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Title:   Author  item
                                            PERRIN, RICHARD - UNIV OF NE-LINCOLNitem
                                            Vogel, Kennethitem
                                            Schmer, Martyitem
                                            Mitchell, Robert

                                                         - *Rob*
  Submitted to: BioEnergy Research
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 1/29/2008
                                    Publication  Date: 3/4/2008
                                    Citation: Perrin, R., Vogel, K.P., Schmer, M.R., Mitchell, R. 2008. Farm-scale Production Cost of Switchgrass for Biomass. BioEnergy Research 1:91-97 (also available online at http://www.springerlink.com/content/f85977006m871205/ ; ARIS 196897).Interpretive Summary: Switchgrass is considered a potential commercial biomass feedstock but field scale production and production cost data have been limited. Here we report, as a benchmark, the actual costs of production incurred on ten commercial-sized fields in the northern Great Plains, between 2000 and 2005.  Ten cooperating farmers grew the crop for five years each on fields ranging from 7.5 to 24 acres.  A total of 173 acres were planted, 10 acres of which were abandoned because of poor establishment due to drought.  Total five-years expenditures on these 173 acres were $60,850, plus land rent totaling $49,900.  Total production was 2,232 ton (US) of air-dry switchgrass, for an average yield over the four full production years of 3.4 tons per acre per year.  The overall average cost of production was about $27 per ton plus $23 per ton for land rent.  If establishment costs were pro-rated over a more typical nine production years rather than four, total production costs would fall by 12%.  Yields through the five years averaged 0.4 ton per acre for the establishment year, then 2.1, 3.1, 4.2 and 3.5 ton per acre.  Total costs for individual farms, ranged from $29 to $110 per ton of biomass.  The potential for reducing establishment costs and increasing yields suggests that substantial quantities of switchgrass would be produced in just a few years with prices as low as $36-$40 per ton at the farm gate.  At a conversion rate of 80 gallons of ethanol per ton, the biomass feedstock cost at the farm gate would be about $0.50 per gallon.
                                Technical Abstract: Switchgrass is considered a potential commercial biomass feedstock but field scale production and production cost data have been limited. Here we report, as a benchmark, the actual costs of production incurred on ten commercial-sized fields in the northern Great Plains, between 2000 and 2005.  Ten cooperating farmers grew the crop for five years each on fields ranging from 3 to 10 ha.  A total of 70 ha were planted, 4 ha of which were abandoned because of poor establishment due to drought. Total five-year expenditures on these 70 ha were $60,850, plus land rent totaling $49,900. Total production was 2,026 Mg of air-dry switchgrass, for an average yield over the four full production years of 7.6 Mg/ha/year.  The overall average cost of production was about $30/Mg plus $25/Mg for land rent.  If establishment costs were pro-rated over a more typical nine production years rather than four, total production costs would fall by 12%.  Yields through the five years averaged 0.9 Mg/ha for the establishment year, then 4.9, 7.0, 9.4 and 7.9 Mg/ha.  Total costs for individual farms, ranged from $32 to $121/Mg.  The potential for reducing establishment costs and increasing yields suggests that substantial quantities of switchgrass would be produced in just a few years with prices as low as $40-$45/Mg at the farm gate.


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