LEOLA, Pa., Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In two Iowa cornfields in early November, Leifmark,
LLC and New Holland Agriculture teamed up to test equipment and
methods used to gather, bale, and store the corn stover left behind
after the grain harvest. Paul Kamp,
Leifmark's Chicago-based partner,
coordinated the 520-bale collection. "Using local specialists and
best practices, we showed stover harvesting on area farms is very
practical. That's good news for three ethanol producers now
considering new businesses making cellulosic ethanol from
biomass."
Developing more efficient methods and equipment brings down the
overall cost of stover, says Kamp, whose company markets Inbicon
Biomass Refinery technology in North
America.
"Couple lower stover prices with a predictable supply chain,"
adds Kamp, "and you reduce risk perceptions with biomass. So future
plant owners can feel confident putting their capital into
cellulosic ethanol projects."
New Holland Agriculture's Scott
Wangsgard emphasizes that "technology companies like Inbicon
have certain specifications for corn stover bales. To meet them,
we've been designing specialized equipment that also boosts
collection efficiencies."
For the November test, New
Holland used a high-capacity baler and automated bale wagon
that picks up, transports, and stacks the 3' x 4' x 8' square bales
required for Inbicon's refining process. "Square bales handle more
easily than round ones, store in much less space, and pack tighter
so flatbed trucks can haul more tonnage per trip," says
Wangsgard.
Bales with four sets of variables were gathered, differing by
corn variety, soil type, and methods of preparing stover for
baling. Jens Fink, a biomass
researcher from Inbicon's Denmark
laboratories, and Larry Johnson, a
Minnesota-based biomass
consultant, were on hand for assessing bale weights, measuring
moisture, and taking core samples for compositional analysis in
both Danish and U.S. laboratories.
Johnson sees important advantages gained by setting an industry
standard for stover bale specifications, such as "establishing
uniform value for trade, gathering and process efficiencies, more
mechanization options, and more sustainable removal of stover."
"A set standard also allows process technology companies like
Inbicon, and process equipment makers, to tighten their
guarantees," says Leifmark partner Thomas
Corle, who works closely with investors on project
de-risking.
"Along with efficient harvesting logistics, Leifmark can also
integrate the cleanest technologies into biomass refinery projects.
That brings the best synergies and investment-grade returns."
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SOURCE Leifmark