Feedstock Production

Agricultural Production

The U.S. Department of Energy set a national goal of producing a billion tons of biomass (both grain and vegetative biomass) by 2030. Iowa will play a major role in meeting that goal - although bioenergy feedstocks must be produced responsibly to preserve water quality and protect our rich agricultural resource. The Institute provides the following resources on feedstock production:

  1. Production of Cellulosic Bioenergy Feedstocks
    1. Crop Production Systems for Optimal Biomass Production
    2. Germplasm Selection and Development
    3. Soil Conservation, Environmental Impacts and Nutrient Cycling
    4. Harvest and Storage
  2. Sustaining Soils While Producing Biofuels
  3. Soil Management for Production of Biomass
  4. Development, Assessment and Sustainability of the Bioeconomy
  5. Integrating Woody Biomass Plantations in Midwestern Agricultural Landscapes

Carbon Sequestration

Biorenewable resources are derived from the production, harvesting and conversion of carbon-rich biomass into biofuels and biobased products. To prevent the depletion of soil carbon in large-scale biomass production will require good farming practices, land stewardship and technological advances in carbon sequestration. The institute has capabilities in the following areas:

  1. Control of Root/Shoot Balance by Source Strength: Role in Carbon Sequestration
  2. Bicarbonate Transport in Agronomic Crops: Role in Carbon Sequestration
  3. Soil Dwelling Algae and Cyanobacteria: Role in Carbon Sequestration
  4. Carbon Sequestration Potential of Agri-char Generated from Fast Pyrolysis of Agricultural Residues

Partnerships