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UK Scientists Research Opportunities for Biomass
and Hay Production
By
Laura Skillman
PRINCETON, Ky., (July 11, 2007) – For the next four years
scientists with the University of Kentucky College of
Agriculture will work with farmers in northeast Kentucky on
biomass production using switchgrass, as well as continue their
work on hay production in the region.
Changes have taken place that make tobacco, once an important
crop in northeastern Kentucky, a less viable income source. As a
result, farmers have looked to other crops. Many alternatives
have been suggested, but most require high capital investments
and have limited market opportunities. Biomass production with
switchgrass and similar crops provides a renewable fuel
alternative that works well with existing hay production systems
and equipment, said Ray Smith, UK forage specialist and
principal investigator on the project. In other words, producers
can produce biomass using their existing machinery.
Through a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development
Board, the Kentucky Forage and Grasslands Council is funding
UK’s work. The bulk of the research will be on biomass, as they
work to demonstrate the region is capable of producing
sustainable and economical biomass crops and at the same time,
teaching production techniques to farmers and agents with UK’s
Cooperative Extension Service, and developing viable markets for
these crops. The hay portion of the project will continue work
Smith and Tom Keene, UK hay marketing specialist, have been
doing with producers in the area for the past two years on
improving hay quality and marketing opportunities.
“Biomass has huge potential for the future,” Smith said. “Our
main focus on the biomass project is to find alternative energy
markets for our producers in Kentucky. We are working with 20
farmers within a 60-mile radius of Maysville. We chose Maysville
because East Kentucky Power has a cofired plant there that has
the capability of burning biomass products.”
There are numerous emerging options for biomass including
electrical generation in cofired units (like the one at East
Kentucky Power in Maysville), pellet production for pellet
fueled home heaters, and cellulosic ethanol production. The
dilemma is that energy companies want to be assured of an
adequate supply while forage producers don’t want to grow
something until they have a market for it, Smith said. This
project is aimed at helping to solve those issues.
The 20 farms will each grow five acres of switchgrass, which
Smith said is a proven biomass producer. Switchgrass will grow
on poorer soils than typical crops and has lower nitrogen and
fertility requirements while still producing high tonnage.
“The 20 farms with five acres will give us a supply of
production to work with East Kentucky Power and do work at UK,”
Smith said. “It will also give us an impetus to attract
companies who are interested in cellulosic ethanol production. A
Canadian company is commercializing cellulosic ethanol
production and is looking to locate plants in North America. But
they want to know there’s guaranteed supply.
“One hundred acres won’t be that much supply, but it will be
some initial feed stock,” he said. “By working with 20 farms,
however, we will be building up the production expertise in this
area of the state through these farmers and county agents in the
area. The project is for four years and hopefully by that time
there will have been enough success shown that there will be
someone ready to buy it.”
UK specialists will also look at a wide range of biomass crops
in research trials at Lexington and at Eden Shale Farm. UK
Variety Testing Specialist Gene Olson will head up the work.
Smith noted a number of universities are involved in biomass
research, but this project is somewhat unique in that they are
also working with farmers on the production aspect. Not many
others are doing that, he added.
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Contact: Ray Smith, 859-257-3358
Tom Keene, 859-257-3144
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The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
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