments where superphosphate was added, indicated that the short-term availability of P in ash could be 80% of that of the easily soluble P fertiliser. Lower amounts of nutrients than those added were removed with stems.
The liming effect of ash was similar to that of slaked lime on a CaO-equivalent basis. Full effect was obtained in the year of application. Due to increased pH in the lime and ash treatments, Mn and Cd mass in stems decreased.
Amounts of Salix ash representing mere recirculation (0.6-0.7 t ha-1) supplied once during the rotation would have supplied P amounts covering the removal with stems and 50% of the CaO-equivalents corresponding to acidification.
Calculated amounts of nutrients in leaf litter exceeded the amounts required for stem growth whereas amounts of Cd recycled with leaf litter were slightly lower than those removed with the harvested stems.
Vertical distribution of plant nutrients and heavy metals in Salix
Elemental concentrations of Salix shoots increased significantly with height. It was shown for the three-year-old shoots that a slight shift in sampling point location (3-4 dm) could result in 10% change of average shoot concentration. This is mainly due to higher mineral concentration in bark than in wood tissue.
Heavy metal circulation
Net accumulation in the topsoil of Cu, Mn and Ni occurred in all ash treatments; Zn and Cd were net accumulated in the wood ash treatments and net removed in all other treatments. Higher amounts of Salix ash than representing mere recirculation resulted in net accumulation of Cd. In all, 7-16% of topsoil amounts of Cd were net accumulated in the wood ash treatments, whereas 5-8% were net removed in the controls and straw ash treatments.
The effect of ash application on soil chemistry and trace metal uptake in the Salix stand was monitored during the first rotation of the crop (4-5 years)."
Oriģināls - http://www.eeci.net/archive/biobase/B10310.html
The composition of ash depended on plant species (e.g., wheat, rape, Salix) and variety, growth conditions, ash fraction (bottom ash, fly ash) and heating plant. Independent of the biofuel source, fly ash has generally higher concentrations of several heavy metals than bottom ash. Wood ash has generally higher Cd contents than straw ash.
Ash from cereal and rape straw
The composition of 79 samples of straw ash from 7 heating plants was analysed. Compared with bottom ash, Zn, Pb and Cd concentrations in fly ash were 10-90 times higher. Also the concentrations of Cu and K were higher, although to a lesser extent. With respect to heavy metals, pure fly ash is therefore not suitable as fertiliser on arable soils.
The content of Cd per unit of P in straw bottom ash was similar to that of the average in P fertilisers sold in Sweden in 1997 (0.03 g Cd kg-1 P). The Cd/´P ratio in fly ash was 0.6 g Cd kg-1 P.
The liming effect varied between 3.5 and 44 % CaO and depended mainly on the Ca content. Ash from rape straw had a higher Ca content and liming effect than that of wheat straw, and the liming effect of rape ash was more than three times higher than that of wheat ash.
Due to high K contents, straw ashes are suitable as fertiliser especially on soils low in K or to crops with a high demand for K. Since K competes with Mg with respect to plant uptake the K/Mg ratio of the soil must be considered.
Ash used as fertiliser in Salix
Ash amendments were used either to supply 24 kg P yr-1 (0.6-1.5 t ash ha-1 yr-1) or as liming agent (6 t ha-1 containing 2.0-2.9 t CaO-equivalents) in two Salix plantations, one on clay soil and one on sandy soil. Ash treatments were compared with lime and commercial fertiliser treatments. All treated plots received non-limiting doses of N fertiliser. Treatment effects were monitored during the first rotation of the crop (4-5 years).
Ash additions gave equal Salix stem mass as commercial fertilisers did. However, a lower uptake of P in the ash treatments than in treatments where superphosphate was added, indicated that the short-term availability of P in ash could be 80% of that of the easily soluble P fertiliser. Lower amounts of nutrients than those added were removed with stems.
