Availability of corn stover as a sustainable feedstock for bioethanol production.
The amount of corn stover that can be sustainably collected is estimated to be 80-100 million dry tonnes/yr (t/yr), a majority of which would be available to ethanol plants in the near term as only a small portion is currently used for other applications. Potential long-term demand for corn stover by non-fermentative applications in the United States is estimated to be about 20 million dry t/yr, assuming that corn stover-based products replace 50% of both hardwood pulp and wood-based particleboard, and that 50% of all furfural production is from corncobs. Hence, 60-80 million dry t/yr of corn stover should be available to fermentative routes. To achieve an ethanol production potential of 11 billion L (3 billion gal) per year (a target level for a non-niche feedstock), about 40% of the harvestable corn stover is needed. This amount should be available as long as the diversion of corn stover to non-ethanol fermentative products remains limited.
Kadam
Kiran L
KL
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, Colorado, CO 80401 3393, USA. kiran_kadam@nrel.gov
McMillan
James D
JD
D000383:Agriculture; D018533:Biomass; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003252:Construction Materials; D000431:Ethanol; D005285:Fermentation; D010209:Paper; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012997:Solvents; D014934:Wood; D003313:Zea mays
D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol