UI grows miscanthus grass for renewable energy goals
I owa doesn't have coal mines, oil fields or natural gas. Resources used to generate energy consumed in the Hawkeye state are imported.
Giant miscanthus — a warm-season grass native to Eastern Asia and known for its high yields — could play a role in changing that, said Ferman Milster, principal engineer of renewables at the University of Iowa's Office of Sustainability.
For starters, however, miscanthus will be part of UI's Biomass Fuel Project, which has a goal of achieving 40 percent renewable energy by 2020. Finding biomass, such as miscanthus, to co-fire with coal and burn in the university power plant is an important part of the initiative because it reduces the consumption of fossil fuels.
But miscanthus also can be good for Iowa farmers.
Iowa has been under pressure for years to diversify its farming methods to cut down on soil erosion and nutrient run off. Miscanthus can do both — and everything it needs to grow is in Iowa.
"Soil and solar are two natural resources we have," Milster said. "All we have to do is employ them to get our energy."
To demonstrate the advantages of growing miscanthus, UI invited the public Wednesday to the planting of a 15-acre pilot field on a farm south of Iowa City. The plan is to study the progress of the perennial grass with an eye on planting an additional 2,500 acres by 2016 because the university expects to produce up to 25,000 tons per year of biomass fuel.
Repreve Renewables, a North Carolina company focused on growing renewable solutions, was on hand to plant the rhizomes, a horizontal-growing root, with a machine the company designed and patented. Because miscanthus is a perennial, it only has to be planted once and can last up to 30 years. The grass will be ready to harvest after the first frost and the plant has dried down.
"You grow it here, cut it here and use it here," said Michele Dunn, a communication's specialist with Repreve. "It doesn't get much better than that."
"Biofuel will be the rebirth of rural American," she added. "It can't be out-sourced."
Repreve Renewal works directly with farmers in planting the miscanthus and finding markets for the product. Miscathus is being used for poultry and animal bedding, liquid biofuels, combustion for electricity, and heat and chemical applications such as renewable plastics and additives.
"We are planting more than 1,000 acres in five states this year," said Jeff Wheeler, CEO for Repreve Renewal, who added that his company's agronomist will be working with UI in harvesting the grass and feeding it into the power plant.
Miscanthus, which grows from 8 to 12 feet tall, looks similar to pampas grass and has been used for energy in Europe for years. Because the plant is tolerant to extreme conditions, needs no special equipment and requires little more than ground preparation, fertilizer and herbicides, Miscathus is gaining traction in the United States.
Farmers are planting on marginal cropland where it is absorbing runoff and thriving.
Milster said miscanthus takes about three years to generate a full yield, but after that, it's a reliable plant that can produce higher yields with less work for between 15 and 30 years.
Mark Maxwell, an environmental engineer with the UI power plant, stopped by the farm to see the demonstration. The university is studying a number of sources for biomass fuel, including organic industrial byproducts such as oat hulls, timber stand improvements and opportunity wood. Miscanthus is considered a "dedicated energy crop" that can be used for biomass fuel.
Maxwell isn't sure how the university will break down the miscanthus to mix it with coal, but he sees promise in the grass.
"I'm sure they'll try several different ways," he said. "It's a pretty cool deal."
Blake Moschel, who owns a construction company in LaCrosse, Wis., drove to Iowa City to watch the planting because he has a keen interest in miscanthus. He is using the plant to reclaim quarry land that has been rendered useless from years of mining. He's already planted 75 acres of miscanthus and is marketing his harvest for animal and poultry bedding.
"We are trying to rebuild the soil with this," he said.
Dan Black, a farm manager at MidWestOne Bank in Iowa City, was happy to offer his 120-acre family farm as site for UI's pilot plot. UI, which is renting the plot for five years, is paying for the planting, maintenance and harvest of the miscanthus.
Black believes renewable fuel is the wave of the future.
"We want to do what we can to promote it," he said. "Maybe at the end of the day, we have another crop that is viable in this part of the country."
Reach Sara Agnew at sagnew@press-citizen.com or 887-5418.
• To watch a video interview with Ferman Milster, principal engineer of renewables at the University of Iowa's Office of Sustainability, go to www.press-citizen.com.
University of Iowa Biomass Fuel Project
Purpose
• The biomass fuel project exists to support the 2020 Sustainability Vision, which is to achieve 40 percent renewable energy by 2020. Replacing coal with biomass is central to the strategy.
Vision
• The solid fuel boilers at the Main Power Plant transition from coal to biomass.
• The biomass fuel project procures renewable energy produced in the local area.
• Buying solid fuel locally has the potential to return more than $10 million annually to the local rural economy.
Guiding principles
• Maintain the ability to burn coal at UI's Main Power Plant, now and into the foreseeable future. In the event of an interruption in renewable fuel supplies, being able to burn coal will assure the Main Power Plant is able to fully utilize all existing solid fuel steam production capacity.
• Develop a diverse renewable fuel portfolio, not dependent on one type or source.
• Minimize modification to systems and equipment at the Main Power Plant. This implies a need to process and modify (e.g. densify, dry) renewable fuels so they have physical characteristics more like coal and will flow efficiently through existing Main Power Plant fuel handling and storage systems.
• Minimize utility rate increases by developing renewable energy fuel supplies that have the potential to deliver fuel to the Main Power Plant at an average cost of $5 per MMBtu.
• Prevent adverse impact — price shock — to existing local agricultural markets.
Sources of biomass fuel
• Timber stand improvement.
• Dedicated energy crops such as miscanthus — the goal is 2,500 acres of miscanthus by 2016.
• Organic industrial byproducts.
UI's miscanthus project
• Plant 2,500 acres of land with miscanthus in 2015 and 2016.
• Develop a continuous supply of miscanthus, suitable for use in the project.
• Develop new sources of industrial by-products, such as paper recycling sludge.
Source: University of Iowa Office of Sustainability