# Presentation: 510285

## THE BIG PICTURE

**THE BIG PICTURE**

**Notes:**
Purpose of training – introduce you to energy issues, terms and opportunities for NRCS to help
We have a mixture of information gathered by the Wi NRCS energy team and some for ARS researcher Dr. Doug Karlan –very impressive interest in wise resource use also.

## Catchall phrase for a variety of energy sources
Utilize natural and abundant sources such as sunlight, wind, water, geothermal heat
Renewable energy technologies - solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, biofuels

**Renewable Energy**

- Catchall phrase for a variety of energy sources
- Utilize natural and abundant sources such as sunlight, wind, water, geothermal heat
- Renewable energy technologies - solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, biofuels

**Notes:**
Renewable energy is more difficult to define than you might imagine. Since it is a catchall phrase for a variety of energy sources, any definition has to be broad. With this in mind, let’s define renewable energy as any energy source that naturally occurs and is very abundant.

## energy independence 
national security 
political instability in oil producing regions
global warming and greenhouse gases 

**National Priority**

- energy independence
- national security
- political instability in oil producing regions
- global warming and greenhouse gases

**Notes:**
Renewable energy has only recently become a national political priority.
energy independence” from foreign sources of fossil fuel.
national security issues related to political instability in oil producing regions.
desire to reduce greenhouse gasses. 
Many energy laws and mandates are being considered at all levels of government.

## America’s Energy Appetite

**1974**

**1979**

**2007**

***USDA ARS Renewable Energy Assessment Project*** (***REAP)***

## 
Emphasizes use of technology to reduce reliance on foreign sources of energy 
Increased domestic energy production of all types
Infrastructure modernization
Transport, storage suitable for biofuels
Conservation

**Federal Position**

- Emphasizes use of ***technology*** to reduce reliance on foreign sources of energy
- Increased domestic energy production of all types
- Infrastructure modernization
- Transport, storage suitable for biofuels
- Conservation

**Notes:**
Administration’s vision Emphasizes the use of technology to reduce reliance on foreign sources of energy through conservation, infrastructure modernization, and increases in domestic energy production.
State and Federal laws mandate some level of energy production from “renewable” energy by certain timetables
Ethanol can’t be piped through existing pipeline, storage and railcars/transportation need to be modified, more blending facilities. 
Conservation is always needed and we can reduce energy demands per capita, but realistically total energy demands will increase in the world

## Direct incentives for research and development
Federal tax subsidies ($.51/gal ethanol & $1.00/gal biodiesel) so that alternative fuels are competitive with traditional sources
Also designed to improve commodity prices 
DOE funding construction of 6 cellulosic ethanol plants (IA, KS, ID, CA, FL, GA)

**Renewable Energy Incentives**

- Direct incentives for ***research and development***
- Federal tax subsidies ($.51/gal ethanol & $1.00/gal biodiesel) so that alternative fuels are competitive with traditional sources
- Also designed to improve commodity prices
- DOE funding construction of 6 cellulosic ethanol plants (IA, KS, ID, CA, FL, GA)

**Notes:**
Most direct incentives from government for renewable energy at this time involve money for research and development of alternative fuels technology. 
Federal tax subsidies are used to offset the actual costs of producing ($.51/gal ethanol & $1.00/gal biodiesel) and delivering the energy so that the costs are competitive with traditional sources.  

## Signed by President Bush 12/19/07
36 billion gal. of renewable fuel by 2022
Only 15 billion from corn
Average vehicle efficiency to 35 mpg by 2020
Bans incandescent bulbs by 2014

- Signed by President Bush 12/19/07
- 36 billion gal. of renewable fuel by 2022
- Only 15 billion from corn
- Average vehicle efficiency to 35 mpg by 2020
- Bans incandescent bulbs by 2014

**Notes:**
U.S. uses 140 billion gal of gas annually and produced 6-7 billion gal of ethanol in 2007.  Bigger impact on ag than the farm bill.

## USDA Rural Development’s Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program (9006 program) - grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural businesses to install renewable energy systems (ex methane digesters).

