Farming For Energy

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Farming For Energy

• Dr. Gale Buchanan
• Under Secretary for Research, Education, and
  Economics
• At the Farm to Fuel Summit
• Orlando, Florida
• August 31, 2006

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World Oil Reserves by Country
Source DOE/EIA, International Energy Outlook
2006
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Energy Insecurity

• Two-thirds of oil reserves are in Middle East
• The West relies on oil imports
• Significant amounts of oil are controlled by
  problem States (U.S. State Department)

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The Presidents Advanced Energy Initiative

• Make cellulosic ethanol practical within 6 years
• Opportunities for agriculture and rural America

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There is fuel in every bit of matter that can be
fermented.
Henry Ford
National Archives
Library of Congress
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Impact of Conservation Tillage on Annual Fuel
Usage

• Use of gasoline and diesel fuel in agriculture
  has dropped 40 since 1973
• gallons of fuel to produce 1 ton of grain has
  decreased 60

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Energy Conservation Practices

• Crop residue Management
• Nutrient Management
• Irrigation Management
• Precision Agriculture
• Pesticide Management
• Prescribed Grazing
• Windbreaks and Shelter Belts

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Research, Education, and Economics
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Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

• USDAs principal in-house research agency
• Provides science base to action and regulatory
  agencies on agricultural issues

http//www.ars.usda.gov
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ARS Bioenergy Programs

• Energy crop research
• Developing new plant varieties for biofuels
  feedstocks
• Ethanol
• Processing
• Developing new microbes and enzymes for
  conversion
• Developing valuable co-products from ethanol
  production

• Biodiesel
• Processing
• Quality and performance
• Other
• Methane from manure
• Thermo-chemical and biological conversion of
  biomass to hydrogen
• On-farm and remote renewable energy systems

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New Ethanol Processing Technologies

• Corn fiber biorefinery
• Corn fiber oil
• Corn fiber gum
• Enzymatic corn wet milling
• Avoids the use of toxic sulfites
• Produces higher yields of starch
• Lowering ethanol production costs

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Cellulosic Ethanol

• Improved enzymes
• Improved organisms for conversion process

• New and improved feedstocks for biofuels
• Improved value and use of DDGS

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New Energy Crops

• Switch Grass
• Field Peas
• Barley
• Alfalfa
• Fescue
• Miscanthus
• Sugar Cane
• Giant Reed
• Agricultural Wastes

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Cooperative State Research Education and
Extension Service (CSREES)

• Links USDA and state components
• Land Grant Universities
• Extension

http//www.csrees.usda.gov
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CSREES Bioenergy Programs

• 45 energy projects funded through
• National Research Initiative
• Small Business Innovation Research Program
• Agricultural Materials Program
• The goals of the projects are
• Reduction in conversion costs
• Increased production of chemicals and materials
  from biomass
• Increase number of biobased products that replace
  petroleum based products
• Develop energy conversion technologies for
  agricultural and forestry residues
• Develop cost effective biocatalysts to convert
  lignocellulosic materials with low environmental
  impact
• Identify unique biomass feedstocks for
  sustainable production of energy and industrial
  products

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Key Energy Projects Funded by CSREES

• Genetic Engineering of Yeast for Co-Fermenting
  all 5 Cellulosic Sugars to Ethanol
• Genetic Engineering of Cellulose Biosynthesis in
  Trees
• Gasification and fermentation technologies to
  produce ethanol and chemicals
• Recycling of energy, chemicals, and materials
  from agricultural processing wastes
• Development of an aviation-grade ethanol
• Biodiesel Fuel Education Program

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Economic Research Service (ERS)

• USDAs principal social science research agency
• Develops and distributes economic and social
  science information and analyses

http//www.ers.usda.gov
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National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

• Production data and statistics on
• Livestock and animals
• Crops and plants
• Economics
• Demographics
• Environmental

http//www.nass.usda.gov
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Agriculture and Forestry the Nations Renewable
Energy Companies