Switch-grass vs Corn

Pimentel and Tad W. Patzek, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Berkeley, conducted a detailed analysis of the energy input-yield ratios of producing ethanol from corn, switch grass and wood biomass as well as for producing biodiesel from soybean and sunflower plants. Their report is published in Natural Resources Research (Vol. 14:1, 65-76).

In terms of energy output compared with energy input for ethanol production, the study found that:
# corn requires 29 percent more fossil energy than the fuel produced;
# switch grass requires 45 percent more fossil energy than the fuel produced; and
# wood biomass requires 57 percent more fossil energy than the fuel produced.

In terms of energy output compared with the energy input for biodiesel production, the study found that:
# soybean plants requires 27 percent more fossil energy than the fuel produced, and
# sunflower plants requires 118 percent more fossil energy than the fuel produced.

see more

Related posts:

1. Hybrid grass Miscanthus – A valuable fuel source
2. Low Temperature Gasification of Corn Stover – UMM Encounters Problems
3. Arundo donax Biomass Yield and Energy Balance
4. Cultivation of Perennial grasses better than Corn
5. Great Plains-The Camelina Company Makes Camelina Biodiesel A Reality

• Previous Entry: Arunda.donax in Rajasthan.
• Next Entry: Miscanthus+ thermophillic bacteria = High hydrogen yield.