Ames, Iowa
June 20, 2007
Iowa State University is creating the first integrated and
sustainable biofuel and bioproducts feedstock production system
of its kind on a research farm in Boone County.
The "ISU New Century Farm," is to be constructed west of the
Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm, and will
include harvest, storage, transportation, handling and
bioprocessing facilities. Biomass crops destined for use as
bioenergy and bioproducts will be grown on the New Century Farm
and other area Iowa State research farms.
"The farm will serve as a living laboratory for developing and
testing sustainable biomass systems by integrating agronomic,
environmental and socio-economic research," said Joe Colletti,
senior associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences. "It will be directly linked to molecular and
traditional plant sciences as well as to advanced processing
research."
He said it is widely recognized that corn grain alone won't
support the renewable fuels economy and that a variety of annual
and perennial cellulosic crops are needed to complement corn and
soybean production.
"The processing facility will be capable of processing five tons
of biomass per day into bio oil or synthetic gas by using
thermochemical technologies plus 500 pounds of grain or biomass
into ethanol and industrial chemicals by fermentation," said
Larry Johnson, director of the Center for Crops Utilization
Research.
Many operations in the test facility will be about 1/1000 of
commercial scale. "This facility will allow ISU researchers and
industry partners to test and demonstrate technologies before
going commercial," Johnson said.
Basic and applied research will be conducted to achieve
short-term and long-term advances in biorenewable fuels and
biobased products. The New Century Farm also will provide a
needed venue for education and training.
The New Century Farm's vision will include:
- Research that brings
together scientific expertise to address biomass cropping
systems, biofuel and bioproduct processing, logistics of
biomass supply and positive environmental effects such as
recycling nutrients back to the land.
- Teaching that serves as a
laboratory and resource for training future scientists,
producers and extension experts.
- Extension that
demonstrates economic, social and environmental viability of
biorenewable energy and bioproducts production to producers,
policymakers and the public.
- Outreach with companies
that will work with Iowa State in collaborative research and
development.
Construction is scheduled to begin
this fall with a completion date for the main facility of Fall
2008. The bioprocessing facility will be completed first,
followed by offices and laboratories and field research
infrastructure.
The initial infrastructure costs are estimated at $19 million
with funds coming from state, federal and private sources.
Annual operating costs will be covered by research projects. |
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