Project Number: 5358-21410-002-13
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 29, 2008
End Date: Dec 31, 2012

Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research project is to develop an integrated system for on-farm energy production from straw residues generated during grass seed production including the test of a farm-scale gasification reactor suitable for burning grass seed straw to produce high quality syngas that can be used to generate electricity and other value-added bio-based products to increase on-farm income. Using the seed production cropping system and a test gasification reactor platform, we will determine the most economic technical paths to overcome agronomic, microbiological, and physical chemical limitations to on-farm production of energy and other bio-based products.

Approach:
An integrated system for harvest, collection, storage and transport of the straw to a farm-scale gasification reactor will be evaluated for concept and related technologies of on-farm energy production from Kentucky bluegrass straw. The goal will be to develop an economical and integrated system that will result in the conversion of straw into a high quality syngas with a quality ratio around 12 (H2 + CO)/(CO2 + H2O) and net thermal-to-chemical energy efficiency in the 65-70% range. Documents NFCA with Farm Power.