Biobased Products and Energy CenterOklahoma State University

Biomass Gasifier Cleaning & Storage Bioreactor Distiller Ethanol & Other Products

In this hybrid conversion process, biomass feedstocks, such as perennial grasses and crop residues, are converted into producer gas using gasification technologies. After cleaning and cooling, the gas is bubbled through a bioreactor containing a unique microorganism that converts the gas into ethanol and other value-added products. The beauty of the OSU system is that for every 1 unit of energy input, more than 3 units of energy are returned from the process. Traditional corn-based ethanol production provides about 1.6 units of energy output per 1 unit of energy input.

Gasification-Fermentation Conversion Technology

ECONOMICS and MODELING

Phil Kenkel

Kenkel’s research in on producer owned bioenergy projects, bioenergy crop harvest machinery cooperatives and feasibility analysis.

“Research shows that when a bioenergy group is owned by producers or members of the local rural community the economic impact on that rural community is more than doubled, relative to a similar project owned by out-of-state investors. Bioenergy is an excellent opportunity for Oklahoma that can enhance income and crop diversity.”

Agricultural Economics

Professor, Bill Fitzwater Cooperative Chair

Agricultural Economics

Rodney Holcomb

Holcomb’s focus is in the area of agribusiness development and value-added commodities processing.

“We’re accountable to the people for our use of state tax dollars, and the mission of the land-grant university is to perform applied research and assist in the education and dissemination of technology. I will adhere to this mission by developing economic feasibility studies and disseminating that information.”

Professor, Charles B. Browning Endowed Professor Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center

Scott Frazier

Frazier researches industrial ecology mass and energy flow mapping of biofuels processes, biofuels end-use systems, and biofuels related education topics, agricultural process optimization and quality management studies.

“Oklahoma bioenergy production has the promise of being a desirable product both in and outside of the state. The economic ramifications of a thriving Oklahoma bioenergy production business could be very beneficial for our state.”

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Assistant Professor

Agricultural Economics

Francis Epplin

Epplin’s research focuses on the economics of agricultural production and resource use such as economic analysis of alternative crop and livestock production systems.

“Our comprehensive field-to-biofuels models are designed to identify key cost components and potential bottlenecks, and to reveal opportunities for reducing costs and prioritizing research. The models can be used for many things, including determining the ethanol price required for an economically viable cellulosic ethanol system.”

Professor

Michael Buser

Buser works on the design and development of mechanical systems for harvesting and packaging biomass for cellulosic ethanol production.

“I plan on being a major contributor in evaluating, developing and/or designing efficient systems for harvesting, conditioning and packaging biomass crops, along with focusing on traceability, air quality and safety issues.”

Assistant Professor

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Carol Jones

Jones’ research involves packaging, storage, transportation, and logistics of biofeedstocks and physical properties of feedstock.

“There are misperceptions about the science, progress and feasibility of biofuels in our state. As we deliver science-based facts, misinformation can be turned into synergy for progress toward a more sustainable political and economic future in our state.”

Assistant Professor

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Danielle Bellmer

Bellmer’s research involves processing ethanol from sweet sorghum, biomass gasification and waste utilization for energy production.

“Public opinion plays a role in policy decisions. We need to educate the general pubic if we hope to gain real support from state decision makers on the importance of biofuels.”

Associate Professor, Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center

LOGISTICS OBJECTIVESThe following objectives reflect the integrated activities at OSU. Researchers work synergistically, addressing the most important issues in the conversion of agricultural resources to liquid fuel and other value-added products.

Maintain an active feedstock development program providing improved perennial grass varieties for central and southern U.S.

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Identify and enhance feedstocks for producing biobased products and energy, including assessing existing biomass resources and selected plant species, utilizing processed biomass waste, and determining optimal procedures for establishing and managing dedicated feedstock crops.

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Develop and/or employ energy efficient and cost effective harvesting, handling, storage and transportation systems.

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Enhance existing, while exploring and developing new, bioconversion technologies addressing biofuels, bioenergy and bioproducts.

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Determine sustainability of establishing biorefineries through economic and systems analyses, energy balances, and integrated models to quantify the environmental and economic impact of land conversion.

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Provide education about biobased products and energy through secondary education, undergraduate and graduate resident instruction; and through extension/outreach to a wide range of audiences.

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OKLAHOMA IMPACTSAvailability of an in-depth regional assessment tool to assist local community leaders in identifying biomass production potential and biobased industry opportunities.

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Recognizing Oklahoma State University as one of the predominant cellulosic bioenergy research universities in the U.S.

