High-value renewable energy from prairie grasses

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002 · Environmental Science & Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es010963d· OSTI ID:989686

McLaughlin, Jr, Samuel B ^[1]; Garten, Jr, Charles T ^[1]; Lynd, L ^[2]; Sanderson, M ^[3]; Tolbert, Virginia R ^[1]; Wolf, D ^[4]

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1. ORNL
2. Dartmouth College
3. USDA ARS
4. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)

Projected economic benefits of renewable energy derived from a native prairie grass, switchgrass, include nonmarket values that can reduce net fuel costs to near zero. At a farm gate price of $44.00/dry Mg, an agricultural sector model predicts higher profits for switchgrass than conventional crops on 16.9 million hectares (ha). Benefits would include an annual increase of $6 billion in net farm returns, a $1.86 billion reduction in government subsidies, and displacement of 44-159 Tg/year (1 Tg = 10{sup 12} g) of greenhouse gas emissions. Incorporating these values into the pricing structure for switchgrass bioenergy could accelerate commercialization and provide net benefits to the U.S. economy.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 989686
• Journal Information: Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 36, Issue 10; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
COMMERCIALIZATION
CROPS
ECONOMICS
FARMS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
GRAMINEAE
GREENHOUSE GASES
PRICES
PROFITS
EMISSION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
BIOFUELS