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Switchgrass Production
for Electricity
Generation
June 14, 2012
Tom Keene & Dr. Ray Smith
University of Kentucky
Thanks
•Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy
•Kentucky Agricultural Development Board
•Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council
•University of Kentucky – College of Agriculture
•East Kentucky Power Cooperative
•Roundstone Native Seed
•Midwestern Biofuels
•Massey Coal & Kanawha River Terminals
•Cooperators & CES Agents
•And others ???????
Overview
• 20 Farms (Cooperators)
• Establish 5 acre fields of switchgrass per farm
• 100 acres total
• 12 counties (Mason, Fleming, Bracken, Lewis,
Robertson, Campbell, Grant, Montgomery,
Rowan, Boyd, Nicholas, Harrison)
• Utilize Production as Green, Renewable or
Alternative Energy
2007 Planting
• 7 Farms
• Late Planting Date
• Drought Year/No Harvest
• Roundstone Native Seed contract planter
• 50% Establishment Success
• 10 pounds seed per acre
• UK - Spindletop & Eden Shale
2008 Planting
• Remaining 13 Plots planted
• 3 – 2007 Plots replanted
• Another drought year
• Earlier Planting Date
• 80% Establishment Success
2008 Harvest
• 6 Cooperator Farms & 2 UK Farms harvested late October/early November
• Round Bales & Mid Size Square Bales
• Delivered 70 Tons to EKPC
• Some held back for UK research & Alltech, Inc
• Ground & blended the material at EKPC with Coal
• Provided Green (alternative) Energy to EKPC
Members
2009 Harvest
• 20 Cooperator Farms & 2 UK Farms harvested
early to mid-November
• Round Bales & Mid Size Square Bales
• Harvested 265 Tons of Material
• Some held back for UK research & Alltech, Inc
• Pelleted Material at MWB in Greenup County
• Blended on barges and shipped to EKPC
• Provided Green (alternative) Energy to 500,000
EKPC Members
2010 Harvest
20 Cooperator Farms & 2 UK Farms harvested
early to mid-November
Round Bales & Mid Size Square Bales
Harvested 392 Tons of Material
Some held back for UK Research
Ground on site at Power Plant
Provided Green (alternative) Energy to 500,000
EKPC Members
Numbers
• 20 cooperators
• 12 Counties
• Numerous Fertilizer & Equipment Dealers
• 150 Employees at EKPC Spurlock Plant
• 500,000 Kentuckians using Green Energy
Composition of Potential Biomass
Feedstock
Glucan
(% db)
Xylan
(%
db)
Lignin
(%
db)
Ash
(% db)
Heating
Value
(Btu/lb)
Switchgrass
Stems
36.2 23.0 16.5 3.4 7,700
Miscanthus 38.2 24.3 25.0 2.0 7,700
Black Locust 41.0 14.6 26.8 1.8 8,100
Hybrid
Poplar
41.5 14.8 25.0 1.8 8,100
Corn Stover 36.9 17.8 17.9 10.4 7,700
Averages based on www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/feedstock_databases.html
EKPC Projected Needs
Tons of coal burned in Gilbert Unit 3 annually 923,000
Tons of coal to be replaced with switchgrass on a heat input basis (3%) 27,690
Tons of switchgrass needed 42,706
Acres of switchgrass needed @ 5 tons/acre yield 8,541
Acres of switchgrass needed @ 8 tons/acre yield 5,338
Tons of coal burned in Gilbert Unit 3 annually 923,000
Tons of coal to be replaced with switchgrass on a heat input basis (10%) 92,300
Tons of switchgrass needed 142,353
Acres of switchgrass needed @ 5 tons/acre yield 28,471
Acres of switchgrass needed @ 8 tons/acre yield 17,794