2002 Farm Bill – CSP energy enhancements

**USDA Renewable Energy Incentives**

- USDA Rural Development’s ***Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program (9006 program)*** - grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural businesses to install renewable energy systems (ex methane digesters).
- 2002 Farm Bill – CSP energy enhancements

**Notes:**
USDA Rural Development’s Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program funds grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural businesses to install renewable energy systems (ex methane digesters).  
Many manure digesters funded through this program – 21 operating in 2006, 23 planned
CSP only NRCS program specifically addressing energy – EQIP secondary goals for energy reduction

## Potential for incentives to transition to biomass crops
Guaranteed loans for cellulosic ethanol plants?
On-farm energy production and efficiency incentives? 

**New Farm Bill**

- Potential for incentives to transition to biomass crops
- Guaranteed loans for cellulosic ethanol plants?
- On-farm energy production and efficiency incentives?

**Notes:**
We’ll see

## U.S. Congressman Ron Kind on Dec. 20 announced that the Driftless Area Initiative, a cooperative conservation effort led by six regional Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils in the four-state Driftless Area (Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota), received a Congressional appropriation of $618,000 in the 2008 federal budget. 
Project will develop energy production from perennial biomass crops 

- U.S. Congressman Ron Kind on Dec. 20 announced that the Driftless Area Initiative, a cooperative conservation effort led by six regional Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils in the four-state Driftless Area (Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota), received a Congressional appropriation of $618,000 in the 2008 federal budget.
**Project will develop energy production from perennial biomass crops**

## Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence 
25 x 25 - 25% of state’s energy from renewable sources by 2025 
Capture 10% of national bio and renewable energy market by 2030 
Lead the nation in research

**State of Wisconsin**

**Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence**
- 25 x 25 - 25% of state’s energy from renewable sources by 2025
- Capture 10% of national bio and renewable energy market by 2030
- Lead the nation in research

## Wisconsin Focus on Energy - tax breaks and cash refunds for high efficiency appliances and home energy generation- wind, geothermal, solar
Funding for anaerobic manure digesters
Funding for soybean crush plant and credit for biodiesel production

**State Incentives**

- Wisconsin ***Focus on Energy*** - tax breaks and cash refunds for high efficiency appliances and home energy generation- wind, geothermal, solar
- Funding for anaerobic manure digesters
- Funding for soybean crush plant and credit for biodiesel production

**Notes:**
In Wisconsin, tax breaks and cash refunds are available through the “Focus on Energy” program for the installation of high efficient appliances and for home energy generation from wind, geothermal, and solar power.    $4 M for soybean crush plant at Evansville and $.10/gal biodiesel credit included in new state budget

## UW-Madison awarded $130 M DOE grant
Partnership with Michigan State University and others
Largest grant in UW history
Main focus on overcoming obstacles to commercially viable ethanol from cellulose
Part of overall WI Bioenergy Initiative at UW

**Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center**

- UW-Madison awarded $130 M DOE grant
- Partnership with Michigan State University and others
- Largest grant in UW history
- Main focus on overcoming obstacles to commercially viable ethanol from cellulose
- Part of overall WI Bioenergy Initiative at UW

**Notes:**
First of potentially 3-stage, 15 year effort

## About $2.50/acre
$3.75-$4/ton of C stored
Traded on Chicago Climate Exchange

**Farmers Union ****Carbon Credit Program**

- About $2.50/acre
- $3.75-$4/ton of C stored
- Traded on Chicago Climate Exchange

**Notes:**
Farm Bureau had a carbon program in Iowa the last year or two. It is available in Wi now. Looks to be something like the Farmers Union program 
Private-voluntary program
Carbon Credits traded on Chicago Climate Exchange (only exists in cyberspace/ there is no actual trading floor)
3 types of contracts: Forestry-Methane-Soil
Forestry can be new planting on cropland converted to trees or a standing timber -15 year contracts
Methane from manure storage structure is collected and destroyed--8 year contract??
Soil contracts are 5 years in length-continuous no till or strip till or grassland plantings
see the website at     www.agragate.com     for more details
Website claims over 1 million acres enrolled through 2007
Example described at the show concluded approximate $12/acre payment over the life of the 5 year no till contract for a farmer in SW Wisconsin---That is 12$ total per acre over the entire 5 years,or, $2.40 per annum

If carbon cap and trade system is implemented, $20 or more/ton likely.  That’s the case in Europe.  

