Abstract
We evaluate the potential economic availability of willow (Salix spp.) short-rotation woody crops in the Northeast USA. Based on results from a 20-year agronomic simulation, the Northeast USA could potentially provide between 2.1 and 9.7 million dry Mg year−1, depending on farmgate price and competition with other energy crops. In a diversified biomass energy-crop scenario, willow outperforms other lignocellulosic energy crops in planted area and production at 91% of supply and 83% of planted area in a low-price scenario in the Northeast USA. In a high-price scenario, willow also outperforms competing energy crops at 47% of production and 51% of planted area. In contrast with the rest of the USA, willow comprises the greatest portion of energy crop potential in the Northeast. These results suggest that willow has an agronomic comparative advantage in this region as compared to herbaceous energy crops, with great potential to increase production given adequate market prices.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 74-85 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
Funding
This research was supported by the USDA-funded Northeast Woody Biomass Energy Consortium. This manuscript has been co-authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. This research was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant No. 2012-68005-19703 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Keywords
- bioenergy
- biomass
- willow