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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #254229
Title: Spatial Analysis of Biomass Supply: Economic and Environmental Impacts

Author
item Archer, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2010
Publication Date: 11/17/2010
Citation: Archer, D.W. 2010. Spatial Analysis of Biomass Supply: Economic and Environmental Impacts. Meeting Abstract. CD and On-Line Reference 56-28.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The EPIC simulation model is used with SSURGO soils, field location information, and a transportation cost model to analyze potential biomass supply for a West Central MN bioenergy plant. The simulation shows the relationship between biomass price, locations of where biomass production is profitable, and impacts on economic optimum cropping practices. Results show expansion of production away from the bioenergy plant as biomass price increases. Also, increasing biomass price tends to increase harvest intensity and change the optimum crop rotation near the bioenergy plant. These changes have important implications for the environmental impacts of biomass harvest, since changes in harvest intensity and crop rotation can have substantial effects of soil erosion, soil carbon, and nutrient and pesticide runoff and leaching.