## NRCS

**NRCS**

**NRCS Strategic Plan**
- Venture Goal *agricultural energy conservation and production*

## 1.  Identify and communicate NRCS role in energy conservation and energy production
2.  Integrate energy concerns into NRCS planning process
3.  Develop tools and technologies to support energy  management
4.  Provide training to NRCS field and state office personnel

**NRCS National Energy Goals**

- 1.  Identify and communicate NRCS role in energy conservation and energy production
- 2.  Integrate energy concerns into NRCS planning process
- 3.  Develop tools and technologies to support energy  management
- 4.  Provide training to NRCS field and state office personnel

## 5.  Develop partnerships
6.  Save energy within NRCS operations
7.  Develop technologies and provide
     information for sustainable biomass
     energy production

**NRCS Energy Goals (cont.)**

- 5.  Develop partnerships
- 6.  Save energy within NRCS operations
- 7.  Develop technologies and provide
-      information for sustainable biomass
-      energy production

## The Basics

**Notes:**
In this section, we will cover some of the terms and science behind renewable energies
Try to give a brief view of what can be a rather complex sounding bunch of jumbled up science.

## The production of biofuels involves organic chemistry.
A few people understand organic chemistry, then, there are the rest of us.
Technologic developments in biofuel production are rapidly occurring
There’s NO FREE LUNCH

**Biofuels Basics**

- The production of biofuels involves organic chemistry.
- A few people understand organic chemistry, then, there are the rest of us.
- Technologic developments in biofuel production are rapidly occurring
- There’s NO FREE LUNCH

## 
made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology 

biodegradable, relatively harmless if spilled

**First generation biofuels**

- made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology
- _[biodegradable](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable)__, relatively harmless if spilled_

**Notes:**
'First-generation fuels refer to biofuels made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology 
One advantage of many biofuels over most other fuel types is that they are biodegradable, and so, relatively harmless to the environment if spilled
Biodiesel is particularly well suited to marine use (fish and chips!?

## most common biofuel worldwide
produced by fermenting sugars  
Additive to gasoline
Most comes from corn grain or sugar cane (Brazil)

1 bu field corn yields 2.7 gal fuel ethanol

**Ethanol**

- most common biofuel worldwide
- produced by fermenting sugars
- Additive to gasoline
- Most comes from corn grain or sugar cane (Brazil)
- 1 bu field corn yields 2.7 gal fuel ethanol

**Notes:**
Ethanol is the most common biofuel worldwide. It is an alcohol fuel. It is produced by fermentation of sugars derived from wheat, corn, sugar beet and sugar cane.. 
In Wisconsin, ethanol is primarily produced from corn.  
Currently, one bushel of field corn will yield approximately 2.7 gallons of fuel ethanol.  The Office of Energy Independence is also exploring the production of biofuels from other cellulosic feedstocks, such as corn stover, grasses, and wood waste.  Ethanol can be used in gas engines as a replacement for gasoline;
1 bushel corn yields 18 pounds ethanol, 18 pounds CO2 and 18 pounds distillers grain

## produced from oils or fats using transesterification 
Oils + sodium hydroxide and methanol produces 10 parts biodiesel + 1 part glycerol
Used in diesel engines when mixed with mineral diesel
1 bu soybeans yields 1.5 gal biodiesel

**Biodiesel**

- produced from oils or fats using _[transesterification](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transesterification)_
- Oils + sodium hydroxide and methanol produces 10 parts biodiesel + 1 part glycerol
- Used in _[diesel engine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine)_s when mixed with mineral diesel
- 1 bu soybeans yields 1.5 gal biodiesel

**Notes:**
Biodiesel is the most common biofuel in Europe. Biodiesel is an alternative to petroleum diesel that is made from vegetable oils and animal fats through a process called transesterification. Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel (B100) or blended with petroleum and can be used in any diesel engine with little or no engine modifications.

