Iowa publishes biomass harvest, infrastructure, storage report

In Iowa, the Council for Science and Technology has released a report outlining the infrastructure requirements needed to create biomass supply chains for energy. They conclude that the it is necessary to develop new methods and systems to routinely and reliably harvest, handle, store, and transport large quantities of bulky materials of varying characteristics.

“There is broad scientific consensus,” the report’s authors say, “that biomass crops and residues can replace fossil fuels, which should decrease the need to import petroleum and also decrease greenhouse gas emissions. To accomplish this, however, it is necessary to develop new methods and systems to routinely and reliably harvest, handle, store, and transport large quantities of bulky materials of varying characteristics.

GDownload the full report

“These needs contrast with the well-developed logistics, grading, and marketing systems for grain biofuel feedstocks and fossil fuels. There have been a number of research activities aimed at providing solutions to specific unit processes within the feedstock provision value chain. The case studies show that substantial efforts have been made toward the development of machines for harvesting and collecting agricultural biomass.”

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