Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The SERA-38 Biobased Energy Research and Information Exchange Committee met in Little Rock Arkansas on July 2, 2009 in conjunction with the Farm Foundation Conference The Role of Extension in Energy. SERA-38 participants discussed current activities and discussed collaboration with the director of the Southeast Agriculture and Forestry Energy Resources Alliance. Results of a survey of SERA-38 member needs in bioenergy were discussed. The committee established priorities for activities in 2009 which included (1) Contracting for bio-energy crops and bio-energy projects, (2) Feasibility of biofuel crops and conversion, (3) Bioenergy crop logisitics and handling. (4) The committee also made plans to coordinate with the ESCOP Bio Century Initiative and investigate funding opportunities. (5) A effort to develop youth education material on bioenergy topics was also planned.

Developed and administered a survey of informational needs relating to biofuels in the SERA-38 member institutions. Compiled list of bio-based energy resource people by institution Compiled information resources relating to Bio-based Energy Began work on a publication on Economic Information for Analysis of Feasibility of Bio-based Energy Systems Completed two feasibility templates, one on on-farm oilseed processing and biodiesel production and one on sweet sorghum ethanol production which were distributed via the Ag Marketing Resource Center web site (www.AGMRC.org)

Publications Baker, J.S., R.B. Jackson, B.A. McCarl, and B.C. Murray, "Land Conservation in an Evolving Agricultural Era: Trade-Offs to Consider", Presented at American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA - 15-19 December, 2008. Baker, J.S., R.B. Jackson, B.A. McCarl, and B.C. Murray, "Bioenergy, Economics and the environment", Presented at Ecological Society of America Meeting on Ecological Dimensions of Biofuels, Washington DC, March, 2008. Baker, J.S., B.A. McCarl, and others, "GHG Pricing versus Quantity Restrictions: The Relative Environmental Impacts of Multiple Policies Supporting Biofuel Expansion", Presented at the WAEA annual meeting at Big Sky Montana, June 25-27, 2008. Bates, Gary, Pat Keyser, Craig Harper, and John Waller, Using Switchgrass for Forage, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP701-B). Bates, Gary, Jon Walton, Adjusting and Calibrating a Drill for Planting Switchgrass for Biofuels, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP701-C). Beach, R.H., A. Daigneault, and B.A. McCarl, "Modeling Alternative Policies for Forestry and Agricultural Bioenergy Production and GHG Mitigation", Presented at at AERE Workshop Energy and the Environment, Washington, DC, June 18-20, 2009. Beach, R.H., and B.A. McCarl, Agricultural Impacts of the Energy Independence and Security Act: FASOM Results and Model Description, Prepared for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Transportation and Air Quality, 2008. Boadu, F.O., and B.A. McCarl, "US Bioenergy: Potential, Policy, and Economic/Climate Change Concerns", Drake Law Review, forthcoming, 2009. Burton C. English, R. Jamey Menard, and Kim Jensen. Farm Foundation, Available at http://www.farmfoundation.org/news/articlefiles/378-FFbook6-12-08.pdf , February, 2008 Day, D.F., DeQueiroz, G.A. and Legendre, B.L. Turning sugarcane cellulose into ethanol: Energy for the future? Louisiana Agric. (Spring 2008) 51(2):12-13. 2008. Drapcho, CM, TH Walker and N Nghiem, 2008, Bioprocess Engineering for Biofuels Production. McGraw-Hill, New York. ISBN: 0071487492. English, Burton C., R. Jamey Menard, and Kim Jensen Risk, Infrastructure and Industry Evolution. Proceedings of a conference held June 24-25, 2008, in Berkeley, California. Edited by Burton C. English, R. Jamey Menard, and Kim Jensen., Farm Foundation, Available at http://www.farmfoundation.org/news/templates/template.aspx?articleid=365&zoneid=23, June 2008. English, Burton C., R. Jamey Menard, and Kim Jensen. Integration of Agricultural and Energy Systems. Proceedings of a conference held February 10-12, 2008, in Atlanta, GA. Edited by English, Burton C., Daniel G. De La Torre Ugarte, R. Jamey Menard, and Tris West. Economic and Environmental Impacts of Biofuels Expansion: The Role of Cellulosic Ethanol. Integration of Agricultural and