Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Economics and Energy of Ethanol Production from Alfalfa, Corn, and Switchgrass in the Upper Midwest, USA

  • Published:
BioEnergy Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the USA, biomass crop systems will be needed to meet future ethanol production goals. We estimated production costs, profits, and energy budgets for three potential crop systems for the Upper Midwest: continuous corn with stover harvest, an alfalfa–corn rotation with stover harvest, and switchgrass. Production costs, profits, and on-farm energy use were greatest for continuous corn, less for alfalfa–corn, and least for switchgrass. Energy to transport crops was similar for all crop systems. Both energy used to produce ethanol and energy output in ethanol was greatest for continuous corn, less for alfalfa–corn, and least for switchgrass. Co-product energy output was 32% greater for alfalfa–corn than continuous corn and 42% greater than switchgrass. Net energy produced (outputs–inputs) was greatest for switchgrass, followed by continuous corn, and then alfalfa–corn. Efficiency of energy production (outputs/inputs) was greatest for switchgrass, followed by alfalfa–corn, and then continuous corn. Our analysis emphasizes tradeoffs among crop systems. Corn may produce high rates of ethanol and net energy, but will do so least efficiently and with the greatest erosion and N leaching. Corn may have the greatest production costs, but return the greatest profit. Comparatively, alfalfa–corn will produce less ethanol and net energy, but will do so more efficiently, and with less erosion and little N leaching. Production costs, but also profits, may be less for alfalfa–corn than continuous corn. Switchgrass may produce the most net energy and will do so most efficiently and with the least erosion, but will also yield the least ethanol. Nitrogen leaching will be less for switchgrass than corn, but greater than alfalfa–corn. Switchgrass may be the least expensive to produce, but may return a profit only if selling prices or yields are high.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andraski TW, Bundy LG, Brye KR (2000) Crop management and corn nitrogen rate effects on nitrate leaching. J Environ Qual 29:1095–1103

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Berg RD, Carter DL (1980) Furrow erosion and sediment losses on irrigated cropland. J Soil Water Conserv 35:267–270

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bransby DI, Smith HA, Taylor CR, Duffy PA (2005) Switchgrass budget model: an interactive budget model for producing and delivering switchgrass to a bioprocessing plant. Ind Biotechnol 1:122–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Brannstrom AJ (2006) Wisconsin agricultural land prices 2000–2005. UW Center for Dairy Profitability. Available via http://cdp.wisc.edu/pdf/Wisconsin%20Agricultural%20Land%20Prices2.pdf. Cited 11 December 2007

  5. DiCostanzo A, Zender CM, Akayezu JM, Jorgensen MA, Cassidy JM, Allen DM, Standorf DG, Linn JG, Jung H, Smith LJ, Lamb GC, Johnson D, Chester-Jones H, Robinson G (1999) Use of alfalfa leaf meal in ruminant diets. Proceedings of the 60th Minnesota Nutrition Conference and ZinPro Technical Symposium, Bloomington, Minnesota, 20–22 September 1999, pp 64–75

  6. Dinnes DL, Karlen DL, Jaynes DB, Kasper TC, Hatfield JL, Colvin TS, Cambardella CA (2002) Nitrogen management strategies to reduce nitrate leaching in tile-drained Midwestern soils. Agron J 94:153–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Duffy MD, Nanhou VY (2002) Costs of producing switchgrass for biomass in southern Iowa. Trends new crops new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, Virginia

    Google Scholar 

  8. Epplin FM (1996) Cost to produce and deliver switchgrass biomass to an ethanol-conversion facility in the southern plains of the United States. Biomass Bioenergy 11:459–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Farrell AE, Plevin RJ, Turner BT, Jones AD, O’Hare M, Kammen DM (2006) Ethanol can contribute to energy and environmental goals. Science 311:506–508

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Fisk JW, Hesterman OB, Shrestha A, Kells JJ, Harwood RR, Squire JM, Sheaffer CC (2001) Weed suppression by annual legumes cover crops in no-tillage corn. Agron J 93:319–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Frank G (2003) Agricultural budget calculation software (ABCS), V. 7.1. Center for Dairy Profitability. University of Wisconsin, Madison

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gaynor JD, Findlay WI (1995) Soil and phosphorus loss from conservation and conventional tillage in corn production. J Environ Qual 24:734–741

