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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192797
Title: EXPANDING THE ROLE OF SYSTEMS MODELING: CONSIDERING BYPRODUCT GENERATION FROM BIOFUEL PRODUCTION

Author
item Rosentrater, Kurt

Submitted to: Ecology and Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2006
Publication Date: 3/16/2006
Citation: Rosentrater, K. A. 2005. Expanding the role of systems modeling: considering byproduct generation from biofuel production. Ecology and Society 11(1): r2. [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss1/resp2/

Interpretive Summary: The bioethanol industry has been experiencing rapid growth over the last several years and is expected to continue to increase production for the foreseeable future. A vital component to the success of this industry is the sales and marketing of processing residues, which are increasingly being sold as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Systems modeling, a technique that has been used to predict future demand for bioethanol, can also be used to determine potential byproduct generation rates. This paper discusses the development of one such model, and presents predicted generation of DDGS as well as carbon dioxide emissions from this industry through 2100. These simulation results underscore the growing need to actively pursue research focused on value-added utilization alternatives for bioethanol residue streams.

Technical Abstract: The bioethanol industry has been experiencing rapid growth over the last several years and is expected to continue to increase production for the foreseeable future. A vital component to the success of this industry is the sales and marketing of processing residues, which are primarily sold as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Systems modeling, a technique that has been used to predict future demand for bioethanol, can also be used to determine potential byproduct generation rates. This paper discusses the development of one such model, and presents predicted generation of DDGS as well as carbon dioxide emissions from this industry through 2100. These simulation results underscore the growing need to actively pursue research focused on value-added utilization alternatives for bioethanol byproduct streams.