How does the biorefinerys relatively small production capacity, affect the need for switchgrass or other feedstocks?
While it is true that the scale for the pilot biorefinery will need only a few hundred acres of switchgrass for the production of cellulosic ethanol, significant amounts of switchgrass are still needed to satisfy research and development needs in feedstock development. First, commercial-scale biorefineries will need significant quantities of feedstock, including switchgrass, corn cobs and other biomass. Second, UTBI is interested in developing a portfolio of uses for bioenergy crops, further reducing risk for farmers and stabilizing supplies. For example, research results show promise that switchgrass can be economically processed into pellets and then burned to produce steam and other forms of energy and power. This sort of application would also contribute to the mission of UTBI to enhance the nation’s energy independence through farm-based commodities. Additionally, research is being performed on the possible use of switchgrass as forage for cattle and potential wildlife and conserv
Related Questions
- Why is commercial demonstration of CLP limited to relatively short (less than 100 miles) and relatively small (less than 5 million tons per year) projects?
- xG Technology is a relatively small company. How could it come up with a technology that major manufacturers have not been able to develop?
- What is so special about small batch production?
