Does switchgrass make ethanol?
Switchgrass yields more than 540 percent more energy than the energy needed to produce and convert it to ethanol, making the grassy weed a far superior source for biofuels than corn ethanol, reports a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
What is the main use of switchgrass?
Uses. Switchgrass can be used as a feedstock for biomass energy production, as ground cover for soil conservation, and to control erosion, for forages and grazing, as game cover, and as feedstock for biodegradable plastics.
How do you turn ethanol into switchgrass?
Mix the chopped switchgrass with water in a large tank and add cellulosic enzymes that can digest the cellulose into sugars that can be refined to ethanol. The major source of these enzymes is Novozymes, a Danish company that specializes in agricultural biochemistry.
What’s the main use of switchgrass?
Do deer eat switchgrass?
From what I have experienced through switchgrass plantings from Iowa to Minnesota to Delaware and most points between, switchgrass may be one of the most versatile and misunderstood plantings for deer.
Do you cut back switchgrass?
Switchgrass may die back in winter but the rhizome will remain alive underground, especially if the plants are mulched. You can divide the plant every few years to produce new plants. For the best appearance, the plant should be sheared back to within a few inches (8 cm.)
What kind of enzymes are used to convert switchgrass to ethanol?
Mix the chopped switchgrass with water in a large tank and add cellulosic enzymes that can digest the cellulose into sugars that can be refined to ethanol. The major source of these enzymes is Novozymes, a Danish company that specializes in agricultural biochemistry.
What kind of grass can be used to make ethanol?
It is a North American native grass that can grow on marginal land without the extensive inputs that corn or sugar cane require, and it produces a much better energy yield. Making ethanol from switchgrass, though, is a challenging process. Plant switchgrass seeds during the spring planting season.
How is switchgrass used in thermochemical process?
Thermochemical Conversion: Switchgrass also can be used to produce ethanol using thermochemical processes. In this approach, heat and chemicals are used to break biomass into syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) and reassemble it into products such as ethanol.
What are the economics of switchgrass for bioenergy?
The economics of switchgrass for bioenergy are influenced not only by feedstock prices and production costs, but also by competing uses and products. Cellulosic fuels in general will not be competitive with corn ethanol due to higher production and refining costs.