Energy Systems. Edited by English, Menard, Jensen. Farm Foundation, Available at http://www.farmfoundation.org/news/articlefiles/378-FFbook6-12-08.pdf , February, 2008, Pages 81-88 English, B.C., J.A. Larson, D.M. Mooney. Switchgrass Harvest and Storage Costs and Bale Quality, pp.11-12. In 25th Milan No-Till Crop Production Field Day Tour Report. Knoxville, TN: UT AgResearch, 2008. Garland, Clark D., Growing and Harvesting Switchgrass for Ethanol Production in Tennessee, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP701-A). Goel, A.B., et al, Economic Feasibility of Supplementing Corn Ethanol Feedstock With Fractionated Dry Peas: A Risk Perspective, Transition to a Bioeconomy: Risk, Infrastructure & Industry Evolution, Farm Foundation, Berkely, CA, June 24, 2008, 19pgs. Forth coming Gustafson, C. Financing Growth of Cellulosic Ethanol Transition to a Bioeconomy: Environmental and Rural Development Impacts, Farm Foundation, St. Louis, MO Oct 15-16, 2008. Forth coming Gustafson, C. Where Will Future Acres Come From? Crop Insurance Today, National Crop Insurance Today, (41)2, May 2008, p. 12-14. Gustafson, C. Risks Facing the Ethanol Industry? Crop Insurance Today, National Crop Insurance Today, (40)4, November 2007, p. 4- 7. Harper, Craig A., and Patrick D. Keyser, Potential Impacts on Wildlife of Switchgrass Grown for Biofuels, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP704-A).  He, R., X.P. Ye, F. Harte, and B.C. English. 2008. Effects of High-Pressure Homogenization on Physicochemical Properties and Storage Stability of Switchgrass Bio-Oil. Fuel Processing Technology. Published online December 21, 2008. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2008.11.003. (Impact factor 2007: 1.883) Holcomb. R. and P. Kenkel. Sensitivity Analysis Using the Lignocellulosic Ethanol Feasibility Template. Agricultural Resource Marketing Center. http://www.agmrc.org/renewable_energy/ethanol/cellulosic_ethanol_feasibility_template.cfm Holcomb, R. and P. Kenkel. Enzymatic Hydrolysis Ethanol Plant Feasibility Template Agricultural Resource Marketing Center. http://www.agmrc.org/renewable_energy/ethanol/cellulosic_ethanol_feasibility_template.cfm October 2008. Ignosh, John, Kurt Stephenson, Matthew Yancey, Bill Whittle, Mark Alley, Landowners Guide to the Carbon Market, Virginia State University, Cooperative Extension Publication. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-138/442-138.pdf Jackson, Samuel, Ethanol: A Primer, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP700-B). Jackson, Samuel, Biodiesel: A Primer, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP700-C). Joshi HC, BR Mosur, TH Walker*, Preparation and fuel properties of biodiesel prepared from soybean oil using mixtures of methanol and ethanol, Biomass Bioenergy, (in review). Joshi HC, J Toler and T Walker*, 2009, Biodiesel from canola oil using a 1 : 1 molar mixture of methanol and ethanol, Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2009, 111, 464473. Joshi HC, Toler J and Walker T, 2008, Optimization of Cottonseed Oil Ethanolysis to Produce Biodiesel High in Gossypol Content, JAOCS, 85, 357-363. Kenkel, P. and R. Holcomb, Conditions Necessary for Private Investment in the Ethanol Industry, Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, (Vol. 42, No. 2, August 2009, pp. 455-464). Kenkel P. and R. Holcomb OSU Biodiesel Feasibility Template, Sept. 2008. www.fapc.biz/services/economics.html, 2008  Larson, James A., Burton C. English, and Lixia He. Economic Analysis of Farm-Level Supply of Biomass Feedstocks for Energy Production Under Alternative Contract Scenarios and Risk. Integration of Agricultural and Energy Systems. Edited by English, Menard, Jensen. Farm Foundation, Available at http://www.farmfoundation.org/news/articlefiles/378-FFbook6-12-08.pdf , February, 2008, Pages 75-80. Maung, T., and B.A. McCarl, "Economics of Biomass Fuels for Electricity Production: A Case Study with Crop Residues", Selected paper presented at 2008 AAEA Annual Meetings, Orlando, FL, July, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Estimating the Intensive and Extensive Margins of Crop Land Yields in the United States", presented at AAEA Organized Symposium:, Global Land Use Impacts of Biofuels: Evidence on the Intensive and Extensive Margins, Milwaukee, July, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "Alternative Policy Approaches to Greenhouse Gas Control", Invited paper presented at Texas Ag Forum, Austin, June 22, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "GHG Mitigation Potential in Forestry and Agriculture", presented at National Academy of Science America's Climate Choice, Limiting Panel, Golden, CO May 27, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "International Conflict and Cooperation Related Economic issues regarding Biofuels, and Climate Change", Presented at meeting sponsored by Program on International Conflict and Cooperation, TAMU Political Science Department, College Station, May 7, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "Economic investigations on Water Impacts of Transportation Biofuels", Presented at U.S. Government Accountability Office and Texas AgriLife Research Discussion on Water Impacts from Transportation Biofuels, College Station, May 6, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "Climate Change and Energy Policy Landscape: Looking Ahead: Some Discussion Points", Presented at the 5th Forestry and Agriculture GHG Modeling Forum, Shepardstown, WV, April, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "Climate change/GHGs impacts legislation and other effects on the ag/biotech/food industry", Invited paper presented at UIC Spring Meeting, Austin, April 29, 2009. McCarl, B.A., and R. Srinivasan, "Linking Biophysical with Economic Models for Impact Assessments", Invited Paper at World Bank Water Week Session 26, Modeling Tools for Agricultural Water Management, Washington, Feb 18, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "Lifecycle Carbon Footprint, Biofuels and Leakage: An Empirical Investigation", The Lifecycle Carbon Footprint of Biofuels: Proceedings volume, Meeting in Miami, January 29, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "US Bioenergy: Potential, Policy, and Economic/Climate Change Concerns bc", Bioenergy In The United States And Germany, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University Policy Report #36, 2009. McCarl, B.A., T. Maung, and K.R. Szulczyk, "Could Bioenergy be used to Harvest the Greenhouse: An Economic Investigation of Bioenergy and Climate Change?", Handbook of Bioenergy Economics and Policy, Edited by Madhu Khanna, Jurgen Scheffran and David Zilberman Forthcoming, Springer, 2009. McCarl, B.A., C. Peacocke, R. Chrisman, C-C. Kung, and R.D. Sands, "Economics of Biochar Production, Utilisation and GHG Offsets", Biochar for Environmental Management: Science and Technology, Chapter 19, Edited by Johannes Lehmann and Stephen Joseph, Earthscan Publications, UK, 341-358, 2009. McCarl, B.A., and T. Plieninger, Bioenergy the the United States and Germany, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies Report #36, 2009. McCarl, B.A., and T. Plieninger, Trans Atlantic Cooperation on Sustainable Bioenergy Development, Bioenergy the the United States and Germany, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies Report #36, 2009. McCarl, B.A., "Bioenergy in a greenhouse mitigating world", Choices, 23(1), 31-33, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Food, BioFuel, Global Agriculture and Environment: Discussion", Review of Agricultural Economics, Volume 30, Issue 3, Pages 530-532, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Agriculture, Climate Change Mitigation and Biofuels: Economic Explorations", Invited Keynote Presented at Belly Klepper Lecture During Annual Joint Meeting of Geological Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies, October, Houston, TX, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Bioenergy in a Greenhouse Gas Mitigating World", Presented at AAEA Meeting on Environmental Choices: Outlook and Investigation on Climate Change as it Relates to Agriculture and Natural Resources Washington DC, ERS, April 1, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "BioEnergy Lifecycle Carbon Footprint, and Leakage", Presented at Farm Foundation meeting on Lifecycle Carbon Footprint of Biofuels, National Press Club, Washington, DC April 8, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "BioEnergy Sorghum, Lifecycle Carbon Footprint, Market Impacts and Leakage", Presented at International Workshop/Conference On Sorghum For Biofuels, Houston, TX August 19, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Bioenergy: A View of the Economic Future", Presented at The Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas and TAMU conference on The Business of Fueling the Future - Earth, Wind, and Sun, March, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Biofuels and Greenhouse Gasses: Economics of Offsets and Leakage", Presentation at University of Illinois, May, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Biofuels in a GHG Mitigating World: LCA, Leakage and Indirect Land Use", Presented at 3rd Annual Midwest Ag Energy Network Summit: Policies to Prosper in the New Carbon Economy, Crowne Plaza, Chicago OHare, Dec 15, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Biofuels, Climate Change and Agricultural Research: Opportunities and Challenges", Paper given at the NC-1034 symposium on "Energy and Agriculture: Emerging Policy and R&D Issues", Washington, DC, March 7-8, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Biofuels: A View of the Economic Future", Presented at the meeting The business of fueling the future, College Station, TX, March, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Lifecycle Carbon Footprint, Bioenergy and Leakage", Presented at Farm Foundation and USDA meeting on The Lifecycle Carbon Footprint of Biofuels Miami, Fl, January 29, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Lifecycle Footprint, Bioenergy and Leakage: Some Considerations", Invited paper Presented at 29th Annual Agricultural Law Symposium, Minneapolis, MN, October, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Linking Economic and Biophysical Models for Climate Change and Biofuel Analysis", Invited Paper at Meeting Biophysical and Economic Models of Biofuel Production and Environmental Impacts, Chicago, Nov. 13-15, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "OR Modeling for Government Policy Analysis: Agricultural related energy, climate change and farm policy", INFORMS Conference Applying Science to the Art of Business April 13-15, 2008 Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Baltimore, Maryland, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Pyrolysis, Biochar, and Crop Residues: Is this an Economic Proposition?", Invited Paper Presented at Annual Joint Meeting of Geological Society of America (GSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies, Houston, October, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "US Bioenergy: Potential, Policy and Economic/Climate Change Concerns", Invited paper presented at Transatlantic Climate and Energy Cooperation: The Way Forward A German-U.S. Dialogue, Washington, DC, November 17, 2008. McCarl, B.A., "Will Bioenergy be Profitable: Markets, Lifecycle Carbon Footprint, Commodity Prices and Leakage", Invited paper presented at GROW III - Oklahoma Conference on Biofuels, Oklahoma City, OK November 12, 2008. McCarl, B.A., C. Peacocke, R. Chrisman, C-C. Kung, and R.D. Sands, "Economics of Biochar Production, Utilisation and GHG Offsets pr", Presented at International Biochar Initiative Conference, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK September 9, 2008. Mercker, David, Short Rotation Woody Crops for Biofuels, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP702-C). Murray, B.C., B.A. McCarl, and J.S. Baker, Commentary on Impacts of Carbon Prices and Energy Costs on Returns to Agricultural Producers, Nicolas Institute Policy Paper, 2009. Ogejo, Jactone Arogo, Zhiyou Wen, John Ignosh, Eric Bendfeldt, E.R. Collins, Jr., Biomethane Technology, Virginia State University, Cooperative Extension Publication. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-881/442-881.pdf Rose, S.K., and B.A. McCarl, "Greenhouse gas emissions, stabilization and the inevitability of adaptation: challenges for agriculture", Choices, 23(1), 15-18, 2008. Rose, S.K., B.A. McCarl, B.C. Murray, and F. de la Chesnaye, "Potential for Agricultural and Forest GHG Mitigation in the U. S", EPRI Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offset Policy Dialogue, Workshop 4 February 19, 2009. Salanenka, Y. A and A. G. Taylor. 