Miscanthus x giganteus (MxG) The multi-use energy crop Peter Brown Miscanthus New Zealand Limited [email protected] Miscanthus New Zealand Limited [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz 1 What is Miscanthus? • A perennial C4 grass related to sugar cane • A triploid hybrid so is completely sterile • Of temperate origin (Japan) but tolerant of cold • A cellulosic plant with high productivity • Tolerant of low fertility sites • Low input crop • A multi-use crop Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 2 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Miscanthus at end of third year in NZ This small trial stand averaged 3.5 – 4 metres tall when photographed Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 3 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Located near its end use Handily located close to a coal fired power station to minimise transport distance Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 4 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz How it develops • In the first year most activity is below ground • Plants get established and build up reserves • Top growth reaches 1 – 1.5 metres • Looks like dead grass in winter • Second year grows to > 2.5 metres • Production can start in second winter • Third year grows to > 3.5 metres • Into or near full annual production Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 5 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz First year’s growth Reasonably typical example near the end of the first year. A Waikato site. Almost 1 metre tall Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 6 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Second year’s growth Almost 3 metres tall in March at the end of the second growing season - Hawkes Bay site Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 7 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz End of third growing season in Hawkes Bay Average height 3.4 metres. 13 May this year after the end of the drought Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 8 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Site requirements • Siting limited by the terrain • Limitation is based on machinery for harvest including trucks • Slopes similar to where maize could be grown • Tolerates drought but loves rainfall • Enjoys damp but not waterlogged ground • Likes deep soils for its deep rooting • Fertility not required. Grows fine on low fertility land. Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 9 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Good contour. Rolling, lower fertility land Site in Waikato still being prepared Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 10 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Energy crops in general Requirements for success Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 11 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Essentials • Perennial • Tolerates low fertility • Low inputs • Low nutrient removal • Easy to harvest • Versatile - multiple uses • Minimal processing required • High productivity Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 12 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Nutrient issues • Low demand for nutrients • Efficient use of nutrients • Storage of nutrients between seasons • Low leaching of nutrients • Low removal of nutrients with harvest • Low requirement for nutrients in processing and use Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 13 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Energy flows • High biomass production which means high storage of energy in the crop • Low energy inputs required for growing • Efficient low energy harvesting and storage • Minimal energy required for processing and use, including drying. • High energy recovery and utilisation in use Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 14 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Multiplication by division • Miscanthus is sterile so multiplication has to be vegetative. • Tissue culture is the fastest with rapid multiplication possible by skilled laboratories • Greenhouse multiplication can also be done cost effectively if handled properly • 1 plant can be turned into hundreds of thousands of plants in a twelve month period Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 15 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Top - Arrival from Tissue Culture lab Bottom - Two greenhouse divisions later Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 16 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz One plant becomes six Four weeks from arrival from lab to greenhouse Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 17 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz One plant becomes thousands With good nursery management plant multiplication can be rapid Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 18 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Established end uses • Animal bedding • Burning for heat and power • Wood pellets • Paper and board making • Ethanol • Fibre extraction Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 19 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Start of year ‘s growth – Leamington, Ontario Dean Tiessen – New Energy Farms Previous harvest stacked at paddock edge Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 20 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Bales “Stored” – Leamington, Ontario Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 21 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Chipped Miscanthus As harvested. Suitable for a variety of uses including animal bedding. Cut size can be varied Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 22 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Miscanthus wood pellets The first wood pellets made in New Zealand from NZ grown Miscanthus – Hornum clone Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 23 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Developing end uses • Animal feed • Fibre source • Renewable diesel • Nutrient removal mechanism • Garden mulch • Compost • Gasification Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 24 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Ready for silage production? Beginning of December - second year Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 25 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Research - International • Focus on agronomy and production improvement • Some focus on use for ethanol production • Much work on improving quality and quantities harvested • Examination of pros and cons of rhizomes for establishment versus plantlets • Cost effective production of plants Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 26 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Research – New Zealand • Initial focus on establishment and management techniques using plantlets • Work on alternative end uses to reduce risk • Suitability for gasification • Suitability for aspects of steel production • Nutrient removal from effluent disposal sites • Suitability at different stages for animal feed • Farm shelter in Canterbury and Southland Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 27 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Economics • Good ROI for growers at $5.30 per Gj • Pelletising adds cost but widens markets and value significantly • ~19 Gj/tonne of DM but around 15 Gj/tonne as harvested at 20% moisture content • Prices currently offered $10 per Gj for pellets, $5 per Gj for chips, with another business potentially offering $6.50/Gj for chipped Miscanthus Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 28 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Economics (cont’d) • For animal feed the return to growers will be significantly higher • Miscanthus is being accepted as a low nitrogen crop for Lake Taupo incentives • Economic value for animal bedding has not even looked at properly yet. • Value for farm shelter is now being actively researched by Lincoln University. Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 29 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz The future • Extensive planting in suitable areas for multiple uses • Supplement to wood residues for pellet production • Shelter and multiple end use on dairy farms • Calves / herd barns as bedding and fodder • Feedstock for NZ scale renewable diesel. • Watch this space!! Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 30 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Ready to plant Heavily worked Maize land as far as the eye can see. Ideal Miscanthus country. Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 31 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Early Spring regrowth Miscanthus almost to the horizon Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 32 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Miscanthus within months of harvest Caveny farm, Illinois. Our first crop is near this stage in Hawkes Bay, thanks to Rocky Renquist Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 33 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz Contact details • Miscanthus New Zealand Limited • Email (best): [email protected] • Telephone: +64 7 332 3218 • Mobile +64 27 498 4241 • Web : www.miscanthus.co.nz Miscanthus New Zealand Limited 34 [email protected] www.miscanthus.co.nz .