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Title: High-value renewable energy from prairie grasses

Abstract

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.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4]
  1. ORNL
  2. Dartmouth College
  3. USDA ARS
  4. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
989686
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Environmental Science & Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 36; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; COMMERCIALIZATION; CROPS; ECONOMICS; FARMS; FINANCIAL INCENTIVES; GRAMINEAE; GREENHOUSE GASES; PRICES; PROFITS; EMISSION; RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES; BIOFUELS

Citation Formats

McLaughlin, Jr, Samuel B, De La Torre Ugarte, D., Garten, Jr, Charles T, Lynd, L, Sanderson, M, Tolbert, Virginia R, and Wolf, D. High-value renewable energy from prairie grasses. United States: N. p., 2002. Web. doi:10.1021/es010963d.
McLaughlin, Jr, Samuel B, De La Torre Ugarte, D., Garten, Jr, Charles T, Lynd, L, Sanderson, M, Tolbert, Virginia R, & Wolf, D. High-value renewable energy from prairie grasses. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es010963d
McLaughlin, Jr, Samuel B, De La Torre Ugarte, D., Garten, Jr, Charles T, Lynd, L, Sanderson, M, Tolbert, Virginia R, and Wolf, D. 2002. "High-value renewable energy from prairie grasses". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es010963d.
@article{osti_989686,
title = {High-value renewable energy from prairie grasses},
author = {McLaughlin, Jr, Samuel B and De La Torre Ugarte, D. and Garten, Jr, Charles T and Lynd, L and Sanderson, M and Tolbert, Virginia R and Wolf, D},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1021/es010963d},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/989686}, journal = {Environmental Science & Technology},
issn = {0013-936X},
number = 10,
volume = 36,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002},
month = {Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002}
}