•Having the Oklahoma populace embrace biobased energy and products. •

Establishing true bioenergy and biorefinery industries in the state.•

Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. This publication is printed and issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the Vice President, Dean, and Director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at a cost of $705.00 for 1,000 copies. 05/2010. A. Erichsen, M. Davis.

E-mail: bioenergy@okstate.eduAddress: 139 Agricultural Hall • Stillwater, OK • 74078

Phone: 405.744.5618Fax: 405.744.5339

Web site: bioenergycenter.okstate.edu

The OSU Biobased Products and Energy Center welcomes requests for information and educational materials. Please contact us using one of the following methods.

Oklahoma State University

Biobased Products and Energy Center

OSU Has A Strong History of Renewable Energy Research and Education

Huhnke is team leader on a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional project in converting low-cost biomass into liquid fuel and other value-added products using a gasification-fermentation process. He also supports research in feedstock logistics and thermochemical conversion of biomass.

Ray HuhnkeDirector, Biobased Products

& Energy Center and Professor

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

“Some members of our society believe that biofuels compete with our petroleum resources. We must provide education to everyone - secondary education students through general public - about the benefits of biofuels and how we can use our biobased resources to develop alternative forms of energy to supplement our fossil fuels while reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”

Research and education is holistic, considering all aspects from feedstock development to the production of final products, where scientists and engineers are working as teams drawing on the expertise from many disciplines and research institutions. Those interactions and collaborations help in identifying and addressing the most critical issues in providing an economically viable and sustainable biobased production system. The results through center participants will lead to the establishment of biorefineries, potentially revitalizing rural areas in Oklahoma.

COLLABORATIONS

Ramanjulu Sunkar

Sunkar’s primary research area is plant molecular biology involving gene regulation.

“We hope to identify key factors important for biomass accumulation and stress tolerance that are controlled by microRNA-guided post-transcriptional gene regulation. Educating the public as well as prospective scientists in this important area of research will further strengthen our already established prominence in biofuels research.”

Assistant Professor

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Yanqi Wu

Wu’s research interest focuses on switchgrass breeding and molecular genetics. One of his goals is to develop new switchgrass cultivars with improvement in biomass yield and other traits related to viable and sustainable feedstock production.

“The biofuels research will lead to inventions, which will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve our environment, create new job opportunities and be desirable for the agriculture and rural economy.”

Assistant Professor

Plant & Soil Sciences

Million Tadege

Tadege’s research will provide a better understanding of the genes and genetic pathways in switchgrass to produce higher levels of biomass. This will give farmers information needed to increase profit potential.

“Since switchgrass is one of the dedicated biofuel crops and it’s a widely grown native grass in Oklahoma, we will be tasked in convincing farmers to cultivate switchgrass when the time is right.”

Assistant Professor

Plant & Soil Sciences

Mali Mahalingam

Mahalingam is part of the plant biomass improvement group. He hopes the molecular tools and resources developed in his lab will be useful for plant breeders to accelerate the pace of generating new and improved varieties of switchgrass.

“Through this project we can develop the much needed genomic resources important for switchgrass breeding. Particularly, identifying expressed sequence tags associated with biomass accumulation is the primary goal of this project.”

Associate Professor

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

FEEDSTOCK DEVELOPMENT

FEEDSTOCK PRODUCTION

Plant & Soil Sciences

Tyson Ochsner

Ochsner’s research focuses on crop water use, soil water balance, water resource impacts of bioenergy cropping systems and soil carbon impacts of bioenergy cropping systems.

“The public needs to be aware of new bioenergy technology because the advent of bioenergy cropping systems may bring about major land use changes in Oklahoma, and these changes need to be based upon the best available science.”

Assistant Professor

Plant & Soil Sciences

Jason Warren

Warren evaluates soil carbon sequestration under bioenergy feedstock production systems. This research is aimed at improving estimates of the net greenhouse gas emission offsets provided by bioenergy production systems.

“The production of biomass for the refineries will dramatically alter the land use in Oklahoma through the conversion of lands to biomass production; we must ensure that this conversion results in a sustainable system.”

Assistant Professor

Gopal Kakani

Kakani’s research program is geared toward increasing the production potential of fuel, food, feed and fiber crops (crop, native and exotic), which includes improving crop tolerance to water, temperature and other abiotic stresses.

“This energy initiative provides the opportunity to interact with faculty and scientists with different expertise but with emphasis on bioenergy. It also serves to spread the knowledge of bioenergy developed specifically for Oklahoma and in general across the globe.”

Assistant Professor

Plant & Soil Sciences

Chad Godsey

Godsey’s research includes production of sweet sorghum and oilseed crops, specifically winter canola, soybean, sunflower and peanut. He is involved in the agronomic issues related to feedstock production, including identifying feedstocks suitable for the Oklahoma climate and that fit into Oklahoma’s production systems, increasing their profitibility.

“Education is critical. Without educating our public our research falls on deaf ears and nothing will be implemented.”

Plant & Soil Sciences

Assistant Professor

Mark Wilkins

Wilkins researches alcohol and organic acid production, enzymatic hydrolysis and process scale-up.

“The public needs to know their tax dollars are going toward beneficial research. It’s critical our nation reduces its dependence on foreign sources of energy, and biofuels is one way to do that. The investments made in the research are contributing to our nation’s energy independence.”

Assistant Professor

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Ajay Kumar

Kumar’s research involves thermochemical conversion of biomass for biofuel production. His main focus is gasification of biomass to generate producer gas suitable for fermentation to ethanol.

“To best utilize our limited resources and maintain our standard of living, there is no alternative but to make ourselves less dependent on nonrenewable resources.”

Assistant Professor

CONVERSIONNurhan Dunford

Dunford’s research focuses on enhancing existing and developing new bioconversion technologies; examining potential of non-food biomass as potential biofuel and bioproduct feedstocks; and improving utilization of biofuel production by-products/waste streams for value-added product development.

“Biofuels and bioproduct development research requires a multidisciplinary approach. This center brings together a group of researchers who posses diverse expertise and my goal is to contribute to the advancement of the research carried out in Oklahoma.”

Associate Professor, Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Hasan K. Atiyeh

Atiyeh’s research focuses on synthesis gas fermentation, development of sustainable energy alternatives such as biofuels and biogas, development of bioprocesses for the production of various products, and waste minimization and waste treatment.

“The people in Oklahoma will be the main users of the biofuels we are developing. Therefore, educating them about biofuels research in Oklahoma is crucial in order to get their support for the research conducted and to obtain their feedback and address their concerns.”

Assistant Professor

Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering

Krushna Patil

Patil’s research efforts focus on biomass gasification, pyrolysis and fluidization.

“By understanding the gasification characteristics of biomass materials like switchgrass as it relates to the production of fuels and chemicals, we can help the public understand the process, opportunities and benefits of using new biofuels technologies.”

Assistant Researcher

In many ways, Oklahoma is the intersection between agriculture and energy, placing Oklahoma State University on the frontline in the need to develop new technologies that increase the efficiency of or create new energy sources. Since the early 1990s, our future-minded, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional OSU

Biofuels Team has been committed to conducting basic and applied research necessary to making renewable energy crops a practical enhancement of the nation’s energy portfolio. In 1970, approximately 70 percent of the oil used in the United States came from domestic sources. In 2007, that number was 35 percent. By 2025, estimates are that it could be less than 23 percent. Factor in the increase in global demand, the nationalization of 80 percent of the world’s oil reserves, carbon tax legislation and renewable fuel standards and it is clear that the American energy policy is undergoing significant change. The need to diversify America’s energy resources has never been more vital. OSU is particularly well-positioned to take a lead role in helping the U.S. become a viable biobased economy, with leadership and expertise in every aspect of biofuels research and development. Please take a moment and peruse this

brochure that shares how OSU is helping America supply its energy needs in sustainable and cost-effective ways that also promote greater energy independence.

Robert E. WhitsonVice President, Dean and DirectorDivision of Agricultural Sciences and Natural ResourcesOklahoma State University

To conduct research and provide educational programs in environmentally sound biobased products and energy development leading to the establishment of sustainable bioenergy and bioproducts industries in Oklahoma.

CENTER MISSION

Teaching A major focus is to educate the next generation of engineers and scientists in renewable resource utilization. Programs are targeted at all levels, including pre-college students and teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, industrial collaborators and the general public.

OSU iS COMMittED tO DEvElOPing thE nECESSARy tOOlS AnD RElEvAnt ExPERtiSE tO hElP COMMUnity lEADERS AnD RESiDEntS MAKE SOUnD DECiSiOnS ABOUt REnEwABlE EnERgy DEvElOPMEnt whilE BAlAnCing ECOnOMiC, SOCiAl AnD EnviROnMEntAl COnSiDERAtiOnS.

Extension It is critical to extend the renewable energy knowledge base to the community. Decision-making tools are being developed and used by a resource team to help local leaders evaluate renewable energy options in their region. These tools may include economic analysis models, local utility infrastructure evaluation and predictive tools for land-use changes.

Research OSU continues to expand research efforts, addressing the critical issues in further establishing renewable energy industries. Areas of emphasis will include enhancing productivity of potential feedstocks, improving conversion technologies, and optimizing the value of co-products and by-products.