I have produced biodiesel at home from wasted restaurant oil for the past 6 years

## food or fuel
usable in older diesel engines (with indirect injection systems). 
usually used to make biodiesel, blended with conventional diesel fuel
straight vegetable oil cannot be used in most engines 

**Vegetable oil**

- food or fuel
- usable in older diesel engines (with _[indirect injection systems](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indirect_injection)__). _
- usually used to make biodiesel, blended with conventional diesel fuel
- straight vegetable oil cannot be used in most engines

**Notes:**
Vegetable oil can be used for either food or fuel; the quality of the oil may be lower for fuel use. Vegetable oil can be used in many older diesel engines (equipped with indirect injection systems). In most cases, vegetable oil is used to manufacture biodiesel, which is compatible with most diesel engines when blended with conventional diesel fuel. No engine manufacturer explicitly states that straight vegetable oil can be used in their engines. Used vegetable oil (e.g. from deep fat fryers) can be filtered and processed into biodiesel.

** ****Algae **

- faster growth-rates than crops
- yields 5,000 to 20,000 gal oil/acre/yr
- difficulty identifying best algal strain
- PETA may be a big barrier

**Notes:**
Research is being done, generally by small private concerns, about the use of microalgae as an energy source. 
Microalgae have much faster growth-rates than terrestrial crops. The yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from between 5,000 to 20,000 gallons per acre, per year; this is 7 to 30 times greater than the next best crop, Chinese tallow (699 gallons).
Algal-oil processes into biodiesel as easily as oil derived from land-based crops. The difficulties in efficient biodiesel production from algae lie not in the extraction of the oil, but in finding an algal strain with a high lipid content and fast growth rate that isn't too difficult to harvest, and a cost-effective cultivation system (i.e., type of photobioreactor) that is best suited to that strain.
2. Algae eat CO2, the major Global Warming Gas, and produce oxygen.3. Algae require only sunshine and non-drinkable (salt or brackish) water.4. Algae do not compete with food crops for land or fresh water.5. Algae can reproduce themselves and their oil every 6 hours, while it takes Mother Nature millions of years to produce crude oil in the ground.
PETA –People for the Ethical Treatment of Algae

## 
claimed to provide a direct replacement for gasoline and can be used in gas pipelines

not in widespread production.

**Butanol**

**claimed to provide a direct replacement for gasoline and can be used in gas pipelines**
**not in widespread production.**

**Notes:**
Butanol is claimed to provide a direct replacement for gasoline. It is not in widespread production.
Unlike yeast, which can only digest sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, Closteridia Acetobutylicum bacteria  can digest whey, sugar, starch, lignin, cellulose fiber and other biomass directly into butanol, propionic acid, ether, and glycerin. The feedstocks are the same as for ethanol — energy crops such as sugar beets, sugar cane, corn grain, wheat and cassava as well as agricultural byproducts such as straw and corn stalks. According to DuPont, existing bioethanol plants can cost-effectively be retrofitted to biobutanol production

## Methane produced by anaerobic digestion 
Feedstocks include manure, organic wastes or energy crops 
Solid byproducts, digestate, can be used as a biofuel or a fertilizer 
Mainly used to generate electricity
Also burned on-farm or cleaned up for gas pipelines

**BioGas, aka Renewable Natural Gas**

**Methane produced by anaerobic digestion **
**Feedstocks include manure, organic wastes or energy crops **
**Solid byproducts, **_[digestate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestate)_**, can be used as a biofuel or a fertilizer **
**Mainly used to generate electricity**
**Also burned on-farm or cleaned up for gas pipelines**

**Notes:**
Biogas (mainly methane) is produced by the process of anaerobic digestion of organic material by anaerobes. It can be produced either from biodegradable waste materials or by the use of energy crops fed into anaerobic digesters to supplement gas yields. The solid byproduct, digestate, can be used as a biofuel or a fertilizer. 
The main use of the methane is to fuel an engine which turns a generator to create electricity.
Wisconsin farmers currently lead the nation in both the number of operating farm anaerobic digestion systems and in total energy produced in kWh/yr.