The liming effect of ash was similar to that of slaked lime on a CaO-equivalent basis. Full effect was obtained in the year of application. Due to increased pH in the lime and ash treatments, Mn and Cd mass in stems decreased.
Amounts of Salix ash representing mere recirculation (0.6-0.7 t ha-1) supplied once during the rotation would have supplied P amounts covering the removal with stems and 50% of the CaO-equivalents corresponding to acidification.
Calculated amounts of nutrients in leaf litter exceeded the amounts required for stem growth whereas amounts of Cd recycled with leaf litter were slightly lower than those removed with the harvested stems.
Vertical distribution of plant nutrients and heavy metals in Salix
Elemental concentrations of Salix shoots increased significantly with height. It was shown for the three-year-old shoots that a slight shift in sampling point location (3-4 dm) could result in 10% change of average shoot concentration. This is mainly due to higher mineral concentration in bark than in wood tissue.
Heavy metal circulation
Net accumulation in the topsoil of Cu, Mn and Ni occurred in all ash treatments; Zn and Cd were net accumulated in the wood ash treatments and net removed in all other treatments. Higher amounts of Salix ash than representing mere recirculation resulted in net accumulation of Cd. In all, 7-16% of topsoil amounts of Cd were net accumulated in the wood ash treatments, whereas 5-8% were net removed in the controls and straw ash treatments.
The effect of ash application on soil chemistry and trace metal uptake in the Salix stand was monitored during the first rotation of the crop (4-5 years)."
Oriģināls - http://www.eeci.net/archive/biobase/B10310.html
2007-02-01
Kārtējais raksts par bioetanolu ASV
"Developments in the past week include emphasis on ethanol production, increasingly likely for Park Falls at Butch Johnson’s new Flambeau River Biorefinery, in Gov. Jim Doyle’s State of the State message Tuesday night, Jan. 30.
Doyle’s call for more startup funding for greatly increased biofuel production closely followed similar comments by President George W. Bush in his annual State of the Union address one week before, in which he specifically mentioned wood chips among materials researchers hope can be used in large quantities soon for cellulosic ethanol production.
Bush’s speech to the nation came four days after Butch Johnson, his son, Bill, and Park Falls Mayor Tom Ratzlaff returned to Park Falls with the news that the Department of Energy won’t be able to come up with the $80 million grant until next year for a demonstration ethanol plant that the Johnsons, mill employees and entire community had been hoping for in 2007 federal budget. Now it appears that the three $80 million grants won’t be funded until the 2008 budget.
As explained by Bill Johnson in an interview with him and his father in Butch Johnson’s office at the mill in Park Falls on Friday, Jan. 26, Congress has been unable to adopt a 2007 budget, partly because of preoccupation with funding for the war in Iraq, and has been funding government operations with continuing resolutions based on 2006 funding. Bill Johnson is in charge of political affairs for the paper company and biorefinery.
Far from being taken aback by that news, Butch and Bill Johnson continued to talk of future biofuel/ethanol production at the refinery here as though it were a done deal.
They were reinforced by a new DOE program to make 80% guaranteed loans to applicants seeking money for putting to use innovative biofuel energy-production technology, and by an even more significant new development bringing their plans for the Flambeau River Biorefinery closer to reality.
At the Park Falls Common Council meeting last Wednesday. Jan. 24, along with an update to the council in which he reported that he is pleased at the progress Flambeau River Papers is making in reducing costs, Butch Johnson announced that Flambeau River Biorefinery has entered into a “memorandum of understanding” with American Process Inc. of Atlanta, GA, to provide project management and engineering services for its cellulosic ethanol project at Park Falls.
After giving the council a report on cost- containments at the mill and stating that he is very happy with the efforts that all employees are making to “find better ways” to do what has to be done for the company to succeed in papermaking, he circulated copies of a news release from the Georgia firm with the title heading, “Cellulosic ethanol takes off,” and with a subheading stating: “Engineering commences for the first U.S. pulp mill based biorefinery.”
