Sustainable Production and Distribution of Bioenergy for the Central USA
Our vision is to create a Midwestern regional system for producing advanced transportation fuels and bioproducts derived from perennial grasses grown on land that is either unsuitable or marginal for row crop production. In addition to producing advanced biofuels and bioproducts, the proposed system will improve the sustainability of existing cropping systems by reducing agricultural runoff of nutrients and soil and increasing carbon sequestration.
Welcome to CenUSA Bioenergy. We are the home of an ambitious Iowa State University-based, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) sponsored, research project investigating the creation of a Midwestern sustainable biofuels and bioproducts system. This website is dedicated to sharing our work and work products with everyone interested in producing advanced transportation fuels and bioproducts derived from perennial grasses grown on land unsuitable for or marginal for row crop production.
Iowa State University's Ken Moore is the project director for our of nine institution network: Iowa State University, Purdue University; The Ohio State University; University of Wisconsin; University of Minnesota; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; University of Illinois; University of Vermont; USDA Agricultural Research Service. Read more.
CenUSA Bioenergy is advised by an external Advisory Board with members representing all links in the biofuel supply chain including biomass cultivar development, seed production and marketing, crop production, rural economic development, transportation, storage, conversion, marketing, safety and education.
The Advisory Board's role is to provide high-level, broad advice and to serve as an important link and network into stakeholder groups.
Based on our vision of Midwestern regional system for producing advanced transportation fuels and bioproducts using perennial grasses grown on marginal lands, our research efforts are concentrated on ten objectives:
CenUSA Bioenergy is part of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's bioenergy "Coordinated Agricultural Projects" (CAPs). There are currently seven CAP projects across the US funded with Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Grants. The projects share $157 Million in funding. Learn more about the AFRI-CAP effort in Sustainable Advanced Biofuels Across the United States (pdf).
Food and energy security. Environmental quality. Climate change. These are serious challenges to the nation and to agriculture.
One approach to addressing to these challenges is to produce advanced transportation fuels from perennial energy crops. The question is: How can Midwestern agriculture produce these fuels without further harm to the environment while maintaining food production?