## Switchgrass, wood, stover....
Burn for electricity or heat
Currently <1% of electric capacity in WI
Limiting factors
Handling, transport and storage, ash or by-product disposal, air quality permits

**Combustion of Biomass**

- Switchgrass, wood, stover....
- Burn for electricity or heat
- Currently <1% of electric capacity in WI
- Limiting factors
- Handling, transport and storage, ash or by-product disposal, air quality permits

**Notes:**
Proposed Alliant plant at Cassville- 10-20% biomass fueled
You can also consider the wood furnace heating my house as Biomass utilization

## Made from ligno-cellulosic biomass using advanced technical processes
Switchgrass, stover, wood, etc.
Limiting factors
Creation of specific enzymes to break down cellulose into fermentable sugars
Transport and storage of biomass

**Second generation biofuels**

- Made from ligno-cellulosic biomass using advanced technical processes
- Switchgrass, stover, wood, etc.
- Limiting factors
- Creation of specific enzymes to break down cellulose into fermentable sugars
- Transport and storage of biomass

**Notes:**
Second-generation fuels are made from lignocellulosic biomass feedstock using advanced technical processes
The University of Wisconsin recently was granted $125 million to study cellulosic ethanol production.
A major limiting factor is the creation of specific enzymes to break down the cellulose so it may be fermented into alcohol

My personal concern is : Why are we spending many millions of dollars studying ways to make gas out of cornstalks and degrade our agricultural system when possibly Algal Biodiesel can be much more productive and less harmful.

## Not yet commercially viable
BioHydrogen ------Biomethanol 
Biobutanol
Bio-DME 
DMF 
HTU diesel 
Fischer-Tropsch diesel 
Mixed Alcohols (i.e., mixture of mostly ethanol, propanol and butanol, with some pentanol, hexanol,
Syngas from pyrolysis w/biochar byproduct
First WI plant planned at Cashton

- Not yet commercially viable
- BioHydrogen ------Biomethanol
- Biobutanol
- Bio-DME
- DMF
- HTU diesel
- Fischer-Tropsch diesel
- _[Mixed Alcohols](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mixed_Alcohols&action=edit)_ (i.e., mixture of mostly ethanol, propanol and butanol, with some pentanol, hexanol,
- Syngas from pyrolysis w/biochar byproduct
- First WI plant planned at Cashton

**Notes:**
I have some general information about these complex processes if you are interested—or---look up on the web

## Biofuels are made from natural feed stocks
Environmental costs occur in the production of feed stocks.
Our appetite for fuel is massive and growing
Can’t have it both ways

**NO FREE LUNCH**

- Biofuels are made from natural feed stocks
- Environmental costs occur in the production of feed stocks.
- Our appetite for fuel is massive and growing
- Can’t have it both ways

## Erosion Cost For Grain Ethanol 

- The IA Natural Resources Inventory shows a soil erosion loss of 4.9 tons per acre per year
- The 2005 & 2006 average corn yield was 170 bu/ac
- Assume 2.7 gal EtOH/bu
- Soil loss = 21 lbs/gal

- Estimate developed by Duane Sand and published by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, 2006

***REAP***

## Meeting the Challenge Sustainably

***Stover harvest***

- Soil carbon

- Time

***Management***
***change***

***Modern agriculture***

***Pre-cultivation ***
***steady-state***

***+ Cover crops***
*** ******+  Green manure***
***  ******+ Increased***
***       ******efficiencies***
***  ******+ Innovative***
***         ******technologies***

***∆ ******SOC = input - output***

***+ No tillage?***

***REAP***

**Notes:**
Prior to Europeans plowing the prairie or clearing the woodlands:  8-10% Organic Matter in the surface horizon
Now between 3-5% OM here in the Midwest; much lower in the Southest US where temperatures are higher and the microbes enjoy a much longer time period to consume organic matter 

Without the crop stover being returned to the soil, the OM will rapidly be depleted to half or less of the current levels.

## What’s happening in Wisconsin?

## Bioethanol Plantsas of May 2007

**Notes:**
6 operating in WI as of 10/31/07 with 3 more coming online this fall.  
Notice concentration in corn belt= distribution problem

## Ethanol in Wisconsin

- By end of 2007, Wisconsin's annual capacity expected to reach 521 million gallons
- 9 plants producing by end of 2007
- Current production – 350 mil gal 2007
- Current consumption - 130 million gallons in 2006

**Notes:**
ETHANOL PRODUCTION IN WISCONSIN

In 2000, Wisconsin had no ethanol production.  The first large scale ethanol facility began producing in 2001.  Wisconsin's annual ethanol production capacity has reached 291 million gallons, making it the 7th largest ethanol producing state in the nation. . In the next few years, with additional proposed plants, ethanol production is expected to reach 877 million gallons annually.  