It states in the opening paragraph that “the new biorefinery will be constructed adjacent to the Flambeau River Papers facility in Park Falls, and continues “Flambeau River Papers, LLC, makes 400 tons per day of book printing and copy grades on three paper machines. The mill recently announced plans to replace its natural gas boilers with a biomass boiler or gasifier. This will make Flambeau River Papers the first energy independent integrated mill in North America.
“The Flambeau River Biorefinery project will be the first modern U.S.-based pulp mill biorefinery to produce cellulosic ethanol. It will be designed to produce 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from spent pulping liquor. The technology selected for this biorefinery is AVAP™, a patent pending process technology of American Process Inc. This technology enables production of ethanol without putting additional pressure on the wood basket and without fossil fuel consumption.
“The new biorefinery, as designed, will have a positive carbon impact of 140,000 tons per year. That is, it will displace carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Once in operation it will increase employment in the Park Falls area by approximately 100 people.
“A feasibility study and preliminary engineering were completed in August 2006, when Flambeau River Biorefinery, LLC applied for the Integrated Commercial Biorefinery Demonstration grant from the Department of Energy. The project has strong support from the city of Park Falls, the state of Wisconsin and Clean Tech Partners Inc., key partners in the project. Project engineering has commenced, with production of ethanol expected to begin as early as 2009.
“The commercial production of cellulosic ethanol got a boost after last Tuesday’s announcements in the president’s State of the Union address that increased the emphasis on domestic renewable fuels production.
“The Flambeau River Biorefinery project will be among the first industrial co-producers of pulp and ethanol from wood,” the announcement continued. “Flambeau River Biorefinery, LLC is based out of Park Falls, WI, and is the owner and developer of the pulp and cellulosic ethanol facility to be constructed in Park Falls.”
“American Process, Inc. is an engineering and consulting company based out of Atlanta, GA, specializing in pulp and paper and biorefineries, and is the inventor of the AVAP™ technology proposed for use at the Flambeau River Biorefinery,” it concludes.
Regarding the paper-making operation, Johnson also told the council at the Jan. 24 meeting that paper prices are below the company’s projected forecast, but the prices are expected to improve yet this month.
Bill Johnson provided another, more detailed description of the paper company biorefinery operation in a comprehensive publicity release under the heading “Flambeau River Biorefinery – A Modern Forest Biorefinery That Lowers Ethanol Cost.” Referring to the “carbon-positive” designation for the company that would result from operation of the biorefinery after installation of the new technology, Bill Johnson said Flambeau River Papers would become nationally known as a “green, green mill.”
The more comprehensive release begins with an explanation of the mission of the project and its “benefit to the nation.”
“Flambeau River Papers (FRP) will be the first pulp and paper facility to become a biorefinery through the integration of known technologies that are proven commercially or at the pilot scale. This presents a new benchmark to the industry and one sufficiently powerful to influence additional conversions.
“The production cost for cellulosic ethanol is conservatively estimated at 50 cents per gallon. This is roughly half the operating cost of ethanol from corn starch fermentation. The low cost is the result of several factors, none of which can be matched by corn. On a tonnage basis, the nation’s supply of wood far exceeds corn and crop residues.
“Cellulose is the most abundant organic molecule on the face of the planet. The forest products industry processes 278 thousand dry tons of wood per year. Trees are dense, which minimizes transportation costs and may be left standing until needed, eliminating 10 months of storage for annual crops. The integrated forest biorefinery produces three useful and relatively high value products concurrently. In order of current value, they are pulp,ethanol and lignin. The nation needs a large supply of low-cost ethanol,” the release states.
Providing a review of progress on the project as of Jan. 14 this year, the release continues: “FRP restarted last fall and is ahead of schedule in sales through improved quality in recognized brands and a unique relationship with the world’s largest specialist in the marketing of wood pulp and paper products. FRP can produce 400 tons/day of book, printing and copy grades on three paper machines. It produces 150 tons/day of hardwood sulfite pulp and 80-100 tons/day of post-consumer waste or recycled pulp. The remainder of the pulp is purchased.
