Kansas targets crop residue for ethanol production

Nov. 14, 2011 – The Kansas Alliance for BioRefining and BioEnergy (KABB)
is working on decreasing costs for harvesting and transporting crop
residues, for use in ethanol production.

Started in 2009, the KABB helps farmers to increase harvesting efficiency using cutting-edge research and technology, in order to promote the use and competitiveness of biofuels.

According to an article in The Wichita Eagle, the harvested material (or crop residues, which include corn husks, crop stubble and grasses) are can be used for energy production, such as ethanol, or as raw material for thousands of
products. But the biggest contribution KABB achieves is helping farmers purchase new equipment to increase productivity and lower costs.

The potential, said Emily Juhnke, KABB’s marketing director, is large.

“It’s
not sexy, but this piece is to show farmers and (others) that there is a
better way of harvesting and using crops that could influence an
industry eventually, and Kansas could be a big part of that,” she said.