MFA Oil plans to use miscanthus for bioenergy

Biomass Power & Thermal
By Anna Austin February 22, 2011

MFA Oil Biomass and Aloterra Energy are teaming up with local farmers in Missouri and Arkansas to produce miscanthus, an energy crop that will be converted into heat, power and eventually liquid fuels.

MFA Oil Biomass will organize local farmers in central and southwest Missouri and northeast Arkansas to establish and grow a target of 50,000 acres of miscanthus. “Our role [in the project] is to work with the farmers to produce the crop, aggregate the biomass and work with the end user, or convert it ourselves,” said Jared Wilmes, MFA Oil Biomass project coordinator. “We work with farmers on an individual basis, and that’s what we bring to the table.”

Some of the cooperative’s 40,000 members will be growing the miscanthus, Wilmes said. Interest among them is strong, as already 250 farmers have signed letters of intent to grow the energy crop on more than 21,000 acres.

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