“The current pulping operation is one of a kind in the U.S. Most of the hemicelluloses in the pulp wood are converted into shorter chain, five carbon sugars by the acid pulping. These sugars are sold into the sweetener market under a long-term contract. The sugar-free lignin from the wood is also recovered and sold into the binders market. When the Flambeau River BioEnergy project is completed, FRP will be completely fossil fuel free
“Mill energy is supplied from biomass, coal and natural gas. Five megawatts of power is co-generated from the steam before it goes to supply the mill’s thermal needs. Annual energy purchases range from 14 to 16 million dollars, making energy the mill’s second largest purchase.
“The new combined cycle facility feedstock will include bark, tree tops and solid wood, much of this currently left on the forest floor during logging. Utilizing this reduces fossil fuel use and leaves the site more environmentally pleasing. A commitment for the required wood has been obtained from Futurewoods Corp., Hayward, WI (also a Johnson operation).
“Quotes for a biomass boiler/steam turbine and a biomass gasifier/steam turbine are being evaluated. The biomass gasifier is preferred as it fits the environmental strategy of FRP and will be less costly to permit. However, the higher costs will make financing more difficult. An advisory committee is being formed to assist with planning, startup and deployment to other facilities. The entity will be named Flambeau River BioEnergy.
“The biorefinery mission will be accomplished by building a second 500 ton/day softwood pulp line adjacent to the existing 150 ton/day hardwood pulp line. A modified low energy pulping technology will be used to make a stronger sulfite pulp and concurrently produce 18 million gallons per year of fuel grade cellusoic ethanol and 154,000 tons per year of lignin for energy self sufficiency.
“The hemicelluloses in the pulpwood will be removed and hydrolyzed to C5 and C6 sugars by the new pulping process. The C6 and C5 sugars will be fermented to cellusoic ethanol with technologies developed at the U.S. Forest Products Labs in Madison, WI, which are superior to those used to ferment ‘wood sugars’ to ethanol at the obsolete pulp mill in Bellingham, WA recently closed by GP. Details and attractive economics are presented in a response to DOE Funding Opportunity DE-PS-06GO96016.
“All of the required ingredients have been developed including feedstock requirements, procurement commitment, proposed processes, energy, emission compliance, economics feasibility, project plan, team qualifications, operational management plan, market plan, deployment plan and financial commitments for the approximately $140 million of non-grant funds. All of this detail is available.
“This is of such importance that the state of Wisconsin has committed funds included in the numbers above. The detailed schedule begins with a notice to proceed from investors. One year is allocated for preliminary engineering and permitting. Construction is estimated at roughly 12 months and commissioning/startup adds another six months (The Johnsons said no additional property will be acquired for the project, and although the exact location of new construction has not yet been decided upon, the entire facility will be on present paper mill property).
“It has been observed that large corporations will not take the lead in changes of this magnitude (see article ‘Why Not Become Fossil Fuel Free,’ Pulp and Paper, January 2007). At Flambeau River Papers there is a convergence of need, opportunity, willingness and demonstrated capability. The project developed is of sufficient size and magnitude that it will be recognized as a milestone event by the pulp and paper industry.
‘The DOE secretary should create an internal set-aside of one award for at least one forest-based ligniocellulosic biorefinery in deployment solicitation DE-PS36-06GO96016 as well as future biorefinery deployment solicitations.
“FRP will obtain and commit funds for 20% of the installed cost. The city of Park Falls will lend its name to a state industrial revenue bond to finance the remainder. FRP has made application for the DOE loan application program. Any guarantee will enable the bonds to carry the needed interest rate.
