The maxium photosynthetic is also possible protein is also production per hector is possible which can be easily extracted using alkali treatment or Excellent mushroom can be obtained from this plants. followed by small scale biogasification or thermal gasification or ethanol production. Here in Brazil several grass are made survival posssible even in dry climate.South africa and India where population are mor can make use of this plant to make fuel and food .
In our university, the experimental results obtained recently show a very high prodction of biomass is obtained usig Elefant grass by using treated municipal sewage and hence very good project to make not only fuel but also protein feed from biomass. Thus small biomass refinery can be made possible using this elephant grass as this plant produce the maxium protein from plant source.
Thank wood , as this plant can reduce well carbon diocxide and hence reduce the climate change .
sd
Pannirselvam
On 9/7/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Presumably they could be used for celulose to alcohol processes.
I wonder about the invasiveness of miscanthus.
Thanks to Lawrence F. London on the permaculture list.
Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
---------- Forwarded message ----------
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4220790.stm>
Last Updated: Wednesday, 7 September 2005, 00:49 GMT 01:49 UK
Tall grasses set to power Europe
By Jonathan Amos
BBC News science reporter, Dublin
Miscanthus, University of Illinois
Miscanthus: High output for small input
The fields of Europe could soon take on a shimmering silver colour as
farmers grow giant grasses to try to mitigate the effects of global warming.
The latest studies suggest one form of elephant grass would make a
productive "energy crop" to be burnt in power stations to generate
electricity.
Scientists told a Dublin conference the 4m-high Miscanthus needs little
fertiliser to produce very high yields.
A breeding programme would improve its economics still further, they said.
"There's no reason why in 10 years' time this shouldn't be widely
exploited," commented Professor Mike Jones, an Irish expert on plants
and climate.
"If we grew Miscanthus on 10% of suitable land in [the 15-member]
Europe, then we could generate 9% of the gross electricity production,"
he told the British Association's Festival of Science.
Hectares and barrels
Burning biomass is broadly neutral in terms of its emissions of carbon
dioxide, the major gas thought responsible for warming the planet.
"As the plant grows it is drawing carbon dioxide out of the air,"
explained Professor Steve Long, from the University of Illinois. "When
you burn it, you put that carbon dioxide back, so the net effect on
atmospheric CO2 is zero.
"Whereas, if you take coal out of the ground and burn it, you are adding
a net gain of carbon to the atmosphere."
Professor Long has been cultivating a hybrid of two Miscanthus species
on plots in his home state. The project has managed to achieve yields of
60 tonnes of dry material per hectare.
This is a considerable improvement on the trials that have been
conducted in Europe, where a typical yield is some 12 tonnes per hectare.
But even this lower production provides an energy content equivalent to
about 36 barrels of crude oil. And with a barrel currently priced around
$60, such a yield would have a potential value of about $2,160 per hectare.
Growing interest
"Biomass crops have always been viewed as something that can only make a
tiny contribution to mitigating rising carbon dioxide," said Professor Long.
"The point we want to make is that it could actually make a major
contribution and it doesn't require big technological breakthroughs to
do that."
Farmers are increasingly being drawn to the idea. One of its attractions
is that harvesting takes place at times of the year when machinery in
not being used on food crops.
Added Professor Jones: "This is definitely being taken seriously in the
UK, where the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is now
funding a major breeding programme."
One farmers' cooperative also plans to cultivate 10,000 hectares for
burning over the next three years.
LINKS TO MORE SCIENCE/NATURE STORIES
SEE ALSO:
Climate food crisis 'to deepen'
05 Sep 05 | Science/Nature
Asian peat fires add to warming
03 Sep 05 | Science/Nature
UK 'lagging on biomass potential'
11 May 04 | Science/Nature
RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
BA Festival of Science
BA Festival of Science Webcasts
Trinity College Dublin
Science for a Successful Ireland
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
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--
Pagandai V Pannirselvam
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN
Departamento de Engenharia Química - DEQ
Centro de Tecnologia - CT
Programa de Pós Graduação em Engenharia Química - PPGEQ
Grupo de Pesquisa em Engenharia de Custos - GPEC
Av. Senador Salgado Filho, Campus Universitário
CEP 59.072-970 , Natal/RN - Brasil
Residence :
Av Odilon gome de lima, 2951,
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EP 59.078-400 , Natal/RN - Brasil
Telefone(fone ) ( 84 ) 3215-37690 Ramal210
32171557
Telefone(fax) ( 84 ) 3215-3770
residencia 32171557
Cellular 84 88145083
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