After corn and sugar cane – barley?
Feb 10, 2010
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The debate over biofuels is often a heated one. In Indonesia, the thirst for palm oil has led to deforestation and a rise in food crops. Naturally we all have opinions over corn ethanol's effects here in the United States. I've always had the view that biofuels, if sourced sustainably and does not require more energy than the finished energy product, will not only provide a good local source for regional transportation fleets, but have the potential to reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. One source that has promising potential with minimal environmental impact is barley. Remember barley? Your grandmother probably put it in a soup, but this grain is often ignored--in fact, go to a posh restaurant and you'll see faro before you see barley.
Last month I had a conversation with an executive at a biofuel start-up that uses barley as its feedstock. During our conversation, he took the time to explain barley's benefits to me:
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Barley grows well in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and thrives as a winter crop, allowing for effective crop rotation without exhausting the soil. Over 5 million acres in this region lie fallow or grow worthless cover (erosion-preventing) crops.
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The Chesapeake Bay Commission, dealing with toxic runoff that drifts as far as 400 miles before landing in this troubled bay, endorses barley because growing this crop does not result in the dangerous levels of nitrates and other pollutants from fertilizers.
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Ethanol from barley meets all the international standards required to blend this fuel into E-10 and E-85 blends, without the negative environmental impact that has troubled ethanol sourced from corn.
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Feed: after the barley is processed into ethanol, the resulting product is high in protein, making it an attractive food product for livestock.
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Additional fuel: the husks remaining from processed barley can be transformed into fuel pellets. This could eliminate one hurdle of barley production, as the removal of hull from barley kernels before fermentation slows the production of ethanol from this grain.
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Carbon Dioxide: Yes, you have CO2 resulting from barley ethanol production. But any processor can compress this byproduct, creating liquid CO2 that can be used for industrial purposes (I see a future in eco-friendly dry cleaning here!).
So watch for barley ethanol emerging on the energy scene in the next several years. It has already been produced in European countries like Spain, and it is attractive prospect for farmers on the eastern seaboard.
And look into the health benefits of barley. It is one of the best and cheapest grains you can buy.
The biofuel debate sparks opinions on all sides. We welcome your comments here!
Note:
I would be remiss if I did not say a few words about former Maryland Senator Charles "Mac" Mathias Jr., who passed away last month. It was because of Sen. Mathias that the "Save the Bay" movement in the Chesapeake got its sea legs. After spending much time on fact-finding missions around the bay in the 1970s, Mathias insisted that the United States EPA form the Chesapeake Bay Program. The EPA ran some research but just wanted to place the report on the shelf, but Mathias insisted that action be taken. Unfortunately, the bay still suffers from massive pollution problems, but it would be fair to say that the gorgeous Chesapeake would be worse without Mathias' persistence.
