evaluating etuber and energybeets as feedstocks for biofuels & biogas in south florida
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Evaluating eTuber and Energybeets as Feedstocks for Biofuels & Biogas in South Florida. FDACS Office of Energy Farm to Fuel Project PIs: Brian Boman, IRREC Gilly Evans, TREC Ann Wilkie, Soil & Water Science. Coopeators & Partners. 12437 Magnolia Ave, Livingston, CA 95334. Objectives: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Evaluating eTuber and Energybeets as Feedstocks for Biofuels & Biogas in South Florida
17-pound eTuberTM next a table Sweetpotato.
Objectives:• Field trials with eTuber™ - yield &
growing protocol• Rotation crops (sugarbeet, sweet
sorghum, others)• Development of protocols to process
into ethanol & biodiesel• Complete economic analysis• Greenhouse gas analysis • Application data for Advanced
Biofuel Feedstock (ABF) designation for eTuber
FDACS Office of Energy Farm to Fuel ProjectPIs: Brian Boman, IRREC
Gilly Evans, TRECAnn Wilkie, Soil & Water Science
Coopeators & Partners
12437 Magnolia Ave, Livingston, CA 95334
NCERC at SIUE400 University Park Dr.Edwardsville, IL 62025618-659-6737
Energy Beet
eTuber™ Production in Florida
Yields enough starch to produce 1,800 gal ethanol per ac
Much less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than other crops
Grows well in nutrient-poor, sandy soils
Heat tolerant & water efficient Recovers well after drought and
heat stress Resistance to nematodes and
insects Doesn’t compete with food
crops for prime land High value protein after
processing
Advantages
Challenges Grown from transplanted
plugs or slips Viruses – rotate 1/3 of
acres with virus-free material each year
Sweet Potato weevil – pesticide application
Energy Beets• Winter crop• 1000 gal ethanol per acre• 200+ lb N, 60-80 lb K2O & P2O5
Sweet Sorghum• Summer crop• 110-135 days• 400 gal ethanol per acre• Ratoon crop if planted by early May• 100 lb N & K2O, 60 P2O5 (EAA data)
Rotation Crops2-year rotation with harvest 11 months/year
SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJul
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJul
AugSepOct
Energy beetSweet sorghum - ratoon cropeTuber
Potential to avg. 2,200 gal ethanol per acre per year with 3-crop rotation
Field trials: Experiments on planting density, rotation crops, fertilizer and irrigation rates, pest & disease control, and planting and harvest times.
Processing: Optimization of protocols for
conversion into ethanol and by-products,
GHG analysis for eTuber from field and processing data,
test syrup as a putative feedstock for e-coli, algae, and yeast to make biodiesel, jet fuel, etc.
Biogas: develop a method of producing biogas using culled sweetpotatoes, vines, and stillage through anaerobic digestion.
Economics: • cost of growing crops, • economic analysis of conversion to
ethanol and biofuels, • market potential analysis, • impact of commercialization on
economic development in FL.
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AcknowledgementThis research is sponsored by
FDACS Office of Energy and the State of Florida