Summer 1994
U.S. Department of Energy
Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program at
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Energy Crops Forum was published periodically by the Bioenergy
Feedstock Development Program, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC., for the U.S. Department of
Energy under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725.
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Table of Contents
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Sandy McLaughlin, BFDP
At a time when the scientific community is considering the potential role of
biofuels for conversion to transportation fuels and power production, the issue
of land availability is an important one. It has been projected that 10 million
acres of land will be required if ethanol production increases from its present
1 billion gallons annually to 5 billion by 2000.
Where will this land come from and how rapidly can such wide-scale
implementation occur? The answer lies partly in the hands of Congress as it
debates the fate of over 36 million acres of the Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP).
In 1985 Congress established the CRP to protect cropland from further
deterioration by removing erodible crop lands from cultivation. The program
provides a subsidy to farmers to plant perennial grasses or trees that would
conserve soil resources and provide wildlife habitat. Over 36 million acres of
cropland primarily in the Midwest, south central, and Southeast were eventually
enrolled in the program. The current annual cost of the CRP is approximately $6
billion per year, a significant issue as a budget-conscious Congress considers
renewing the program as part of the 1995 Farm Bill.
A number of important issues should be considered. How effective has the CRP
been? Is the program a net cost or a net benefit to the nation when viewed in
the longer term? What will be the impacts on American agriculture if the
program ends after 1995? And finally, are there alternative uses for this land
that would offer farmers additional options besides a return to traditional
crop production?
Critics have said that the CRP is an unjustifiable cost to American taxpayers
while proponents tout resource conservation, improved soil quality, wildlife
diversity, reduced erosion, and sedimentation of wetlands. If the CRP was
eliminated, payments would be reduced. However, the reduction could be offset
by crop subsidies if the lands were returned to agricultural production.
It appears unlikely that Congress will include the CRP in its current form in
the 1995 Farm Bill. There could be substantial consequences. A majority of CRP
contracts will expire in 1997. Surveys of landowners currently participating in
the CRP indicate that there would be a rapid return of much of this land to row
crop production. Commodity payments for subsidized crops will increase if
current programs are maintained as a result of the downward price pressure
exerted by increased supplies, and soil degradation will once again take place.
Could CRP land be used for production of biofuels while still meeting many of
the soil conservation requirements for which the program was established? In
the case of perennial grasses the answer would certainly seem to be Yes.
Current annual erosion losses are estimated at 1.2 billion metric tons per year
and much of that is due to intense cultivation associated with annual crop
production. Erosion losses associated with corn cultivation in Iowa, for
example, are approximately 70 times greater than for production of grasses on
similar land. In addition, deep rooted native perennial grasses replace a
significant fraction of the soil organic carbon (SOC) that has been depleted by
decades of cultivation. SOC is extremely important in controlling nutrient and
water retention in soils.
Switchgrass, which is one of the native grasses recommended by the Soil
Conservation Service, has been identified as a model herbaceous energy crop by
the Biofuels Feedstock Development Program (BFDP). Research sponsored by BFDP
at both Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Auburn
University document high levels of deep rooting activity. Switchgrass was also
found to increase soil organic matter and improve soil quality. Soil
Conservation Service studies in Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska have shown a gain
of about 0.5 tons of carbon per acre per year during 5 years of CRP grass
production, replacing about 25% of the soil carbon lost by decades of
cultivation. The poorer quality, more erodible land, which has been one of the
targets of CRP, is expected to be very suitable for production of perennial
grasses such as switchgrass which have lower requirements for nutrients and
water than annual crops such as corn. If a market is available, grass
production on those erosive soils may be more profitable to farmers than a
return to annual crops.
Thus, in many ways, CRP makes good economic and ecological sense. What would
also seem to make good sense is a hybrid CRP program that would be tailored to
both the closely affiliated soil and energy conservation needs of CRP and
renewable energy crops. The economic and ecological facets of such a merger of
interests are intriguing and deserve consideration. Important considerations
are how fast the markets for biofuels will develop, how flexible we can be in
designing multiple-use policies that benefit the nation and its farmers, and
our patience and vision. It s an interesting challenge and opportunity!
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Alison Moore, an agricultural economist with the Energy Technology Support Unity
(ETSU), a technology transfer and support organization of the United Kingdom's
Department of Trade and Labor spent three weeks at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory working with the BFDP. With Robin Graham, BFDP s systems integration
task leader, Moore examined the projected prices of different quantities of
woody crops biomass delivered to 21 locations across the state of Tennessee.
