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Agriculture and Energy
- 1. A G R I C U LT U R E A N D E N E R G Y Michael Comiter, Valerie Lantigua, Aimee Klaschus, Arisa Kitagishi
- 2. I m a g i n e for a moment that America suddenly lost access to all of its non renewable resources: no coal, no petroleum, no natural gas.
- 3. Agriculture, as an integral part of the development of new renewable resources, must take a leading role in research and implementation.
- 4. Current Legislation Energy Independence and Security Act (2007) 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022 Sunshot Initiative: make solar competitive by 2020 Tax breaks: PTC and ITC
- 5. Wind Wind turbines use small amounts of land, and minimally interfere with crop production. The 1.2 billion in new income to farmers and rural landowners by 2020 2- 6 cents/kwH average
- 6. Solar Crop drying and solar greenhouses Photovoltaic and Thermal Reduced operating cost Combined with other technologies
- 7. Bioenergy: Biomass and Its Derivatives What is Biomass? Can be burned, gasified, or turned into ethanol and diesel Anaerobic decomposition of biomass produces Methane, a greenhouse gas 21x more potent than carbon Biomass crops: miscanthus, switchgrass, canola, sunflower, corn, willow, cottontree
- 8. Bioenergy: Biodiesel What is Biodiesel? Popular in agricultural operations Potentially as low as $1.20 a gallon Biodiesel crops: Algae, canola, sunflower, rapeseed
- 9. Bioenergy: Ethanol What is Ethanol? Controversy: Food vs Fuel 2006-2007, 34% increase in production
- 10. Pros Cleaner air Ethanol reduces tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions by up to 30%, exhaust volatile organic compounds by 12%, and particulate matter emissions by at least 25%. 100% Biodegradable Less Foreign Dependency Creates a market for ethanol feedstock Large scale job creation
- 11. Cons Feedstock prices are increasing Corn in the main feedstock Corn has poor energy return Lack of governmental incentives
- 12. Public Opinion
- 13. Possible Solutions Utilization of farm waste, such as corn-stover Facilitation of spare land for wind turbines and solar panels Switching to native crops with higher yield per acre like canola, miscanthus, and switchgrass Federal grants to provide funding for implementation of energy-providing or energy-efficient practices (i.e. BMPs) Greater infrastructure
- 14. Agriculture’s Role in Renewable Energy The ultimate decision rests in the hands of the individual farmer.
Editor's Notes
- Imagine for a moment that America suddenly lost access to all of its non renewable resources: no coal, no petroleum, no natural gas. With the current infrastructure, the results would be disastrous. The nation would dissolve into chaos as conflict over available energy resources would escalate. Much available technology would be functionally obsolete, and cities would experience prolonged blackouts.
- Unfortunately, this scenario isn't as far-fetched as some people would like to think. The day when fossil fuels will run out is drawing closer, and without effort to develop and market sustainable energy resources that day will be catastrophic. Agriculture, as an integral part of the development of new resources, must take a leading role in research and implementation.
- Current legislation pertaining to renewable energy aims to encourage production and investment in alternative energy. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 expanded upon the Renewable Fuel Standard, resulting in an increase from the original 7.5 billion gallon goal to 36 billion by 2022. Similarly, the SunShot Initiative aims to make solar energy competitive, that is 6 cents kwh. Further, general tax breaks for renewables include the Production Tax Credit and the Investment Tax Credit.
- Large wind turbines typically use less than half an acre of land, including access roads, so farmers can continue to plant crops and graze livestock right up to the base of the turbines. Farmers can lease land to wind developers to and receive part of the profits or even become wind power producers themselves. Wind power’s 2-6 cents per kwh average makes it competitive.
- In agricultural operations, solar power is used primarily in crop drying and solar greenhouses. Furthermore, it reduces operating costs through heating water or generating electricity in photovoltaic cells. Solar energy is also combined with other technologies, such as wind turbines or mirrors that concentrate sunlight and gasify biomass at companies like SunDrop Fuel.
- Biomass production in the United States has increased greatly between the 1990s and today, as shown in figure 1 on the handout. Biomass is used multiple ways. It can be burned directly, decomposed, or made into biofuels. Since anaerobic decomposition of biomass produces Methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than C02, it's vital to correctly process the biomass that comes from Agricultural operations. Common biomass crops include Miscanthus, Switchgrass, Corn, and Canola.
- Biodiesel is a heavy fuel made from processed biomass oil. Since many types of agricultural equipment run on diesel, biodiesel is very useful in reducing operating costs and utilizing every byproduct of operation. Some agriculturalists have even managed to produce biodiesel as low as $1.20 a gallon. Currently, concerted efforts are being made to develop Algae Biodiesel, as it can grow in many climates and its yield is much higher than other major energy crops like canola and sunflower.
- Ethanol is an alcohol fuel produced from biomass through a fermentation and distillation process. In response to the Renewable Fuel Standards, farmers are moving more toward the production of non-food feedstock, which could eventually result in an imbalance between food production and demand. As a result, production of Ethanol has been expanding, for example between 2006 and 2007 alone, the industry saw a 34% increase.
- Currently, pure ethanol meets the standards of the EPA’s Clean Air Act, decreasing both health risks and pollution in the environment, especially since pure ethanol is completely biodegradable. In addition, increased ethanol use would reduce dependence on foreign oil and mitigate the risk of situations like the Arabian fuel Embargo of the 70s. After the Renewable Fuel Standard, the profitability of corn production increased and created an extensive new market. As of 2007, a quarter of a million jobs were created because of the Ethanol industry, adding $47.6 billion to the national GDP.
- Because the main feedstock used to produce ethanol is corn, corn prices are increasing, which negatively effects farmers who rely on corn based feed. Furthermore, If Ethanol is ever to become a permanent replacement for petroleum fuels, corn cannot continue to be the main feedstock due to the fact that it has poor energy return on investment compared to other energy crops. As it stands, Ethanol can only become a viable alternative when policy makers support incentives that encourage expansion of the Ethanol industry.
- Public opinion has turned in favor of renewable energy due largely to increased environmental awareness. As shown in figure 2 on the handout, most Americans support efforts to develop alternate energy sources,. Further, in figure 3, a majority supported government funding to develop alternate fuel sources. Agriculturalists would be pleased to note that most consumers are willing to purchase energy alternatives, providing a market to otherwise obsolete crops.
- So with all of this said, what are the possible solutions for cultivating a sustainable future? One possible solution is for agriculturists to utilize unused spaces on their farms, from the fields to the roofs, to facilitate wind turbines and solar panels. Farmers can also switch to native crops with a greater net energy yield to increase their productivity. Furthermore, with the aid of federal grants and improved infrastructure, agribusinesses would have greater impetus for pursuing energy alternatives.
- The controversy of whether someone should farm for food or for energy, and to what extent, is a widely contested issue; the ultimate decision rests in the hands of the individual farmer. Nevertheless, agriculture must play an active role in renewable energy. Whether that be through the means of solar panels powering various farming devices, wind turbines filling the untapped land’s potential, or by growing crops to be harvested for energy; agriculturalists must look towards the future for the sake of an ever-growing world.