U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Agroecosystem Management Research: Lincoln, NE
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Plains Area Lincoln, Nebraska Agroecosystem Management Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Schmer, Martyitem
                                            Vogel, Kennethitem
                                            Varvel, Garyitem
                                            Follett, Ronalditem
                                            Mitchell, Robert

                                                         - *Rob*item
                                            Jin, Virginia
  Submitted to: PLOS ONE
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 1/21/2014
                                    Publication  Date: 3/6/2014
                                    Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58582Citation: Schmer, M.R., Vogel, K.P., Varvel, G.E., Follett, R.F., Mitchell, R.B., Jin, V.L. 2014. Energy potential and greenhouse gas emissions from bioenergy cropping systems on marginally productive cropland. PLoS One. 9:e89501. DOI:10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0089501 2014.Interpretive Summary: Long-term evaluations of current and potential biofuel production systems are needed to determine environmental benefits and overall sustainability.  Grain and biomass yields and composition, soil carbon changes, and  production input data were obtained to estimate ethanol yields per acre and greenhouse gas emissions from a long term corn and switchgrass replicated field trial in the western Corn Belt USA. From this study, it was determined that continuous no-till corn with best management practices that result in soil carbon sequestration and switchgrass grown for bioenergy could result in significant net greenhouse gas reductions compared with existing transportation fuels.  Under the best management conditions in the study, both switchgrass and corn harvested for both grain and stover were net energy positive.  It also was determined that co-locating and integrating cellulosic ethanol biorefineries with existing corn grain ethanol facilities would result in improved environmental benefits and net energy efficiency as compared to the current corn grain ethanol system.
                                Technical Abstract: Grain and biomass yields and composition, soil carbon changes, and  production input data from a long-term continuous corn and switchgrass replicated field trial in the western Corn Belt USA were used to estimate energy yields and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Corn was produced without tillage with different N fertilizer and stover harvest treatments. We determined that with good management practices, continuous no-till corn and switchgrass grown for bioenergy could result in near-term net GHG reductions of -29 to -396 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per megajoule of ethanol per year as a result of direct soil carbon sequestration and the use of integrated grain and biomass biofuel conversion pathways.  Switchgrass using best management practices produced 3919 ± 117 liters of ethanol per hectare and had petroleum offsets of 74 ± 2.2 gigajoules of petroleum per hectare  which was similar to the best corn system (no-tillage, optimal N rate, grain and residue harvest). Co-locating and integrating cellulosic and corn grain ethanol biorefineries would significantly improve net energy efficiency as compared to the current corn grain ethanol system.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov