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Switchgrass is One Solution for a Sustainable Energy Future
Posted 22 August 2013 in
Earlier this week NBC’s Gary Striker reported on the wonder of switchgrass; a feedstock used to make advanced biofuel.
This high yielding perennial plant is ideal for energy crops, and places like the University of Tennessee have already begun growing and refining the feedstock into ethanol. It is fast-growing, potentially reaching more than ten feet in height at the end of growing season. And in the shadow of increasingly extreme weather, the hearty crop is drought resistant, continuing to produce high yields of biomass in comparison to other crops.
In addition to its agricultural benefits for the American farmer, switchgrass also has several positive environmental impacts as well.
The undisturbed switchgrass fields create a natural habitat for nesting birds and other wildlife through the summer
Switchgrass is a perennial meaning that fields are not subject to plowing and fertilizing every year, decreasing runoff pollution and increasing the health of nearby waterways
The use of switchgrass as renewable fuel has been shown to lower greenhouse gas emission in comparison to gasoline
The bottom line? Switchgrass is an energy crop with potential to boost America’s farms as well as move us forward toward a clean and sustainable energy future.
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