The price and supply information was derived from a county-level biomass
database developed by BFDP. BRAVO, a GIS-based computer model developed by the
University of Tennessee, was used to calculate transportation costs associated
with supplying biomass to specific locations. This analysis was an extension of
work originally sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Electric
Power Research Institute.
The analysis is one of the first to consider the effects of spatial variation in
biomass transport costs and prices paid to farmers on the marginal cost of
supplying biomass. The investigation revealed that location-related differences
existed even at low demands (100,000 dry tons per year sufficient to support a
20-MW power plant). At this demand level, marginal costs were lowest in the
central and the far southwest portion of the state, ranging from $35 to $40 per
delivered dry ton. Location-related differences were amplified and costs were
higher at high demand (1 million dry tons per year sufficient to support a
large ethanol plant). At this demand level, the costs were lowest in the north
central portion of the state, about $43 per delivered dry ton.
Graham is planning a visit to the United Kingdom where she will work with ETSU's
biomass supply model. Exchanges such as these represent international biomass
technology transfer and facilitate the development of biomass energy worldwide.
Melora Doan, University of Tennessee, has worked with the BFDP for the past year
and a half under the direction of Jack Ranney, former task leader for
environmental analysis, on several natural resource projects directly related
to her wildlife management major. Field surveys of wildlife populations in
energy crop plantations and research papers about wetlands, flooding,
biodiversity, and producer concerns in growing energy crops were some of her
major tasks.
Melora said, "I learned new ways of considering aspects of sustainability,
valuation, and ecological function. This experience has given me new tools to
use when considering how to enhance both economic and natural resource values.
The internship provided opportunities to be a contributing member of the BFDP
team, increased my knowledge about field work, ecological processes, economics,
resource sustainability, and the whims of nature. I have had the opportunity to
attend conferences and meetings that introduced me to new technologies and
their impact on our natural resources. I have also met many researchers and
resource professionals who have been very generous with their knowledge and
time in helping me understand the biofuels field and complete my projects.
These valuable insights taught me how to focus both on the big picture as well
as the essential elements of a situation. My writing skills have improved as
have my research and organizational skills. Keeping my desk orderly, however,
is a skill I have not mastered. The publications certainly make my resume look
better."
For information about internship opportunities, contact:
Science/Engineering Division
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
P.O. 117
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-0117
865-576-3427.
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Tim Tschaplinski, BFDP
Tim Tschaplinski and Jerry Tuskan, BFDP, are cooperating with Boise Cascade
Corporation to study drought tolerance of several poplar (Populus)
species and their hybrid offspring. The work seeks to verify whether certain
biochemical indicators can be used to predict which clones of poplar can best
survive episodic periods of little or no rain and still be productive (i.e.,
drought tolerant).
Previous work, detailed in two recent papers published in the Canadian Journal of
Forest Research, found that the concentrations of several metabolites
are highly correlated with drought tolerance. For this project, the
researchers' mission is to validate the use of these plant metabolites (solutes
involved in plant metabolism) as biochemical indicators (i.e., molecular
selection criteria) for drought tolerance in poplar trees. Seven clones of 2-
year-old hybrid Populus grown by Boise Cascade under six levels of
moisture stress at two sites in a drought stress facility in eastern Oregon
will form the nucleus of the research activities. ORNL researchers will also
screen 80 to 90 genotypes individuals sharing a unique genetic makeup to assess
the validity of molecular selection criteria in large-scale field trials.
Criteria that prove to be correlated with drought tolerance will be mapped on
the Populus genome. If the molecular selection criteria are validated, poplar
clones found to be most drought tolerant may be used as dedicated energy
feedstocks - sources of wood for liquid transportation fuels - in a renewable
energy industry. The ability to use molecular selection criteria will reduce
the amount of time, money, and effort needed to identify and test drought-
tolerant genotypes.
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Steve Strauss, Oregon State University
Four companies (Boise-Cascade, James River, Potlatch, and Union Camp) have
joined with the BFDP and Oregon State University to form the Tree Genetic
Engineering Research Cooperative (TGERC) to advance methods for genetically
engineering trees grown for use in intensively managed plantations. TGERC s
focus will be on hybrid cottonwoods. However, the genes and gene transfer
methods used have wide applicability, especially to hardwood tree species. Work
with other species may be undertaken in the future depending on interests of
the TGERC membership.
Cottonwoods and other poplars are almost ideal trees for genetic engineering.
They are transformed more readily that most other forest species. Facile
vegetative propagation could allow rapid deployment of genetically engineered
clones. Genes are available that are likely to enhance profitability and reduce
environmental impacts of intensive culture.
TGERC researchers at Oregon State are working to provide the few remaining
scientific advances needed to allow transgenic poplars to be used in commercial
plantations. They include (1) developing more efficient and broadly applicable
gene transfer systems for commercially important clones; (2) developing genetic
engineering methods to ensure sterility for gene containment, thus promoting
ecological safety and regulatory approval); and (3) demonstrating transgene
effectiveness at delivering desired traits in plantations are the primary
thrusts. During the first five years, TGERC will focus on developing two
evolving technologies for genetic engineering: improved gene transfer for
systems and engineered sterility. For additional information about TGERC,
contact
Steve Strauss
Oregon State University
Department of Forest Sciences
Peavy Hall 154
Corvallis, Oregon 97881-5705
503-737-6578 (phone), 503-737-1393 (fax).
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Bryce Stokes, USDA Forest Service
An international group of researchers, administrators, and manufacturing
representatives gathered in Mobile, Alabama, on March 1-3, 1994 for the
Mechanization in Short Rotation Intensive Culture (SRIC) Forestry conference.
The meeting was sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute,
International Energy Agency Mechanization for Short Rotation Forestry Task,
BFDP, Southern Forest Engineering Center, Southern Forest Experiment Station,
and Southeastern Regional Biomass Energy Program. Scott Paper Company served as
host. The objectives of the conference were to exchange scientific and
technical information concerning the establishment, tending, harvesting,
processing, and transport of wood crops for fiber and energy, and to foster
national and international collaboration in SRIC mechanization research.
The conference program included 20 scientific and technical presentations
discussing all aspects of forest operations in short-rotation forestry. A
general review of current operations was given for the southern, north central,
and western United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, and New Zealand.
Results from specific research studies on innovative techniques and machines,
costs and recovery, and cultural treatments were presented. A one-day tour,
sponsored as part of the conference, included stops at a hardwood nursery and
operational SRIC production sites. Equipment for cutting, shredding, debarking,
chipping, and hogging small-diameter stems was demonstrated.
Closing discussions focused on the need for continued collaboration in SRIC
mechanization research and technical exchange. Interest was expressed in
developing a formal structure that would enhance continued collaboration,
especially at an international level. Initial efforts will be to form an
informal working group, compile a mailing list of interested persons, and
organize similar conferences/tours in the future. Sponsorship of an
industrial/government/university roundtable to identify issues and begin the
process of establishing a formal organization to expand and enhance research
was also discussed. The U.S. Department of Energy, in collaboration with the
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, will help to initiate and foster
these goals.
For information about the availability and costs for the proceedings as well as
to add your name to the working group mailing list, contact
Bryce J. Stokes
USDA Forest Service
DeVall Dr.
Auburn, Alabama 36849
205-826-870 (phone), 205-821-0037(fax).
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Publications
Tschaplinski, T.J., G.A. Tuskan, and C.A. Gunderson. 1994. Stress tolerance of
black and eastern cottonwood clones and four hybrid progeny. I. Growth, water
relations, and gas exchange. Canadian Journal of Forestry 24:364-371.
Tschaplinski, T.J. and G.A. Tuskan. 1994. Stress tolerance of black and eastern
cottonwood clones and four hybrid progeny. II. Metabolites and inorganic ions
that affect osmotic adjustment. Canadian Journal of Forestry 24:681-687.
U.S. Department of Energy, Biofuels Systems Division. 1994. Biofuels: At the
crossroads. Strategic plan for the Biofuels Systems Program.
Van Miegroet, H., R.J. Norby, T.J. Tschaplinski. 1994. Nitrogen fertilization
strategies in a short-rotation sycamore plantation. Forest Ecology and
Management 64:14-24.
Electronic Information
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. 1994. The Plant
Genome Database CD-ROM. For additional information about this database, contact
USDA NAL, PGD, Room 013, NAL Building, 10301 Baltimore Boulevard, Beltsville,
Maryland 20705-2351, 301-504-6813.
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