2009. Uptake of model compounds by soybean, switchgrass and castor seeds applied as seed treatments. Symposium Proceedings No. 83. Seed Production and Treatment in a Changing Environment. Brit. Crop Protect. Council, Alton, Hampshire, UK. p. 76-81. Salassi, Michael E., U.S. Biofuel Industry: Current Market Situation and Outlook, Proceedings of the 2009 Louisiana Natural Resources Symposium, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, p. 1-11, July 2009. Salassi, Michael E., Current Status of U.S. Biofuel Industry and Opportunities for Louisiana Agriculture, LSU Agricultural Center, Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Staff Report No. 2009-01, January 2009. Shelby, M., J. Cole, B.A. McCarl, and others, Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis: Changes to Renewable Fuel Standard Program, EPA OTAQ Report, McCarl contributed domestic agricultural analysis, 2009. Smith, P., D. Martino, Z. Cai, D. Gwary, H.H. Janzen, P. Kumar, B.A. McCarl, F. O'Mara, C. Rice, R. Scholes, O. Sirotenko, M. Howden, T. McAllister, S.M. Ogle, G. Pan, V. Romanenkov, U.A. Schneider, S. Towprayoon, M. Wattenbach, and J.E. Smith, "Greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture", Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, B, 363(1492), 789-813, 2008. Szulczyk, K.R., B.A. McCarl, and J.C. Cornforth, "Market Penetration of Ethanol", Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, forthcoming, 2009.Tyler, Mark, Paul Darby and Michael Salassi, Energy Cane Usage for Cellulosic Ethanol: Estimation of Feedstock Costs, Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, selected paper abstract, Vol. 41, No. 2, p. 547, August 2009. Taylor, Adam, Woody Biofuels: Past, Present and Future, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP702-A). Taylor, Adam, and Larry Tankersley, Biomass Harvesting and Forest Stewardship: A Healthy Balance, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP702-B). University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, Switchgrass for Biomass Contracting Materials Used in Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee publication. University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, Switchgrass Request for a Contract, University of Tennessee publication. University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, Switchgrass Production Contract  University of Tennessee publication. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Biodiesel Environmental Compliance Primer, Presentation http://www.deq.state.va.us/export/sites/default/osba/pdf/VDEQBiodieselPrimer2008.pdf Virginia Tech/Extension, Switchgrass for Biomass Storage Contract, University of Tennessee Publication, Energy Resource Guide for Virginia. http://www.energyguide.ext.vt.edu/ Virginia Tech/Extension, Green Energy & Byproduct Utilization Website http://www.bse.vt.edu/green/ . Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia, Waste Solutions Forum: Agricultural and Environmental Solutions for the Shenandoah Valley newsletter, http://vawsf.com. Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, Alternative Fuels & Renewable Energy, http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DE/Alternative_Fuels/alternativefuels.shtml. Wen, Zhiyou, Robert Grisso, Jactone Arogo, and David Vaughan, Biodiesel Fuel, Virginia State University, Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-880/442-880.pdf Wen, Zhiyou, Steve A. Bantz, Christopher G. Bachmann, Christie-Joy Brodrick, and Lisa A. Schweitzer, Scale Biodiesel Production: Safety, Fuel Quality, and Waste Disposal Considerations, Virginia State University, Cooperative Extension Publication http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-885/442-885.pdf . Virginia Energy Guide & Series, Cooperative Extension Publication http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/home-systems.html Wen, Zhiyou, John Ignosh, and Jactone Arogo, Fuel Ethanol, Virginia State University, Cooperative Extension, Publication. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-884/442-884.pdf Wen, Zhiyou, and Michael B. Johnson, Microalgae as a Feedstock for Biofuel Production, Virginia State University, Cooperative Extension Publication. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-886/442-886.pdf Wilcox, Michael, Dayton Lambert and Kelly Tiller, Assistant Professors, Department of Agricultural Economics, Biofuels 101, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, University of Tennessee Extension Publication (SP700-A).