Weather impacts biomass production

DairyHerd.com
University of Illinois Extension Updated: September 13, 2011

URBANA - The weather in Illinois affects everything, including current research in the development of biomass as an energy source. Miscanthus is one of the promising agricultural crops being evaluated as a potential biomass feedstock alternative. Recent agronomy and crop science studies suggest that winter is the optimal time to harvest Miscanthus, so researchers at the University of Illinois have studied the impact weather can have on feedstock production and harvest, as well as subsequent storage and supply activities.

“Winter in Illinois can be very difficult,” said Yogendra Shastri, a visiting research assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) and member of the Energy Biosciences Institute in the Institute for Genomic Biology, “and you cannot ignore its impact on the feedstock harvest system.

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