Switchgrass A Viable Energy Crop
Switchgrass has long been a staple crop for farmers. It is used as farm feed, petrol, and electricity, as a protection against erosion.
However, when President Bush introduced the Biofuels Initiative during his 2006 State of the Nation Address, he prioritized the use of indigenous grasses as an energy crop.
The Biofuels Initiative is an integral part of the president's development plans. It seeks to reduce national dependence on foreign oil suppliers by more than 75 percent of oil purchases by 2025.
The aim is to achieve this by using non-food-based biomass, such as agricultural waste, trees, forest residues, and perennial grasses especially in exchange for grass to generate fossil fuels.
When a distilled switchgrass produces ethanol, a vehicle that burns cars. Ethanol is currently concentrated at a rate of 15 to 85 percent of fuel and is marketed as E-85.
Switchgrass or Tall Panic Grass is a short rhizomatous plant. It is very adaptable because it can be grown in different parts of the country with changing climatic conditions. It is also drought tolerant.
From planting to care and harvest, it costs less energy to produce biofuel from switchgrass.
Harvest twice a year
Switch is a long-lived plant, which means it can be harvested twice a year for up to 10 years, before the plant is replanted. It also grows faster, absorbs solar energy, and converts it into cellulose. Ethanol is extracted from cellulose by distillation.
Maximum yield per hectare
Results from the 19 BFDP (Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program) research centers in both the Eastern and Central United States have shown that switchgrass can be harvested at 15 tons per hectare. When distilled in ethanol, this produces 1,500 gallons [1,500 L] of ethanol per hectare. When measured on a six-year basis, this means a yield of 115,000 liters of ethanol per hectare.
Cost works well
The results of a study conducted by the University of California Berkeley found that it takes more energy to produce gasoline than to produce ethanol.
Multiple use
Expected advances in gas extraction technology will produce other useful fuels: diesel fuel, methane gas, and methanol.
It does not care about nature
Switchgrass poses no risk to soil fertility as it adds organic matter.
Switchgrass has a complex system of stems and roots. This system reaches deep into the soil to hold it in place, preventing erosion.
Switchgrass baths are reliable. Farmers plant this grass near swamps and banks to filter out pesticides and prevent these harmful chemicals from entering the water.
Switchgrass releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air and returns this to the soil. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, increase air pollution and worsen the effects of greenhouse gases.
Financially viable
It costs less to plant a switchgrass. If you add government tax rebates and grants that grow grasses it will be as profitable as extracting fossil fuels.
Disadvantages of switchgrass
These are the current disadvantages of using switchgrass as a major source of biofuels.The need to improve medical technology ahead of time
Current technology does not work well in extracting high yields from switchgrass. R&D efforts should address this.The need to allocate land for changing grass
Is there any arable land on which to plant switchgrass?
A system should be put in place to ensure that you have your own land for both grasses and food.
The use of switchgrass as a power plant is proven to be possible from economic, manufacturing, and environmental factors.
However, the success of switchgrass as a power crop will depend on these key factors: government policies and funding, R&D efforts, technological advances and vehicle efficiency.
Its Informative For Beter Yeild crop.
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