Over the last several weeks, there has been a lot of talk in the press regarding a recent report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory about the capacity for biomass in the United States. I was intrigued by the references in these articles to the use of hay to produce ethanol rather than corn. I've always viewed using corn to produce ethanol as something akin to burning the best topsoil -- wasteful and distasteful. But you never till the ground for hay, you don't have to use pesticides or fertilizer for hay, growing hay is easy on the soil, and some very marginal farmland can grow hay. If the scientists in the field can figure out how to produce more energy from ethanol from hay than is used in its production, then maybe I should set aside my objections and take another look at ethanol's virtues.
One astounding chart in the report gives average U.S. corn crop yields over time (see page 37, numbered page 28). For 40 years prior to World War II, average corn crop yields were a steady 20 to 30 bushels per acre. However, since that time, corn crop yields have grown quickly to over 160 bushels per acre. From the year 2000 to 2003 alone, corn crop yields jumped by about 30 bushels per acre. Amazing! I can remember 80 to 100 bushels per acre being a bumper crop and I'm very young.
Take that, Malthus!
"Britain's first major electricity plant to be fuelled by grass will begin construction later this year. The £6.5m power station in Staffordshire will be burn locally cultivated elephant grass and will be able to supply 2,000 homes with electricity."
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,9061,1495403,00.html
At the moment it takes 10 units of energy to produce one unit of energy in grain. It takes another 5-10:1 to produce meat. I have no idea what the math is for hay.
How much energy did it take to produce one unit of grain in 1940? In 2000? Maybe we shouldn't be looking at surface area at all...
Posted by: Oil Malthus | May 31, 2005 at 12:13 PM
Ethanol is produced from corn in the US because that is what is subsidized. Corn-belt lobby is apparently stronger than the hay-makers lobby.-)
Posted by: Dominic Schmelzer | July 20, 2005 at 03:58 AM
While that may be the reason, it is only indirectly so. As I understand, the technology for ethanol from hay is only now maturing -- new enzymes have been introduced to convert cellulose to ethanol.
Posted by: Daniel Schmelzer | July 21, 2005 at 02:29 PM
For the ongoing energy discussion:
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/opinion/13615648.htm
Thought it might interest you. Maybe the grass lobby will get its say after all.
Posted by: Dominic Schmelzer | January 18, 2006 at 03:46 AM
Just wenn you thought we had finished our conversation, George W. went live with selling switchgrass (i.e. hay). Is grass better than corn? I always had problems with ethanol because of its negative energy balance. Here is a wonderful discussion on its viability (especially switchgrass'):
http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006/3/7/03949/82426
Cheers, Dom
Posted by: Dom | March 11, 2006 at 05:19 AM