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Feature
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Written by Sabrina Deparine
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Tuesday, 16 June 2009 10:10 |
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Page views: 5238 |
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With the growing popularity of biofuels globally and with the implementation of the Biofuels Act of 2006 (R.A. 9367) locally, producers are now scouting for other potential sources of alternative fuels. One such potential source is miscanthus.
What is Miscanthus?
 Miscanthus is a tall perennial grass species that commonly grows in some parts of Asia, Polynesia, and Africa. It is also currently being grown in North America as an ornamental plant.
Of late, miscanthus has been identified as a promising energy crop and biofuel crop. This is because of its capacity to yield high volumes of dry matter across all types of environmental and soil conditions. There are actually 15 species of miscanthus but the genotype that is commonly recommended for biofuel production is the Miscanthus x giganteus which is a hybrid of the M. saccharifloris x M. sinensis. Miscanthus is a relative of sugarcane, already well known as both an energy and biofuel crop and which can be found in the subtropical and tropical regions of southern Asia.
Potential as a Biofuel Source
The use of Miscanthus as an alternative fuel is no longer something new. In fact, it has been first discovered as a substitute to coal in September 2005. The dry and leafless bamboo-like stems of the Miscanthus are utilized as solid fuel. They are burned like coals to generate electricity. Miscanthus possesses key desirable properties such as low water and ash contents. Most of the current researches and studies that are being conducted on miscanthus are focused on its being a potential biomass crop for direct combustion and on its lignocellulosic conversion to ethanol.
Ease of Growth and Cultivation
Cultivating and growing miscanthus is easy. It must be grown vegetative from rhizome pieces. These should be planted about 4-inches deep and 3-feet apart within rows. Weed control should also be observed and is critical for the rapid establishment of the plant. The good thing about this is that fertilization is not required since this may encourage the growth of the weeds.
The top growth can already be harvested two years after planting. Miscanthus requires only a minimum of 25 inches of water per year to survive. It can tolerate brackish waters and utilizes minimal amounts of nutrients from the soil.
Possible Yields
Actually, only a few facts are known about miscanthus as compared to what people know about other biofuel crops like sugarcane and sweet sorghum. This is because miscanthus is currently not widely-studied especially for biomass and biofuel production.
In terms of possible yields, miscanthus has exhibited relatively high dry matter yields of as much as 5 to 15 tons per acre.
Recent Developments
The Asian region adds another feather to its cap as educational and research institutions in the United Kingdom discovered the potential of Miscanthus as a source for biofuel. With recent innovations and know-how, scientists from United Kingdom are now exploring the possibilities of improving the yields of Miscanthus and devising the means by which these can be converted to biofuels through the Perennial Bioenergy Crops Programme of the Aberystwyth University. This is one of the significant milestones in the development of biofuels since it will help in reducing the dependence of on fossil fuels as well as the emission levels.
To date, the Perennial Bioenergy Crops Programme is able to produce 12 tons of fuel per hectare of Miscanthus. They are still working on other measures to further increase this yield. According to Dr. Iain Donnison, from the Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Science of Aberystwyth which conducted the testing of Miscanthus fuel, one hectare of this perennial grass specie can already produce enough fuel to save 5 to 7 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the air.
This is good news especially for the Asian region as the region is blessed with abundant natural resources that can be utilized for renewable energy and fuel alternatives. Asian countries with sufficient resources for biofuel production like the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia would especially benefit from this discovery since there is a potentially large market for this fuel alternative. For one, fuel from Miscanthus offers some advantages over other plant-derived energy sources:
• Using Miscanthus as a coal substitute produces only as much carbon dioxide as it consumes from the atmosphere as it grows.
• The output fuel from Miscanthus is very efficient with an energy ratio of input to output of less than 0.2. This is relatively lower than the 0.8 energy ratio for ethanol and biodiesel from canola.
• In addition to being a clean, efficient, and renewable fuel source, Miscanthus is also very easy to grow, ensuring abundant supply for heavy demands. Best of all, it grows even on untilled soil which is an effective land management measure that can lower carbon debt.
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