Iowa Learning Farms (ILF), along with the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability and UI Utilities and Energy Management, will host a Bio-Renewables field day between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Miscanthus Pilot Project test plot on the Dan Black farm, 3590 Highway 1 SW, Iowa City.
(The plot can be reached by driving south of Iowa City on Highway 1, past Menard's and approximately one mile south of the Highway 218, Exit 27 interchange. The plot is on the north side of the road.)
Join landowner Dan Black and Emily Heaton, Iowa State University assistant professor of agronomy, as they discuss the Miscanthus Pilot Project, which is part of the UI Biomass Fuel Project. The Miscanthus Pilot Project explores using miscanthus, tall grass native to tropical and subtropical regions, as a biofuel on the UI campus. Ben Anderson, UI Power Plant Manager, will explain how miscanthus is being used in their solid fuel boilers.
The field day will be held at the Iowa City plot, where 13 acres of miscanthus were planted this spring. Free and open to the public, the field day includes a complimentary meal prepared by the Johnson County Cattlemen. An RSVP is encouraged; contact Iowa Learning Farms at 515-294-8912 or at ilf@iastate.edu to be included in the meal count.
Giant Miscanthus is a sterile perennial crop native to eastern Asia. Although development of this grass for bioenergy and biofuel is in the early stages in the U.S, it has been grown in Europe to produce energy for over 30 years. Miscanthus is a prime energy crop candidate because of its high yield and significant drying down before harvest.
The five-year UI Biomass Fuel Project is exploring the use of different biomass fuels for sustainable energy. The project team is developing a Sustainability Index to help the UI evaluate the sustainability of various biomass fuels. Additional potential fuels include other energy grasses such as switchgrass and prairie, wood chips, and paper sludge.
The UI has been using oat hulls as a biofuel source since 2003. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, a partner of Iowa Learning Farms, has funded this project through multiple competitive grants. For more information about the Biomass Fuel Project, visit here.
For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit the Iowa Learning Farms website.
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging the adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable.
Partners of Iowa Learning Farms are: the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319), Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Water Center, and Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact Ingrid Anderson in advance at 319-384-0993 or at ingrid-anderson@uiowa.edu.