## Slide 37

**Notes:**
Winter and spring of 2007.  Soybeans and wheat in 2008?

## Water Quality Cost of Grain Ethanol

- 15% increase in corn acres planted in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin for 2007 (NASS, 2007)
- Potential increased loss of 211 million lbs of N to streams & rivers (Elobeid et al, 2006; Wisner, 2007)
- Potential increased loss of 20 million lbs of P to streams & rivers

***REAP***

**Notes:**
These numbers just represent the increased potentials due to increased acres ,not, the total loss due to the total plantings.
The hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico is a concern of  Resource professionals like ourselves—the Upper Mississippi Basin is the greatest contributor to the degradation of the gulf waters.

## Slide 39

**Notes:**
Corn and row crop production –leads to  additional tillage, more chemicals. More runoff.......

## Biodiesel Plantsas of May 2007

## Biodiesel in Wisconsin

- 2004 – 2 mil gal produced
- 2008 – 100 mil gal estimated
- Or maybe not, soy oil prices too high to make biodiesel profitably

**Notes:**

BIODIESEL PRODUCTION IN WISCONSIN

In 2004, Wisconsin’s first biodiesel refining facility began production on a small scale at 2 million gallons per year.  Within three years the state has reached the annual production capacity of 53 million gallons.  By end of 2008, production will have doubled to over 100 million gallons per year and by 2010 Wisconsin has the potential to produce 178 million gallons annually.

Due to the rise in soybeans and soybean oil prices, construction has been halted on a 45 mgy biodiesel plant in Evansville, WI.

## Biogas

- 21 on-farm anaerobic digesters in WI
- Leads U.S.
- 36.6 M KWH/yr produced
- Equivalent to use of 3,666 homes

## 1.2 million dairy cows
7.3 million gallons of milk/day
27.6 million gallons of manure/day!

- 1.2 million dairy cows
- 7.3 million gallons of milk/day
- 27.6 million gallons of manure/day!

**Notes:**
Can we help capture some of the energy in the 27.6 million gallons of manure per day?

## Hydro-electric power

**Notes:**
There are 25 operating Hydroelectric Power Plants on the Wisconsin River. The "hydros" harness 645 feet of the rivers fall to generate nearly one billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year - enough energy to supply the residential needs of 300,000 people. 
Hydropower is clean. It prevents the burning of 22 billion gallons of oil or 120 million tons of coal each year. (1) 
Hydropower does not produce greenhouse gasses or other air pollution. (1) 
Hydropower leaves behind no waste. (1) 
Issues - Environmental Impacts on the river are significant.   Probably won’t be building more of these large public works projects.

## Potential energy production
Large, commercial turbines (at right)
Smaller, on-farm or residential 

- Wind

- Potential energy production
- Large, commercial turbines (at right)
- Smaller, on-farm or residential

**Notes:**
WI potential not as high as states to the west
Wind energy costs 40% more in WI than IA (more wind)
Lots of local opposition, migrating birds, aesthetics

Currently a wind farm near Montfort in Grant County—another is proposed for the township I live in and there are several people opposed to it

## Potential energy production
Passive
Hot water
Electricity

- Potential energy production
- Passive
- Hot water
- Electricity

**Notes:**
Small, localized projects, residential applications, some corporate buildings; very little commercial energy production

Soldiers Grove—the Little Town that Could—The Solar Village—not sure that  it is still going strong

## NRCS Role: Energy Conservation and Energy Production

## Why is NRCS involved?

- Not our traditional role, not our strength .....yet.
- But it is a National priority and state priority
- We need to help.

**Notes:**
Why is NRCS getting involved in this anyway?  Not our traditional role and not our strength .....yet.
National resource priority and state resource priority.  

