Posted in August 18th, 2008
By DALE HILDEBRANT, Farm & Ranch GuideFriday, August 15, 2008 11:05 AM CDT
GRAND FORKS, N.D.
GRAND FORKS, N.D.
When considering biodiesel production, camelinaappears to be the Cinderella crop, according to information presented atthe recent Bio-Mass ‘08 Technical Workshop in Grand Forks.
In recent months biodiesel production has decreased in the U.S. becauseof high prices for soybean and canola oil, the two main oils currentlyused in biodiesel processing, since the oil from both of these seeds isin high demand in the food industry.
At the present time, about 90 percent of the oil used in biodiesel issoy oil and the other 10 percent is canola oil. But the biodieselproduction capacity of the U.S., which is 2.5 billion gallons per year,isn’t being fully utilized with production last year of only 500 milliongallons.
In recent months biodiesel production has decreased in the U.S. becauseof high prices for soybean and canola oil, the two main oils currentlyused in biodiesel processing, since the oil from both of these seeds isin high demand in the food industry.
At the present time, about 90 percent of the oil used in biodiesel issoy oil and the other 10 percent is canola oil. But the biodieselproduction capacity of the U.S., which is 2.5 billion gallons per year,isn’t being fully utilized with production last year of only 500 milliongallons.
However, Duane Johnson the vice president for agricultural developmentat Great Plains Oil and Exploration in Big Fork, Mont., thinks camelina,which is sometimes called “false flax” could return profit to thebio-diesel industry and thus spur further growth.
For example, at the current market prices, soybean oil feedstock costs$5.25 a gallon and the feedstock price is about 80 percent of the finalproduct cost, making the final cost of a gallon of biodieselapproximately $6.60, which is a figure well above the current price ofdiesel fuel.
Johnson also noted that converting good grade vegetable oil such assoybean and canola oil is adding to the backlash over food versus fuel,a debate that is currently taking place world-wide. Since camelina is anindustrial oil, not a food grade oil, using it as a feedstock forbio-diesel would lessen that argument.
Johnson also noted that converting good grade vegetable oil such assoybean and canola oil is adding to the backlash over food versus fuel,a debate that is currently taking place world-wide. Since camelina is anindustrial oil, not a food grade oil, using it as a feedstock forbio-diesel would lessen that argument.
Using figures prepared by various agencies back in 2003, Johnsonprovided the following comparison for using oil crops grown in NorthDakota for biodiesel. Even though the growing costs per acre and thecost per gallon of the oil are considerably higher, the following dataprovides a good comparison between the various oil crops in regards tobio-diesel production.
Raising camelina could also be an economic plus for farmers in the morearid areas of the northern Great Plains.
Alice Pilgeram has been working with camelina research for the pastseveral years at Montana State University and claims the crop canprovide growers with a high value crop with relatively low input costs.Production acreage in Montana has increased from just 450 acres in 2004to between 20,000 to 40,000 acres planted this year.
Several other states, including North Dakota, are currently raisingcamelina and looking at expanding acreage in the future.
When it comes to fuel production, biodiesel is the most efficient formof alternative fuels, according to Johnson. In terms of gasoline anddiesel fuel production, for each calorie expended in the extraction andmanufacture of these products we recover 0.8 calories of energy. Ethanolproduction returns 1.1 calories for each calorie expended, but forbiodiesel, for each calorie expended 3.5 to 5.2 calories of energy arerecovered.
The high linolenic content is important to biodiesel production, sinceit gives the product a pour point of around -15 degrees Fahrenheit,which is considerably lower than the other oils offer and is importantfor users in this region of the country.
Pilgeram also noted that at least five biodiesel companies in Montanawill be utilitzing camelina oil in 2008.
Agronomically, camelina is an ideal crop for this region, since itproduces well with about 10 inches of rain and requires a low rate offertilization and pesticide use, and does well on marginal land, Johnsonexplained.
“We can get maximum yield with up to 10 inches of rainfall,” he said.“After that we start having disease problems.”
Johnson claims the biodiesel industry needs to look to a new generationof feedstocks if it is going to be successful.
“The future of biodiesel is going to be what happens in the nextgeneration,” he said. “Right now all of the oilseeds that we use to makebiodiesel, whether it be soybeans, sunflower, canola or mustard, arecompeting against a world food market. We need to start looking atnon-food crops, or the next generation of crops, for biodiesel production.”
These next generation crops should be lower in cost, because they aren’tcompeting for food use. These sources include using algae, where thetechnology is five to 10 years away, the tropical plant jatropha, whichis three to seven years away, and camelina, where the technology is herenow.
Camelina has one more advantage - a meal by-product that can besuccessfully used in beef, dairy, poultry and fish rations. Cold-pressedcamelina meal contains a residual oil of 8 to 11 percent and this oilcontains 34 to 38 percent omega 3 fatty acids and very high levels ofvitamin E.
The meal is also an excellent source of protein and is very low in ashcontent.
Beef feeding trials are currently underway at Montana State Universitythat show feedlot daily rates of gain were higher with a rationcontaining 3.5 percent camelina meal than rations containing 3.5 and 7.0percent soybean meal.
It may have been dubbed “false flax” in the past, but many feel there isnothing false about the future of camelina as one of the new sources forbiodiesel production.
Johnson claims the biodiesel industry needs to look to a new generationof feedstocks if it is going to be successful.
“The future of biodiesel is going to be what happens in the nextgeneration,” he said. “Right now all of the oilseeds that we use to makebiodiesel, whether it be soybeans, sunflower, canola or mustard, arecompeting against a world food market. We need to start looking atnon-food crops, or the next generation of crops, for biodiesel production.”
These next generation crops should be lower in cost, because they aren’tcompeting for food use. These sources include using algae, where thetechnology is five to 10 years away, the tropical plant jatropha, whichis three to seven years away, and camelina, where the technology is herenow.
Camelina has one more advantage - a meal by-product that can besuccessfully used in beef, dairy, poultry and fish rations. Cold-pressedcamelina meal contains a residual oil of 8 to 11 percent and this oilcontains 34 to 38 percent omega 3 fatty acids and very high levels ofvitamin E.
The meal is also an excellent source of protein and is very low in ashcontent.
Beef feeding trials are currently underway at Montana State Universitythat show feedlot daily rates of gain were higher with a rationcontaining 3.5 percent camelina meal than rations containing 3.5 and 7.0percent soybean meal.
It may have been dubbed “false flax” in the past, but many feel there isnothing false about the future of camelina as one of the new sources forbiodiesel production.
http://www.farmandranchguide.com/articles/2008/08/15/ag_news/production_news/duc14.txt
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