“Following financing, startup will occur 16-20 months after permit approval. Permits will be expedited under Wisconsin’s ‘Green Tier’ program,” the second release concludes.
More than before, questions have arisen about the prospects for continuation of the biorefinery project if the Flambeau River Biorefinery doesn’t get the $80 million grant. It’s something the Johnsons and everyone else in the community would rather not think about, but Butch Johnson said should that occur, he is hoping to continue with the project through investor funds, although it will be much more difficult.
He noted that in the most recent cut of 30 remaining applicants, 15 were notified that they didn’t qualify. “We were not one of them, so we’re one of the 15 left. Obviously the grant would be very beneficial in getting the project off the ground,” he said.
“We are still laying plans to proceed with the project” even if the Flambeau River Biorefinery is not chosen to be a recipient of one of the $80 million grants, he said, adding that a future cut from among the 15 remaining applicants would leave five, and those five remaining applicants may be asked to send representatives to Washington to make presentations before DOE officials.
Park Falls was among a very small number of communities in the state taking center stage in an advance front page Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story on Doyle’s State of the State address in the newspaper’s Sunday, Jan. 28 issue.
Flambeau River Papers was identified in the article as one of three potential applicants for $5 million in state funding earmarked by Doyle to help Wisconsin become the site of the first plant in the nation that would make ethanol from cellulose, described in the article as “a catch-all term for a variety of materials from paper pulp and wood chips to corn stalks and straw.”
Other potential applicants for the new state funding were identified as Georgia Pacific and Stora-Enso. As also disclosed locally by Butch and Bill Johnson, the article notes that Flambeau River Papers has already started developing plans to produce ethanol by 2009 “from the natural sugars contained in its surplus wood pulp.”
Preceding the announcements by the Johnsons relating to the biorefinery plans was an announcement of the appointment of Ben Thorp as president of Flambeau River Biorefinery. Butch Johnson described Thorp, formerly employed by Georgia Pacific, as a “very renowned expert in the field.” The Journal Sentinel quotes Thorp as saying, “There are a lot of people working on cellulosic ethanol, and it’s going to be a race to see who can get it first.” The newspaper also quotes him as saying that if built, the ethanol plant would add 100 jobs in the Park Falls area.
The Journal Sentinel also provided a preview of ethanol tax credits announced by Doyle, which would cost $2 million and which would lower the cost of installing a biodiesel or E-85 ethanol pump by up to $5,000. E-85 is described as a fuel that contains 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, a blend on which an increasing number of vehicles can run.
The Milwaukee newspaper alerted its readers that in his State of the State, address, Doyle would announce that he will appoint a global warming task force and create an energy independence office to coordinate the state’s effort to dramatically expand the use of renewable energy by 2025. The article preview of the governor’s address included the fact he would propose grants, loans and tax credits for projects to help the state rely less on fossil fuels and curb emissions linked to global warming “at a time when energy costs and concerns about climate change are rising.”"
Doyle’s call for more startup funding for greatly increased biofuel production closely followed similar comments by President George W. Bush in his annual State of the Union address one week before, in which he specifically mentioned wood chips among materials researchers hope can be used in large quantities soon for cellulosic ethanol production.
Bush’s speech to the nation came four days after Butch Johnson, his son, Bill, and Park Falls Mayor Tom Ratzlaff returned to Park Falls with the news that the Department of Energy won’t be able to come up with the $80 million grant until next year for a demonstration ethanol plant that the Johnsons, mill employees and entire community had been hoping for in 2007 federal budget. Now it appears that the three $80 million grants won’t be funded until the 2008 budget.
As explained by Bill Johnson in an interview with him and his father in Butch Johnson’s office at the mill in Park Falls on Friday, Jan. 26, Congress has been unable to adopt a 2007 budget, partly because of preoccupation with funding for the war in Iraq, and has been funding government operations with continuing resolutions based on 2006 funding. Bill Johnson is in charge of political affairs for the paper company and biorefinery.