## What can NRCS do?

- Help people
- produce energy crops sustainably
- save energy with conservation practices
- capture and utilize some of the bio materials that are produced – animal and vegetable – for energy

**Notes:**
We have several roles – helping people conserve energy with conservation practices
Helping people produce energy crops in a sustainable manner, helping people capture and utilize some of the the bio materials that are produced – animal and vegetable – for energy.
Wind and solar on-farm also a possibility

## WI NRCS Energy Efforts

- Established energy objectives
- Formed Energy Team
- Energy 101 a product
- WI NRCS Energy web site
- _[www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy.html](http://www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy.html)_
- Outreach and Partnerships
- Adapting new practices

**Notes:**
At the state level, we have taken a number of steps to identify our role and be proactive – anticipate more reponsbilities and opportunities in the next farm bill.
Outreach and partnerships – learning who the players are and getting to the table to make sure conservation is part of ther discussion.
WI Energy team – all the RC&Ds, a couple DCs, SCs, state office staff
WI energy website – look under the Technical tab. 

## Energy and NRCS

- SWAPA+H still applies
- Existing energy-related practices, enhancements, and tools
- New practice standards coming
- Higher priority in the new Farm Bill
- Energy Act may have bigger impact on ag than Farm Bill

**Notes:**
Soil Water Air Plants Animals + Humans (SWAPA+H) still applies
Existing energy-related practices, enhancements, and tools 
New practice standards coming
Renewable energy production and efficiency/conservation likely a higher priority with the new Farm Bill

## Soil, Water, Air 

- WI corn up 500,000 acres in 2007
- Most at the expense of soybeans (300,000 ac)
- Rest from CRP, no-till, pasture, alfalfa, even forestland
- Soil and water impacts
- Air impacts: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide

**Notes:**
2007 WI corn acreage up 10% from 2006, to 4 million acres, driven by ethanol demand
Soil and water concerns well known
Also need to think about air impacts, such as increased CO2 (carbon dioxide), CH4 (methane), to the atmosphere
Marginal lands coming into production- means loss of soil organic matter and productivity

## SWAPA+H cont.

- How much residue is “excess”?
- New/different crops coming
- Oilseed crops in far northern WI
- Switchgrass/prairie plantings for biomass
- What opportunities and concerns do they present?  Where should they be grown?
- What are the impacts on wildlife?

**Notes:**
Things we should be thinking about

## What Are Our Alternatives?

***REAP***

**Notes:**
The 30 by 30 proposal we saw earlier---BILLION TONS---
What does that mean?????

## Biomass for Bioenergy

- Agriculture – 998 million tons
- Perennial energy crops – 377 million tons
- “Wastes” – 87 million tons
- Grain – 87 million tons
_**Crop residues – 428 million tons**_
_**Corn stover – 256 million tons**_
- (projected estimates; Billion Ton Report, Perlack et al 2005)

***REAP***

**Notes:**
They way I read this chart for Dr. Karlans evaluation of the billion ton report-
Corn stalks are to provide 1⁄4 of the billion ton feedstock source each year.

## Comprehending the Challenge

**If 1 ton = 1 sq in**
**1 billion tons = 145 football fields**

_***Round Bales***_
**5 ft, 1000 lb, laid end-to-end**
**1.89 million miles**
**75 times around the earth**

***REAP***

**Notes:**
If your like me, discussing these amounts of ethanol or feedstock gets very confusing. It’s like discussing the national budget or national debt. You know it is huge, but you can’t accurately describe or comprehend HUGE.

These analogues may help you grasp these numbers.

The 30 x’30 goal (60 billion gallons of ethanol) will demand 1 billion tons of feedstock.  This is just the U.S., annually, for 60 billion gallons of ethanol!

What is a billion?

