Any1 no anything about Bioenergy crops??

Question

Discuss the viability of bio-energy crops with reference to two energy crops!

thanks!!!

Answer 1

To evaluate bioenergy crops, you should compare the amount of energy derived from the crop to the amount of energy used to grow it. Corn is a bad choice because it requires a lot of energy to grow, while soybeans produce a very small amount of fuel per acre. Sugarcane is the most efficient crop currently used to make fuel, but only grows well in the tropics.

In the U.S. there are currently no crops suitable for producing a significant amount of our fuel supply. The most promising are switchgrass and miscanthus. These grasses grow very fast, require little fertilizer, and can be harvested year-after-year without re-planting. The problem is that it is expensive to turn this type of plant matter (cellulose) into ethanol. There are many companies currently working on lowering the cost of this process, and several are building or operating demonstration plants.

Answer 2

There are two types of crops with a potential for Bioenergy, biomass and bio-fuel.

You asked for two but there are many good examples. For the production of bio-fuels corn as a source of ethanol is a good example. Soybeans as a source of oil for biodiesel.

Good examples of crops that would give you both biomass and bio-fuel are1, sugarcane which is a good source of ethanol and the bagasse a good of source biomass for energy.  Another crop for both is hemp as a source of oil for biodiesel and the rest of the plant an excellent source of biomass.

Answer 3

Hello,

John's answers are good.

Soybean is probably the perfect crop.

Might I add:

I assume you mean in the U.S.

Corn is still relatively cheap eventho the price has risen this past 2 years.

Corn grain-

in addition to human and animal feed,

ethanol.,

Corn stover- (the stalks, husks)

If green-silage for cattle feed,

if dry brown-biomass.

Wheat

Alot is grown in the US, but for human and animal feed.

Can make ethanol from it but grain cost is higher than corn.

Corn does not grow well North of the Canadian border,

due to cold and lower light intesity.

So they are using some wheat.

In Scandanavia and surrounding countries they are trying potatos for ethanol.

It basically comes down to what is widely grown and economical in that particular country.

Asia could use rice.

Tropical regions (hawaii, cuba/carribean, phillipines)

can use sugarcane.

Sugar beets can also be used, and can be grown in lots of places.