Far from being taken aback by that news, Butch and Bill Johnson continued to talk of future biofuel/ethanol production at the refinery here as though it were a done deal.
They were reinforced by a new DOE program to make 80% guaranteed loans to applicants seeking money for putting to use innovative biofuel energy-production technology, and by an even more significant new development bringing their plans for the Flambeau River Biorefinery closer to reality.
At the Park Falls Common Council meeting last Wednesday. Jan. 24, along with an update to the council in which he reported that he is pleased at the progress Flambeau River Papers is making in reducing costs, Butch Johnson announced that Flambeau River Biorefinery has entered into a “memorandum of understanding” with American Process Inc. of Atlanta, GA, to provide project management and engineering services for its cellulosic ethanol project at Park Falls.
After giving the council a report on cost- containments at the mill and stating that he is very happy with the efforts that all employees are making to “find better ways” to do what has to be done for the company to succeed in papermaking, he circulated copies of a news release from the Georgia firm with the title heading, “Cellulosic ethanol takes off,” and with a subheading stating: “Engineering commences for the first U.S. pulp mill based biorefinery.”
It states in the opening paragraph that “the new biorefinery will be constructed adjacent to the Flambeau River Papers facility in Park Falls, and continues “Flambeau River Papers, LLC, makes 400 tons per day of book printing and copy grades on three paper machines. The mill recently announced plans to replace its natural gas boilers with a biomass boiler or gasifier. This will make Flambeau River Papers the first energy independent integrated mill in North America.
“The Flambeau River Biorefinery project will be the first modern U.S.-based pulp mill biorefinery to produce cellulosic ethanol. It will be designed to produce 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from spent pulping liquor. The technology selected for this biorefinery is AVAP™, a patent pending process technology of American Process Inc. This technology enables production of ethanol without putting additional pressure on the wood basket and without fossil fuel consumption.
“The new biorefinery, as designed, will have a positive carbon impact of 140,000 tons per year. That is, it will displace carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Once in operation it will increase employment in the Park Falls area by approximately 100 people.
“A feasibility study and preliminary engineering were completed in August 2006, when Flambeau River Biorefinery, LLC applied for the Integrated Commercial Biorefinery Demonstration grant from the Department of Energy. The project has strong support from the city of Park Falls, the state of Wisconsin and Clean Tech Partners Inc., key partners in the project. Project engineering has commenced, with production of ethanol expected to begin as early as 2009.
“The commercial production of cellulosic ethanol got a boost after last Tuesday’s announcements in the president’s State of the Union address that increased the emphasis on domestic renewable fuels production.
“The Flambeau River Biorefinery project will be among the first industrial co-producers of pulp and ethanol from wood,” the announcement continued. “Flambeau River Biorefinery, LLC is based out of Park Falls, WI, and is the owner and developer of the pulp and cellulosic ethanol facility to be constructed in Park Falls.”
“American Process, Inc. is an engineering and consulting company based out of Atlanta, GA, specializing in pulp and paper and biorefineries, and is the inventor of the AVAP™ technology proposed for use at the Flambeau River Biorefinery,” it concludes.
Regarding the paper-making operation, Johnson also told the council at the Jan. 24 meeting that paper prices are below the company’s projected forecast, but the prices are expected to improve yet this month.
Bill Johnson provided another, more detailed description of the paper company biorefinery operation in a comprehensive publicity release under the heading “Flambeau River Biorefinery – A Modern Forest Biorefinery That Lowers Ethanol Cost.” Referring to the “carbon-positive” designation for the company that would result from operation of the biorefinery after installation of the new technology, Bill Johnson said Flambeau River Papers would become nationally known as a “green, green mill.”
The more comprehensive release begins with an explanation of the mission of the project and its “benefit to the nation.”
“Flambeau River Papers (FRP) will be the first pulp and paper facility to become a biorefinery through the integration of known technologies that are proven commercially or at the pilot scale. This presents a new benchmark to the industry and one sufficiently powerful to influence additional conversions.