## Biomass Harvest – Risk Analysis

- Renewable
- Domestic
- Reduces release of fossil CO2
- Additional farm commodity

- Risks
- Decreased surface residues
- Increased erosion
- Off-site nutrient and sediments
- Decreased SOM
- Decreased productivity
- Other – loss of winter cover, habitat

***REAP***

**Notes:**
Perennial crops like switchgrass and alfalfa could help decrease risks.  

## Total Nutrient Replacement Cost

| Stover Harvest Scenario | Average for Three Hybrids (’05 & ’06) |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | $ ac-1 | $ ton-1 | $ gal EtOH-1 |
| Whole plant | $ 27.71 | $ 9.67 | $0.121† |
| Cob & top 50% | $ 18.47
 | $ 9.49 | $0.118 |
| Bottom 50% | $ 7.39 | $ 10.10
 | $ 0.126 |

- † Assumes 80 gal EtOH ton-1 biomass

***REAP***

**Notes:**
These are costs that ARS determined to just replace the removal with commercial fertilizers at 2006 prices???  Prices much, much higher now!
N P and K have all risen dramatically as you know.

## Crop residues are not WASTES, waiting to be used productively. They are used NOW, and have been for centuries, as the PRIMARY soil amendment providing input of carbon and nutrients that are essential for sustained production of food, feed, fiber–and now FUEL.

**Crop residues are not WASTES, waiting to be used productively. They are used NOW, and have been for centuries, as the PRIMARY soil amendment providing input of carbon and nutrients that are essential for sustained production of food, feed, fiber–and now FUEL.**

***REAP***

**Notes:**
Crop residues are not WASTES, waiting for a productive use. They are NOW used, and HAVE been used for centuries, as the PRIMARY soil amendment providing input of carbon and nutrients which are key to sustained production of food, feed, and fiber. AND now even FUEL.

## Existing “Energy” Practices

- Manure Digesters (629)
- Waste Facility Cover (367)
- Crop Residue Management (329)
- Nutrient Management (590)
- Integrated Pest Management (595)
- Irrigation Water Management (449)
- Prescribed Grazing (528)
- Windbreaks/Shelterbelts (380)

## CSP Energy Enhancements

- Energy audits
- Annual and perennial legumes
- Purchase of biofuels
- Renewable energy production on farm
- Soil Tillage Intensity Rating
- Recycling lubricants
- Reducing energy consumption
- Supplying crop N w/legumes, manure, etc

## Energy Tools		

- RUSLE2
- SCI, STIR, fuel savings
- Energy Estimators (_[http://](http://energytools.sc.egov.usda.gov/)__[energytools.sc.egov.usda.gov](http://energytools.sc.egov.usda.gov/)_)
- Animal Housing
- Irrigation
- Nitrogen
- Tillage
- COMET-VR (soil C sequestration tool)
- WI NRCS Energy web site _[www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy.html](http://www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy.html)__[ ](http://www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy.html)_

**Notes:**
Other more advanced estimators being developed by UW, funded by NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant

## Future Practices

- Conservation Power Plant (716)
- on-farm electricity from wind or solar
- Could include hydropower and biogas
- 2 FY07 EQIP contracts in Colorado
- Agricultural Energy Mgm’t Plans (AgEMPs)
- Incentives for efficiency & renewable production

**Notes:**
Conservation Power Plant (716)
Used for on-farm electricity production from wind and solar
Could include hydropower and biogas
2 FY07 EQIP contracts in Colorado
Ex. Low input, high diversity (LIHD)?

## WI RC&D Activities

- Biomass inventory on CRP contracts with warm season grasses
- Inventory of Driftless woodlands for biomass inventory (USFS grant)
- harvest cost study
- Pilot wind assessment project with interested landowner

## Diversity Can Make Us All Winners

- Ligno-cellulosic technologies can provide viable markets for a wide variety of crops
- Landscape diversity can help solve bioenergy, air quality, water quality, global warming (through C sequestration) & rural economic problems – IF implemented as an entire agricultural system.

***REAP***

## Consider the Land First	

- NRCS is the leader in understanding soil and natural resources.
- NRCS will have a key role in biofuel feed stock production
- NRCS assists private landowners and public decision makers in conservation of soil, water and other natural resources.

**Notes:**
NRCS employees are experts in the understanding of soil and related natural resources.  Who could do this better?
NRCS needs to clearly define its role in the biofuel feed stock production arena and actively engage the other players.
NRCS conservationists are charged with the responsibility to assist private landowners and public decision makers in the conservation of soil, water and related natural resources.

## An equal opportunity employer and provider.