Alliance BioEnergy establishes Giant King Grass test plot
Alliance BioEnergy (Alliance) has leased 18 acres of land in south-west Florida to establish a test plot for Giant King Grass as a renewable cellulosic feedstock.
Giant King Grass grows all year round up to 20ft tall and can be harvested multiple times. According to Alliance, the crop can produce up to 44 tons per acre of cellulosic feedstock, which has a composition similar to corn stover. Corn stover can only produce 3.5-5 tons per acre and be harvested once per year.
Alliance said the Giant King Grass advantage in tons-per-acre-harvested will “dramatically reduce” the total acreage needed to supply feedstock to a given sized facility. The harvest can be staggered, reducing the need for large amounts of feedstock storage, common to other crops.
The grass will produce for at least 5-7 years before needing to be replanted. Alliance believes these are “game-changing” advantages for using the crop as a cellulosic feedstock.
Alliance CEO Ben Slager said: “These acres not only provide sufficient quantities of feedstock for our current needs. They also enable Alliance to establish a new, profitable cash crop for Florida’s farmers as we commercialise our renewable biofuels process.
“We believe there are a sufficient number of underutilised or abandoned acres to grow large quantities of Giant King Grass for our future use and to benefit the Florida Agricultural Economy.”
Giant King Grass grows all year round up to 20ft tall and can be harvested multiple times. According to Alliance, the crop can produce up to 44 tons per acre of cellulosic feedstock, which has a composition similar to corn stover. Corn stover can only produce 3.5-5 tons per acre and be harvested once per year.
Alliance said the Giant King Grass advantage in tons-per-acre-harvested will “dramatically reduce” the total acreage needed to supply feedstock to a given sized facility. The harvest can be staggered, reducing the need for large amounts of feedstock storage, common to other crops.
The grass will produce for at least 5-7 years before needing to be replanted. Alliance believes these are “game-changing” advantages for using the crop as a cellulosic feedstock.
Alliance CEO Ben Slager said: “These acres not only provide sufficient quantities of feedstock for our current needs. They also enable Alliance to establish a new, profitable cash crop for Florida’s farmers as we commercialise our renewable biofuels process.
“We believe there are a sufficient number of underutilised or abandoned acres to grow large quantities of Giant King Grass for our future use and to benefit the Florida Agricultural Economy.”
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