“The production cost for cellulosic ethanol is conservatively estimated at 50 cents per gallon. This is roughly half the operating cost of ethanol from corn starch fermentation. The low cost is the result of several factors, none of which can be matched by corn. On a tonnage basis, the nation’s supply of wood far exceeds corn and crop residues.
“Cellulose is the most abundant organic molecule on the face of the planet. The forest products industry processes 278 thousand dry tons of wood per year. Trees are dense, which minimizes transportation costs and may be left standing until needed, eliminating 10 months of storage for annual crops. The integrated forest biorefinery produces three useful and relatively high value products concurrently. In order of current value, they are pulp,ethanol and lignin. The nation needs a large supply of low-cost ethanol,” the release states.
Providing a review of progress on the project as of Jan. 14 this year, the release continues: “FRP restarted last fall and is ahead of schedule in sales through improved quality in recognized brands and a unique relationship with the world’s largest specialist in the marketing of wood pulp and paper products. FRP can produce 400 tons/day of book, printing and copy grades on three paper machines. It produces 150 tons/day of hardwood sulfite pulp and 80-100 tons/day of post-consumer waste or recycled pulp. The remainder of the pulp is purchased.
“The current pulping operation is one of a kind in the U.S. Most of the hemicelluloses in the pulp wood are converted into shorter chain, five carbon sugars by the acid pulping. These sugars are sold into the sweetener market under a long-term contract. The sugar-free lignin from the wood is also recovered and sold into the binders market. When the Flambeau River BioEnergy project is completed, FRP will be completely fossil fuel free
“Mill energy is supplied from biomass, coal and natural gas. Five megawatts of power is co-generated from the steam before it goes to supply the mill’s thermal needs. Annual energy purchases range from 14 to 16 million dollars, making energy the mill’s second largest purchase.
“The new combined cycle facility feedstock will include bark, tree tops and solid wood, much of this currently left on the forest floor during logging. Utilizing this reduces fossil fuel use and leaves the site more environmentally pleasing. A commitment for the required wood has been obtained from Futurewoods Corp., Hayward, WI (also a Johnson operation).
“Quotes for a biomass boiler/steam turbine and a biomass gasifier/steam turbine are being evaluated. The biomass gasifier is preferred as it fits the environmental strategy of FRP and will be less costly to permit. However, the higher costs will make financing more difficult. An advisory committee is being formed to assist with planning, startup and deployment to other facilities. The entity will be named Flambeau River BioEnergy.
“The biorefinery mission will be accomplished by building a second 500 ton/day softwood pulp line adjacent to the existing 150 ton/day hardwood pulp line. A modified low energy pulping technology will be used to make a stronger sulfite pulp and concurrently produce 18 million gallons per year of fuel grade cellusoic ethanol and 154,000 tons per year of lignin for energy self sufficiency.
“The hemicelluloses in the pulpwood will be removed and hydrolyzed to C5 and C6 sugars by the new pulping process. The C6 and C5 sugars will be fermented to cellusoic ethanol with technologies developed at the U.S. Forest Products Labs in Madison, WI, which are superior to those used to ferment ‘wood sugars’ to ethanol at the obsolete pulp mill in Bellingham, WA recently closed by GP. Details and attractive economics are presented in a response to DOE Funding Opportunity DE-PS-06GO96016.
“All of the required ingredients have been developed including feedstock requirements, procurement commitment, proposed processes, energy, emission compliance, economics feasibility, project plan, team qualifications, operational management plan, market plan, deployment plan and financial commitments for the approximately $140 million of non-grant funds. All of this detail is available.
“This is of such importance that the state of Wisconsin has committed funds included in the numbers above. The detailed schedule begins with a notice to proceed from investors. One year is allocated for preliminary engineering and permitting. Construction is estimated at roughly 12 months and commissioning/startup adds another six months (The Johnsons said no additional property will be acquired for the project, and although the exact location of new construction has not yet been decided upon, the entire facility will be on present paper mill property).
