Feedstox biomass harvesting fleet nearly fully assembled

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Holly Jessen
May 22, 2012

With the purchase of two new pieces of equipment Feedstox is prepared to begin executing contracts to harvest biomass in less than two weeks, says Jeff Roskam, CEO of the Kansas Alliance for Biorefining and Bioenergy. The recently purchased Challenger combine-baler combination equipment has a unique capability. “It harvests the wheat and bales in the same pass and the straw never hits the ground,” he said.

The equipment, which is manufactured by Agco Corp., can be utilized the same way in corn fields or to harvest switchgrass and miscanthus. Because the biomass never hits the ground, cellulosic ethanol producers would see 5 to 6 percent ash content. Ash is material that cannot be converted into useable product, including dirt. “Very few of these models are on the global market today,” said Todd Stucke, director of marketing hay and harvesting for Agco.

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Ks. economy gets $4.4 M injection

The Topeka Capital-Journal Online
By Tim Carpenter
Updated January 27, 2010 at 12:07am

The Kansas Bioscience Authority moved Tuesday to invest $4.4 million in animal health, human health and bioenergy to accelerate economic growth in the state.

Former Gov. John Carlin, president of the authority's board, said the expenditure of $1.8 million to support cancer research at The University of Kansas and four other initiatives indicate the type of commitment the agency has made to economic expansion since created in 2004 by the Legislature.

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Biomass Baler From AGCO

DomesticFuel.com
Posted by Chuck Zimmerman – November 9th, 2009

AGCO is one of the companies working on a prototype biomass harvest/transport system. At POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day they demonstrated a pulled behind baler system to harvest corn cobs and stover.

Dean Morrell, Product Marketing Manager for Hay and Forage Harvesting, was on site and talked with me about their system. He says it’s a one pass system which utilizes combine technology and durable large square baler technology. He says the material doesn’t touch the ground and makes for a very clean bale product. They had to do some major customization on the equipment and they have two units out working in the field as part of the development process.

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AGCO to Demonstrate Biomass Harvesting System

Kansas Farmer
Compiled by staff
Published: Oct 22, 2009

Innovative system utilizes Hesston large square baler technology.

AGCO Corporation, a leading manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, is applying its experience and innovation in harvesting and haying equipment to the development of efficient and affordable means for harvesting and transporting crop residue for cellulosic feedstock.

After several years of research and development, AGCO's first prototype biomass harvesting system will be demonstrated November 3 at the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day near Emmetsburg, Iowa. Project LIBERTY will produce 25 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from corn cobs. POET is currently working with 14 farmers in the Emmetsburg area on a pre-commercial harvest, and biomass is a major area of interest.

The biomass harvesting system currently in development at AGCO is a one-pass system which marries proven combine technology and the durable, reliable Hesston large square baler to collect and package clean corn stover, corn cob and leaf mixture into a 3-foot by 4-foot square bale. The time-saving system requires just one pass through the field for both grain and crop-residue harvest. In addition, it provides a biomass product that has minimal silicon content (dirt) as compared to other collection and storage options.

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