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Title: Perennial grasses for energy and conservation: Evaluating some ecological agricultural, and economic issues

Abstract

Perennial prairie grasses offer many advantages to the developing biofuels industry. High yielding varieties of native prairie grasses such as switchgrass, which combine lower levels of nutrient demand, diverse geographical growing range, high net energy yields and high soil and water conservation potential indicate that these grasses could and should supplement annual row crops such as corn in developing alternative fuels markets. Favorable net energy returns, increased soil erosion prevention, and a geographically diverse land base that can incorporate energy grasses into conventional farm practices will provide direct benefits to local and regional farm economies and lead to accelerated commercialization of conversion technologies. Displacement of row crops with perennial grasses will have major agricultural, economic, sociologic and cross-market implications. Thus, perennial grass production for biofuels offers significant economic advantages to a national energy strategy which considers both agricultural and environmental issues.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
219487
Report Number(s):
CONF-9511191-2
ON: DE96008062; TRN: 96:002567
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-96OR22464
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Conference on environmental enhancement through agriculture, Boston, MA (United States), 16-17 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; GRAMINEAE; RENEWABLE RESOURCES; ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT; SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS; RANGELANDS

Citation Formats

Downing, M, Walsh, M, and McLaughlin, S. Perennial grasses for energy and conservation: Evaluating some ecological agricultural, and economic issues. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Downing, M, Walsh, M, & McLaughlin, S. Perennial grasses for energy and conservation: Evaluating some ecological agricultural, and economic issues. United States.
Downing, M, Walsh, M, and McLaughlin, S. 1995. "Perennial grasses for energy and conservation: Evaluating some ecological agricultural, and economic issues". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/219487.
@article{osti_219487,
title = {Perennial grasses for energy and conservation: Evaluating some ecological agricultural, and economic issues},
author = {Downing, M and Walsh, M and McLaughlin, S},
abstractNote = {Perennial prairie grasses offer many advantages to the developing biofuels industry. High yielding varieties of native prairie grasses such as switchgrass, which combine lower levels of nutrient demand, diverse geographical growing range, high net energy yields and high soil and water conservation potential indicate that these grasses could and should supplement annual row crops such as corn in developing alternative fuels markets. Favorable net energy returns, increased soil erosion prevention, and a geographically diverse land base that can incorporate energy grasses into conventional farm practices will provide direct benefits to local and regional farm economies and lead to accelerated commercialization of conversion technologies. Displacement of row crops with perennial grasses will have major agricultural, economic, sociologic and cross-market implications. Thus, perennial grass production for biofuels offers significant economic advantages to a national energy strategy which considers both agricultural and environmental issues.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/219487}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Conference:
Other availability
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