establishing a dedicated energy crop supply chain

8/13/2019 Establishing a dedicated energy crop supply chain

1/23

EstablishingaDedicated

Energy

CropSupplyChain

SoutheastBioenergyConference

August9,2011

SamJackson,Ph.D.

[email protected]


2/23

GeneraEnergy LLC2011

TennesseesBiofuelsInitiative

Energy Crop Supply Chain

Demonstratetheestablishmentofadedicatedbiomassenergycropsupplychainwithfarmer

Cellulosic Ethanol Biorefinery

Demonstratethe

pre

commercial

productionofethanolfromswitchgrass

Commercialization

Developaviable,

sustainable,

long

term

pathtocommercializationofcellulosicbiofuelsinTennessee

Biofuels, Bioproducts R&D

EstablishpremierRD&Dcapabilitiesandcapacityinbiofuelsandbioproducts

$70.5MillionStateCommitment


3/23

ProductionExperience

Biomassproductionandharvestingexperiencewithswitchgrass,a

native,perennial

grass

Contractingwithlocalfarmerstoproduceover5,100acresoflowland

switchgrasssince

2008

UT/Generaissuedincentivecontractsto61localfarmersthatprovide

paymentsforestablishment(inc.

seed)andmanagementofthegrassovera3yearperiod



4/23


BiomassFeedstocks


Cellulosicbiofuelsrequire: Adequate,sustainablefeedstock

supply

Consistentfeedstockquality

Economicalsupplychainexpenses

CoordinationandPlanning

neededin:

FeedstockProduction

Harvestingandstorage

Transportationandlogistics

Feedstock

quality

control Environmentalfactors


5/23


FeedstockQuality


Feedstockcomposition/qualityisdrivenbygeneticsand

productionsystems

However,feedstockcomposition/qualitycanbe

significantlyimpactedby

properlogistics,

storage

and

handlingofmaterial

Carefulmanagementofsupplychainscanaddressmany

feedstockquality

concerns


6/23


Well suited to the Southeast

Currently, ~6-10 tons/acre in TN

Potential for 12+ tons/acre

Warm season, native, perennial grass

Tolerates poor soils, flooding, drought

Highly resistant to many pests, diseases

Low use of chemicals or fertilizers

1-2 year establishment

Weed control critical in establishment

Works with existing infrastructure

May be removed, improves soil qualityUT research focus for 20+ years

SwitchgrassasanEnergyCrop



7/23


Biomassproductionandharvestingexperiencewithswitchgrass,anative,perennialgrass

Contractingwithlocalfarmerstoproduceover5,100acresoflowlandswitchgrasssince2008

UT/Generaissuedincentivecontractsto61

localfarmers

that

provide

payments

for

establishment(inc.seed)andmanagementof

thegrassovera3yearperiod

Averagingabout8tons/acby3rd year

Harvesting~2tonsinyear1

~5tons

in

year

2

~8tonsyear3andbeyond

BiomassInnovationPark



8/23

2008SFIPContract

2009

SFIP

Contract 2010SFIPContract

CumberlandRoane

Rhea

Meigs

McMinn

Monroe

Loudon

Blount

PolkBradley

Vonore

Knox

Biorefinery

Switchgrass ContractFarms


9/23


IntegratedBiomassSupplyChain


Biomass Production & Harvest

Handling, Storage, Transportation

Pre-Processing & Densif ication

Value-Added Pre-Treatment

Industrial Processing


10/23

BiomassProductionandHarvesting

CenterforRenewableCarbon InstituteofAgriculture

Crop genetics

Improved establishment

Technical expertise

Tailored equipment

Seed availability

Risk management


11/23

HarvestingImprovements

In-field cost reductions

Increased bulk density

Improved harvestingsystems

Improved on-farm

logistics



12/23

DOEHighTonnageLogisticsGrant

Developanappropriatelyscaledbulkbasedswitchgrassharvest,handling,storage,

compaction,transport,

and

off

loadsystemtosupplyademonstrationbiorefinery

IssuestobetterunderstandIn

field

logistics

StorageimpactsAchievingmaximumaxleweights

AdvantagesReducedpreprocessingcostsHigherratesofharvestAutomatedhandling



13/23

BiomassHandling,Storage&Transportation


Year-round supply

Minimize handling

Maximize bulk handling

Minimize storage loss

Maintain quality

Manage moisture Increase bulk density


14/23

SwitchgrassBaleStorage

Storagecriticalforquality

managementMoisturemanagement

Largefootprintrequired

Drymatterlossdoesoccur

Significantresearchunderwayinbalestorage



15/23

TNSwitchgrassExperienceBaleStorage


16/23

SwitchgrassTransportSystems

EfficienciesinBaleTransport

Maximizeindividualbaledensities

Reducetransportdensities

Significantlaborinvolvedin

balemovement

Staging

Loading

Unloading



17/23

Handling,TransportandStorage

Improvements

Increased ability toprovide year-roundsupply

Maximizes bulk handling

Minimizes storage loss

Increase density of storedmaterial

Manages moisture



18/23

BiomassPreProcessing


Particle size coarsechop to flour

Conveyance & flowability

Energy intensity

New systems, systemsintegration

Multiple feedstocks

Packaging &transportation


19/23


BiomassInnovationPark


World-class RD&D campus

Integrates entire biomass supply chain

Harvest, handling, storage, densification, logistics

Pre-processing

High throughput screeningand analysis

Agronomics, plant genetics, production

Intermediate processing and conversion

Multiple feedstocks

Site for $5M DOE-funded high tonnagebulk handling demonstration

Operational by end of 2011

Potential to expand footprint to demonstrategasification, pyrolysis, other conversiontechnologies or feedstocks

ConceptualRendering:July2010


20/23


SustainableFeedstocksforBioenergy


Sustainablecellulosicbiofuelsmust: Beproducedinamannerthatis

environmentallyfriendly,

improving

siteconditionsinsteadofdamagingthem.

Beproducedinaneconomicallysoundsystem.Sustainableeconomicswillrewardallinvolved.

Be

socially

sustainable.

Our

productionimpactssocietywhichmustbeconsidered

Includesenvironmentalfactorssuchas: Soilnutrientimpacts

Soilerosion/stream

sedimentation

Carboncycling

Useofchemicals

Sustainabilitymonitoring/criteria


21/23


AnOptimizedSystem

Endtoendpartnershipsarethekeytosuccessfulprojects


22/23


Summary

ImprovedEfficiencies

Reducedsupplychaincosts

Maintainchemicalandstructuralqualityofmaterial

Mustcollaborateacrossthesupplychainto

providesimplesolutionsforbioenergy

producersandbiomassproducers



23/23

ThankYou

865.974.8258(Office)

865.974.8301(Fax)

[email protected]

www.generaenergy.net

establishing a dedicated energy crop supply chain

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