Farm Energy

ELPC’s John Moore recently sat down with Ethanol Producer Magazine to discuss the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. This new program, which ELPC supported in the 2008 Farm Bill, will help farmers located near biomass facilities to grow and process sustainably-grown energy crops. ELPC is working to jump-start this new program as quickly as possible.

The 2008 Farm Bill contained the groundbreaking Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP).

This program, if taken up by local farm energy leaders, can spur a new climate-friendly and farmer-friendly energy source. BCAP, implemented well, could make a major difference for our energy future. (more…)

While energy crops like switchgrass are generally associated with liquid fuel production, a recent report (pdf) from Agrecol Corporation suggests that other routes can use the energy source sooner, and perhaps, even more efficiently. Pellets can be an efficient solution for heating-a challenge for many rural businesses in the midst of high and volatile fuel costs.

Rather than wait for cellulosic ethanol, grass pellets are today fueling space heating, power generation and other high efficiency uses. This approach “primes the pump” for developing energy crop economies so that they will be more ready to deliver when cellulosic ethanol is market-ready. (more…)