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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323560
Title: Life cycle analysis of switchgrass converted via pyrolysis, gasification, and fermentation

Author
item SOUMARE, SORY - Iowa State University
item Schmer, Marty
item Jin, Virginia
item Mitchell, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The US is promoting and developing low carbon fuel sources. Perennial bioenergy crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) are one viable source for low carbon transportation fuels. The objective is to determine the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from different conversion methods (pyrolysis, gasification, and fermentation) using switchgrass as a bioenergy feedstock using the Greenhouse Gas, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model. We used the CenUSA system plots located near Ithaca, Nebraska from data collected in 2013 and 2014 for switchgrass (cv. ‘Liberty’) which was established in 2012. All three conversion methods (pyrolysis, gasification, fermentation) met the EPA proposed renewable fuel standard (RFS) as an advanced biofuel with emissions ranging from 8.2 to 18.6 g of carbon dioxide equivalents per megajoule of biofuel. Emission variation was the result of conversion processes and switchgrass annual yield. Further research is needed to determine the economic viability of these conversion processes.