“It has been observed that large corporations will not take the lead in changes of this magnitude (see article ‘Why Not Become Fossil Fuel Free,’ Pulp and Paper, January 2007). At Flambeau River Papers there is a convergence of need, opportunity, willingness and demonstrated capability. The project developed is of sufficient size and magnitude that it will be recognized as a milestone event by the pulp and paper industry.
‘The DOE secretary should create an internal set-aside of one award for at least one forest-based ligniocellulosic biorefinery in deployment solicitation DE-PS36-06GO96016 as well as future biorefinery deployment solicitations.
“FRP will obtain and commit funds for 20% of the installed cost. The city of Park Falls will lend its name to a state industrial revenue bond to finance the remainder. FRP has made application for the DOE loan application program. Any guarantee will enable the bonds to carry the needed interest rate.
“Following financing, startup will occur 16-20 months after permit approval. Permits will be expedited under Wisconsin’s ‘Green Tier’ program,” the second release concludes.
More than before, questions have arisen about the prospects for continuation of the biorefinery project if the Flambeau River Biorefinery doesn’t get the $80 million grant. It’s something the Johnsons and everyone else in the community would rather not think about, but Butch Johnson said should that occur, he is hoping to continue with the project through investor funds, although it will be much more difficult.
He noted that in the most recent cut of 30 remaining applicants, 15 were notified that they didn’t qualify. “We were not one of them, so we’re one of the 15 left. Obviously the grant would be very beneficial in getting the project off the ground,” he said.
“We are still laying plans to proceed with the project” even if the Flambeau River Biorefinery is not chosen to be a recipient of one of the $80 million grants, he said, adding that a future cut from among the 15 remaining applicants would leave five, and those five remaining applicants may be asked to send representatives to Washington to make presentations before DOE officials.
Park Falls was among a very small number of communities in the state taking center stage in an advance front page Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story on Doyle’s State of the State address in the newspaper’s Sunday, Jan. 28 issue.
Flambeau River Papers was identified in the article as one of three potential applicants for $5 million in state funding earmarked by Doyle to help Wisconsin become the site of the first plant in the nation that would make ethanol from cellulose, described in the article as “a catch-all term for a variety of materials from paper pulp and wood chips to corn stalks and straw.”
Other potential applicants for the new state funding were identified as Georgia Pacific and Stora-Enso. As also disclosed locally by Butch and Bill Johnson, the article notes that Flambeau River Papers has already started developing plans to produce ethanol by 2009 “from the natural sugars contained in its surplus wood pulp.”
Preceding the announcements by the Johnsons relating to the biorefinery plans was an announcement of the appointment of Ben Thorp as president of Flambeau River Biorefinery. Butch Johnson described Thorp, formerly employed by Georgia Pacific, as a “very renowned expert in the field.” The Journal Sentinel quotes Thorp as saying, “There are a lot of people working on cellulosic ethanol, and it’s going to be a race to see who can get it first.” The newspaper also quotes him as saying that if built, the ethanol plant would add 100 jobs in the Park Falls area.
The Journal Sentinel also provided a preview of ethanol tax credits announced by Doyle, which would cost $2 million and which would lower the cost of installing a biodiesel or E-85 ethanol pump by up to $5,000. E-85 is described as a fuel that contains 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, a blend on which an increasing number of vehicles can run.
The Milwaukee newspaper alerted its readers that in his State of the State, address, Doyle would announce that he will appoint a global warming task force and create an energy independence office to coordinate the state’s effort to dramatically expand the use of renewable energy by 2025. The article preview of the governor’s address included the fact he would propose grants, loans and tax credits for projects to help the state rely less on fossil fuels and curb emissions linked to global warming “at a time when energy costs and concerns about climate change are rising.”"
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