Renewable Energy From Restored Prairie Plots
In Southeastern Minnesota, USA
Author(s)
B. Borsari, I. Onwueme, E. Kreidermacher & T. Terril
Abstract
Although prairies occupied most of North America prior to European settlement,
an extirpation of these habitats has inevitably occurred since the expansion of
intensive, agricultural systems. In recent years, however, a renewed interest in
prairie restoration has spurred increasing efforts for looking at prairies as
possible sources of renewable energy. The purpose of our work was to establish
a prairie community on marginal farmland with the goal of producing pellets
from its biomass to be burned on site for heating greenhouses, instead of relying
on corn (Zea mays) as a biomass source. Plots of grass only and plots of
mixtures of forbs and grass species were planted in 2007 on a farm in
southeastern Minnesota. In its second year of growth, the biomass produced was
compared to what was obtained from corn stover cultivated at the farm. The
biomass yield data produced from the different plots of equal hectarage were
analyzed through a one-way ANOVA and Scheffe’s test to verify significant
differences among the three different cropping conditions (grass, grass and forbs,
corn). Our data indicated that prairie plots with mixtures of grass species can be
the most productive for biomass production. This preliminary work is of value
in this part of the world and should inspire more farmers in the Midwest region
of the U.S. to restore prairies on marginal lands.
Keywords: biofuel, forb, grass, pellet production, prairie, renewable energy,
sustainability.
Keywords
biofuel, forb, grass, pellet production, prairie, renewable energy,
sustainability
Related Book
Other papers in this volume
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