Double- and Relay- Cropping Systems for Oil and Biomass Feedstock Production in the North Central Region

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1 North Central Regional SunGrant Center Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN Double- and Relay- Cropping Systems for Oil and Biomass Feedstock Production in the North Central Region Marisol Berti 1, B.L. Johnson 1, R. Gesch 2, W. Seames 3, Y. Ji 3, and S. Orchard 4 1 Dept. of Plant Sciences, NDSU 2 ARS-USDA-Morris, MN 3 University of North Dakota 4 Menon & Associates

2 Introduction Outline Double- and relay- cropping systems Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) Forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Objectives Materials and Methods Projected outcomes

3 Double- and relay-cropping systems Combining the production of both a winter oilseed and a biomass crop in the same season. - Fits in food crop rotations (wheat-soybean) - minimizes soil erosion - lengthen the growing season - takes up excess soil N - supply of biomass to make biofuels from lignocellulose materials Winter camelina, fall 2011 Forage sorghum planted after a cover crop

4 Camelina Low-input oilseed crop Rapid growth Winter-types available Harvest in June Allows for planting of a warm-season biomass crop such as forage sorghum

5 Forage sorghum C4, rapid growth, high dry matter yield (30 to 35 Mg ha -1 in ND) Drought resistant More tolerant to alkali or saline soils than corn Available reduced lignin hybrids, brown-mid rib (BMR) Can be planted after camelina is harvested or as relay-crop

6 Conversion of lignocellulosic to TAGs Traditional technologiesconversion from lignocellulosic matter to ethanol Menon & Assoc. Celltherm process The microbes digest lignocellulosic matter and produce lipids that can be upgraded into petroleum-compatible hydrocarbon fuels from gasoline to jet fuel to diesel. Digestion of lignocellulosic materials and their derivatives yields triacylglyceride (TAG) lipids in the microbes. These lipids are chemically extracted from the microbial cells. - Converted into hydrocarbon fuels (alkanes for gasoline, jet and diesel) as well as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME also known as biodiesel).

7 Objective To develop a new innovative doublecropping system for the upper Midwest that provides food or forage, and fuel in a single season on the same land, and enhances farmer profits while adding environmental benefits through diversifying agro-ecosystems.

8 Tasks to meet objectives i.) field experiments utilizing winter camelina and forage sorghum in advanced cropping systems that include relay- and double-cropping systems ii.) biomass preparation, pretreatment, and hydrolysis to sugars iii.) sugar bioconversion to triacyl glyceride oil iv.) triacyl glyceride oil conversion to diesel fuel v.) cost and economic analysis of the entire production chain to assess process feasibility.

9 Materials and Methods- 1. Cropping systems Drs. Berti, Johnson, NDSU, and Dr. Gesch, ARS-USDA, Morris. Prosper and Carrington, ND and Morris, MN, Winter camelina will be planted the last week of August at Carrington and Prosper, ND and the third week of September at Morris, MN. Forage sorghum will be planted in May (into the camelina crop) or after camelina harvest at the end of June.

10 Proposed cropping sequences Summer annual 2011-previous crops Main plot, crops to be seeded in fall 2011 Sub-plots, crops to be seeded in spring 2012 Relay-cropping Doublecropping Cereal W. camelina Forage sorghum yes no Cereal W. camelina Forage sorghum no yes Cereal W. camelina Soybean yes no Cereal W. camelina Soybean no yes Cereal none Forage sorghum Normal seeding date Cereal none Corn Normal seeding date Cereal none Soybean Normal seeding date Soybean none Corn Normal seeding date Soybean none Forage sorghum Normal seeding date Cereal pertains to cool-season cereals commonly grown in the region such as hard red spring wheat, durum wheat, barley, and oats. W. camelina seeding date will target 30 August. The experiment will be repeated in the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons.

11 Materials and methods- 2. Pretreatment Dr. Wayne Seames and Dr. Jun Yi, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Univ. of North Dakota 1) the optimal pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification conditions of forage sorghum: -to evaluate the pretreatment xylose conversion yield - enzyme accessibility/cellulose conversion yield - Adapt these conditions to the bioconversion of forage sorghum feedstock into the Menon s bioconversion process 2) the pretreated solution will be sent to Menon s pilot process facility for digestion.

12 Materials and Methods- Microbial digestion Dr. Orchard-Menon & Assoc. Microbes (Celltherm ) will be used to aerobically metabolize the pretreated biomass (forage sorghum) to convert a significant fraction of the carbon content to triacyl glycerides (TAG) oils. Pretreatment Optimal pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification conditions of forage sorghum Microbes growth and rate Pretreated forage sorghum sole source of C Microbes harvested and dried Solvent extraction of TAGs TAG C chain length distribution and saturation TAG yield into fuel and chemicals

13 Materials and Methods-TAG Conversion and Refining UND and Menon & Assoc. The conversion technologies available will be used to transform and refine the TAG oils into fuels and by-product chemicals in existing facilities. Transform and refine TAGs Non-catalytic cracking of the inlet oil Fuels By-product Chemicals Fuel property tests (ASTM diesel No. 1 specifications) Conversions efficiencies

14 Materials and Methods- Economic Analysis Inputs Agricultural production Harvest cost, management and transport of biomass Inputs for pretreatment and hydrolysis Analyze the resource utilization associated with the overall process and determine the cost to deliver diesel fuel product Inputs for bioconversion, TAG conversion and refining

15 Expected Outcomes- Cropping sequences An economically and environmentally sustainable double-cropping system that produces renewable energy without compromising food security. both bioenergy and food production in the same growing season from the same land area. Stability of biofuel feedstocks is strengthened by the cropping systems providing biofuel from both low production input oilseeds and cellulosic biomass. Double- and relay- cropping management guidelines for producers to optimize yield and reduce production inputs.

16 Expected outcomes- Pretreatment and conversion Cultures producing microbial biomass at a rate > 3 g L -1 d -1 and TAG at a rate >1 g L -1 d -1. > 55% of the input C5 and C6 sugars are expected to be converted to biomass and TAG. TAG composition it is expected to be compatible with the UND thermal cracking process to convert it into hydrocarbon fuels. The microbial biomass remaining after extraction of the TAG is expected to have high value as a protein meal for aquaculture and animal husbandry. Sorghum derived TAG- expected that 60% of the inlet TAG can be converted into a fuel meeting the ASTM property specifications for petroleum diesel No. 1.

17 Expected outcomes-economics Overall economics for the entire value chain is expected to demonstrate that diesel fuel can be supplied at no more than $4.50 per gallon and more likely less than $3.25 per gallon from forage sorghum when the value of by-products is considered.

18 Thank you for your attention and interest Marisol Berti Associate professor Dep. of Plant Sciences, NDSU Dept Fargo, ND Phone (701) , Fax (701)

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