These energy crops must be environmentally acceptable and convertible into specific energy products. The research strategy for herbaceous energy crops has been to use screening studies to identify the most promising species and varieties and to develop effective production practices. The promising species and varieties are then moved into a research program to further improve production potential. Current switchgrass research includes breeding and physiological studies and larger scale trials to develop improved cropping systems. The goal of the Environmental Sustainability research is to develop data to demonstrate that biomass crops can be established, managed, and harvested in an environmentally acceptable manner.
Research focuses on three critical areas - water quality, soil sustainability, and biodiversity.
Information from this initial research can be used by project developers who must address specific concerns and meet local, state, and national environmental regulations. Water quality, including non-point source pollution from agricultural practices, is an increasing concern to both regulators and the public. Soil sustainability is of major concern to crop producers, potential users of energy crops, and to environmental groups that take a long term view of environmental issues. Biodiversity, particularly wildlife diversity, is a major environmental issue because of the continued loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. Data specific to energy crops and relevant to these environmental concerns must be available to ensure that these concerns can be addressed and will not become roadblocks to the commercialization of bioenergy systems.