Is Switchgrass In Your Future, And If So, Will It Be Profitable?

CattleNetwork.com
04/05/2010 09:15AM

The movement toward “advanced biofuels” means that ethanol plants will be able to digest cellulosic biomass and that some of your neighbors may be selling some of that cellulosic biomass to those plants. But even though switchgrass ought to be easy to grow across the Cornbelt, will yields be high enough and will costs be low enough for any chance at profitability? We’re glad you asked!

With corn approaching the upper limits of its permitted use for ethanol production under current federal policy, the push is on for biomass products to pick up the baton and run the next leg of the biofuels race. One of the first products that may be digested in a cellulosic ethanol plant is switchgrass, which is a warm-season grass native to this part of the world. Agronomically it can be produced, but will it be economically successful? Iowa State University economist Mike Duffy explores that question in a recent newsletter. Duffy looks at estimated production costs, and then changes some of the assumptions which may be more or less applicable to your operation.

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