Using “trash” for energy

Corn grown primarily for ethanol may be counterintuitive, but what about capitalizing on corn’s waste products? Researchers for the USDA’s Renewable Energy Assessment Project (REAP) find that corn stover (crop residue left in the field after corn is harvested) may be useful as cellulose for biofuels. Evaluations of the amount and quality of stover that can be harvested show that if corn can be combined just below the ear (known as a “high-cut top”), leaving a 30-inch stubble, the upper portions of that stubble will be most useful as biomass and the lower stalks can be left to return valuable nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

Researchers continue to measure benefits against the costs to soil fertility of removing leftover nutrients, as well as the fuel costs of harvesting and processing the residue. Full Story: USDA-ARS