Biofuels in Perspective

Sustainable Production of Cellulosic Feedstock 25
Figure 2.11 Participants in the Imperial Young Farmers and Ranchers sustainable collection of biomass
project stand in front of a 650 dry ton pile of corn stover.
Source: J. Hettenhaus.
For farmers, a regional supply organization can maximize utilization of collection equipment
and help attract new biorefineries by ensuring a reliable supply of feedstock.
2.9 Removal Economics
The delivered cost of cellulosic feedstocks has been estimated between $18 and $50 per
dry ton. The former is based on one-pass harvesting of crop residue, collected within a
15-mile radius and shipped from collection sites to a processing plant via short line rail
200 miles or less in length. The higher value is for bales delivered within a 50-mile radius.
Neither includes a margin for the farmer.
Using $50 per dry ton delivered cost, the relative economics are summarized and compared
for baling (Table 2.3) and one-pass harvest, bulk storage and rail transport from
remote collection sites to the processing plant (Table 2.4). 17
Selling excess stover or straw priced at $50 per dry ton delivered may net the farmer
$18 to $60 per acre if baled, depending on the yield, tillage practice, nutrient value, local
situation and method of harvest. With one-pass harvest and rail transport, farmer income
increases to $38 to $79 per acre.
Rail transport greatly reduces transportation costs relative to trucking, allowing for
a much larger collection area. One-pass harvest, in which grain and residues are collected
simultaneously, also offers strong opportunities to lower cost and reduce harvest