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Glassner D, Hettenhaus J, Schechinger T (1998) Corn stover collection project. Proceedings of the BioEnergy ‘98 Expanding Bioenergy Partnerships, vol 2, Madison, Wisconsin

  14. Graham RL, Nelson R, Sheehan J, Perlack RD, Wright LL (2007) Current and potential U.S. corn stover supplies. Agron J 99:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hallam A, Anderson IC, Buxton DR (2001) Comparative economic analysis of perennial, annual, and intercrops for biomass production. Biomass Bioenergy 21:407–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Halvorson AD, Mosier AR, Reule CA, Bausch WC (2006) Nitrogen and tillage effects on irrigated continuous corn yields. Agron J 98:63–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hill J, Nelson E, Tilman D, Polasky S, Tiffany D (2006) Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol. Proc Natl Acad Sci 103:11206–11210

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hipple PC, Duffy MD (2002) Farmers’ motivations for adoption of switchgrass. In: Janick J, Whipkey A (eds) Trends in new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kim S, Dale BE (2002) Allocation procedure in ethanol production system from corn grain: I. System expansion. Int J Life Cycle Assess 7:237–243

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kim S, Dale BE (2004) Cumulative energy and global warming impact from the production of biomass for bio-based products. J Ind Ecol 7:147–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Laboski CAM, JB Peters, Bundy LG (2007) Nutrient application guidelines for field, vegetable, and fruit crops in Wisconsin. Available via http://learningstore.uwex.edu/pdf/A2809.pdf. Cited 14 September 2007

  22. Lal R (1998) Soil erosion impact on agronomic productivity and environment quality. Crit Rev Plant Sci 17:319–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Lamb JFS, Sheaffer CC, Samac DA (2003) Population density and harvest maturity effects on leaf and stem yield in alfalfa. Agron J 95:635–641

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lamb JFS, Jung HJG, Sheaffer CC, Samac DA (2007) Alfalfa leaf protein and stem cell wall polysaccharide yields under hay and biomass management systems. Crop Sci 47:1407–1415

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Mallarino AP, Ortiz-Torres E (2006) A long-term look at crop rotation effects on corn yield and response to nitrogen fertilization. Proceedings of the 18th Annual Integrated Crop Management Conference, Iowa State University, Ames, 29–30 November 2006

  26. McLaughlin SB, Walsh ME (1998) Evaluating environmental consequences of producing herbaceous crops for bioenergy. Biomass Bioenergy 14:317–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Morrow WR, Griffin WM, Matthews HS (2006) Modeling switchgrass derived cellulosic ethanol distribution in the United States. Environ Sci Technol 40:2877–2886

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Parrish DJ, Fike JH (2005) The biology and agronomy of switchgrass for biofuels. Crit Rev Plant Sci 24:423–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Patzek TW (2004) Thermodynamics of the corn–ethanol biofuels cycle. Crit Rev Plant Sci 23:519–567

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Perlack RD, Wright LL, Turhollow AF, Graham RL, Stokes B, Erbach DC (2005) Biomass as feedstock for a bioenergy and bioproducts industry: the technical feasibility of a billion-ton annual supply. Available via http://www.ornl.gov/∼webworks/cppr/y2001/rpt/123021.pdf. Cited 14 September 2007

  31. Randall GW, Huggins DR, Russelle MP, Fuchs DJ, Nelson WW, Anderson JL (1997) Nitrate losses through subsurface tile drainage in conservation reserve program, alfalfa, and row crop systems. J Environ Qual 26:1240–1247

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Ronning R (1995) Leaf and stem fractionating and separating hammermill for dry fibrous products. US Patent 2,148,14, 6 June 1995

  33. Rotz CA, Coiner CU (2006) Integrated farm system model: reference manual. USDA Agricultural Research Service, University Park, Pennsylvania

    Google Scholar 

  34. Rotz CA, Taube F, Russelle MP, Oenemad J, Sanderson MA, Wachendorf M (2005) Whole-farm perspectives of nutrient flows in grassland agriculture. Crop Sci 45:2139–2159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Schroeder JW (2003) Distillers grains as a protein and energy supplement for dairy cattle. North Dakota State Extension Service. North Dakota State University, Fargo

