Miscanthus is a tall growing, Asian, perennial plant that is related to sugar cane that can produce for 20 years of harvests with limited chemical inputs. Agronomists at Iowa State University are working with Miscanthus for bioenergy production. The plant is harvested in four foot by four foot bales that weigh 300 – 600 pounds each with a yield of 15 tons of biomass fiber per acre. Currently there are only 50 acres under cultivation in the state with another 13 being planted near Iowa City however farmers are being recruited and production acreage is forecast to be 2,500 acres by the end of 2016. Until the University of Iowa begins miscanthus-based energy production, sowing will remain marginal. Researchers state that the main hurdle is the absence of a biomass market but given time and more movement toward sustainability, they believe that biomass can develop its own markets akin to commodities.
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