Fueling Bioenergy Endeavors

Resource, Apr 2008

Sustainable production of bioenergy is in the spotlight. It is estimated that one billion tons of biomass are needed to replace 30 percent of current annual petroleum consumption in the United States alone. Meeting the global challenges to reduce dependence on fossil fuels requires the expertise of AS ABE's agricultural and biological engineers. Tons of biomass must be collected, stored, transported, and processed in a timely and economical fashion into competitively priced fuels and consumer products. Ag and bio engineers are uniquely qualified to develop the most efficient and effective methods of handling biomass feedstocks.

Working through ASABE, members have fostered the development of bioenergy by selecting energy and energy management as a top strategic focus; developing environmentally sustainable technology for biomass feedstock production, delivery, and the very processes for converting biomass to energy; encouraging revisions to existing standards and engineering practices that relate to bionenergy and identifying needed new standards; and encouraging development and delivery of technical programs and peerreviewed publications on bioenergy along with providing instructional materials to enhance bioenergy education.

All bio-subtopics of the bioenergy field have produced growing study and research within academia -from undergraduate to post-doc focus. Colleges and universities are addressing the need for interdisciplinary approaches to supply the burgeoning market for renewable energy, and ASABE members within the ivory towers are at the fore.

The following short summaries provide an overview of current and planned bioenergy-related programs and endeavors across North American campuses today.

Auburn University Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts Emphasizes the Interdisciplinary

Auburn University has a wide range of active programs in bioenergy and bioproducts being conducted by multiple departments and centers. Activities are coordinated by the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts, which is part of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute. Other units with major emphases in bioenergy and bioproducts include the colleges of agriculture, engineering, and forestry and wildlife sciences.

The signature elements of Auburn's bioenergy programs include:

* biomass feedstock supply chain logistics;

* biomass fractionation;

* biomass gasification and subsequent production of liquid transportation fuels and electrical power;

* biochemical conversion with emphasis on pretreatment of cellulosic feedstocks;

* biofuel testing; and

* extension and outreach programs helping farmers, businesses, and municipalities in the production of energy and value-added products.

The Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts emphasizes systems approaches in all research and extension efforts and is constructing a central laboratory facility that will bring together faculty and students from across the campus. The first phase of the facility includes laboratories dedicated to biomass feedstock processing, biomass fractionation, and biomass gasification and gas-to-liquids conversion. The gasification laboratory will house a recirculating, oxygen-blown, fluidized bed gasifier followed by a hot gas cleanup system and multiple gas-to-liquids reactors. Later phases of the facility will include laboratories for biomass pretreatment and biochemical conversion, transesterification, and fuel and engine testing.

Another unique capability of the Center is a mobile gasification and power generation unit that allows field deployment and demonstration of thermochemical conversion processes. This mobile unit is allowing researchers to study the on-site processing and gasification of low-density biomass feedstocks, and it provides a unique educational platform for teaching gasification principles to university students and extension clientele.

The department of biosystems engineering also is very active in Auburn's energy and bioproducts programs. Departmental research focuses on systems to produce, harvest, and transport agricultural and forest biomass; processing systems for size reduction and densification of biomass; biomass gasification for power and heat production; and biodiesel production systems. Extension programs target biomass supply chain logistics; biodiesel production for farms and municipalities; and energy management and conservation for agricultural production enterprises that include aquaculture, horticulture, and poultry sectors. Special emphasis is placed on meeting the engineering needs of the poultry industry through major extension programs in poultry technology. Additional extension programs are working with municipalities as they establish recycling programs for both residential and commercial producers of used cooking oils followed by biodiesel production. These extension programs aim to develop energy and value-added product solutions to local or community problems. For more information, contact ASABE member Steven Taylor, taylost@auburn.edu.