    Google Scholar 

  36. Schmer MR, Vogel KP, Mitchell R, Perrin RK (2006) Switchgrass management effects on feedstock costs in the northern great plains. Abstracts of the ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting. Indianapolis, Indiana, 12–16 November 2006

  37. Sedorovich DM, Rotz CA Vadas PA, Harmel RD (2007) Simulating management effects on phosphorus loss from farming systems. Trans ASABE 50:1443–1453

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Shaffer MJ, Halvorson AD, Pierce FJ (1991) Nitrate leaching and economic analysis package (NLEAP): model description and application. In: Follett RF, Deeney DR, Cruse RM (eds) Managing nitrogen for groundwater quality and farm profitability. Soil Science Society of America, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin, pp 285–298

    Google Scholar 

  39. Shapouri H, Duffield JA, Wang M (2003) The energy balance of corn ethanol revisited. Trans ASAE 46:959–968

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Sheaffer CC, Martin NP, Lamb JS, Cuoma GR, Jewett JG, Quering SR (2000) Leaf and stem properties of alfalfa entries. Agron J 92:733–739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Sheehan J, Aden A, Paustian K, Killian K, Brenner J, Walsh M, Nelson R (2004) Energy and environmental aspects of using corn stover for fuel ethanol. J Ind Ecol 7:117–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Shinners KJ, Boettcher GC, Muck RE, Weimer PJ, Casler MD (2006) Drying, harvesting and storage characteristics of perennial grasses as biomass feedstocks. Paper number 061012, 2006 ASAE Annual Meeting

  43. Shinners KJ, Herzmann ME, Binversie BN, Digman MF (2007) Harvest fractionation of alfalfa. Trans ASABE 50:713–718

    Google Scholar 

  44. Sokhansanj S, Turhollow AF (2002) Baseline cost for corn stover collect. Appl Eng Agric 18:525–530

    Google Scholar 

  45. Toth JD, Fox RH (1998) Nitrate losses from a corn–alfalfa rotation: lysimeter measurement of nitrate leaching. J Environ Qual 27:1027–1033

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Turhollow A (2000) Costs of producing biomass from riparian buffer strips. Available via http://www.ornl.gov/∼webworks/cpr/v823/rpt/108548.pdf. Cited 14 September 2007

  47. USDOE (2007) Theoretical ethanol yield calculator. Available via http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ethanol_yield_calculator.html. Cited 14 September 2007

  48. Venuto BC, Daniel JA (2005) First year biomass production from CRP acreage in western Oklahoma. Proceedings of the American Forage and Grassland Council Conference Proceedings. Bloomington, Illinois, 12–14 June 2005

  49. Vogel KP, Brejda JJ, Walters DT, Buxton DR (2002) Switchgrass biomass production in the Midwest USA: harvest and nitrogen management. Agron J 94:413–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Wallace R, Ibsen K, McAloon A, Yee W (2005) Feasibility study for co-locating and integrating ethanol production plants from corn starch and lignocellulosic feedstocks. A Joint Study Sponsored by US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Energy. Available via http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/37092.pdf. Cited 14 September 2007

  51. Walsh ME (1998) US bioenergy crop economic analyses: Status and needs. Biomass Bioenergy 14:341–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Walsh ME, de la Torre Ugarte DG, Shapouri H, Slinsk SP (2003) Bioenergy crop production in the United States: potential quantities, land use changes, and economic impacts on the agricultural sector. Environ Resour Econ 24:313–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Wooley R, Ruth M, Glassner D, Sheehan J (1999) Process design and costing of bioethanol technology: a tool for determining the status and direction of research and development. Biotechnol Prog 15:794–803

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, 1925 Linden Drive West, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    P. A. Vadas

  2. University of Wisconsin-Extension, Wausau, WI, 54401, USA

    K. H. Barnett

  3. Agronomy Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    D. J. Undersander

Authors
  1. P. A. Vadas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. H. Barnett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. J. Undersander
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. A. Vadas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vadas, P.A., Barnett, K.H. & Undersander, D.J. Economics and Energy of Ethanol Production from Alfalfa, Corn, and Switchgrass in the Upper Midwest, USA. Bioenerg. Res. 1, 44–55 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-008-9002-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-008-9002-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation