Project Galaxy-Sustainable Resource Supply and Environmental Implications.

Accession Number

DE2012-1038080

Publication Date

Mar 2012

Media Count

41p

Personal Author

M. Downing R. Wimmer

Abstract

Understanding what it takes to move from a corn-based liquid fuels industry to one that is cellulosic-based requires a complex transition over time. This transition implies, among other things, a shift from annual cropping systems considered under United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy as commodity crops, to perennial lignocellulosic crops that are herbaceous and wood-based. Because of changes in land use as well as biomass and other crop supplies, land-based environmental amenities such as water quality, soil health and tilth, air quality, and animal and avian species populations and their diversity change also. Environmental effects are measured as magnitudes (how much they are impacted), and direction of the impact (either positive or negative). By developing a series of quantitative and qualitative metrics, the larger issue of defining relative sustainability may be addressed, and this can be done at a finer detail of regional (scale) and environmental amenity-specific impacts. Although much literature exists about research relevant to specific environmental variables, there is no published, documented, nor research literature on direct application of environmental over-compliance with regards a 'biorefinery'.

Keywords

Agriculture
Biomass
Crops
Electric power
Environmental impacts
Land use
Metrics
Nitrates
Soils
Species diversity
Sustainable development
Water quality


$33.00-COLOR DOCUMENT

Source Agency

Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee

NTIS Subject Category

98A - Agricultural Chemistry
68 - Environmental Pollution & Control
97K - Fuels
97R - Environmental Studies

Corporate Author

University Transportation Center, Knoxville, TN. National Transportation Research Center, Inc.

Document Type

Technical report

Title Note

N/A

NTIS Issue Number

1219

Contract Number

DE-AC05-00OR22725

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