Decreasing Severity of Switchgrass Pretreatment Through Wet Storage and Biological Pretreatment

 

2013 USDA-NIFA Center Award

Principal Investigators and affiliations:
PI:  Dr. Mark Wilkins (Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University)
Co-PI:  Dr. Danielle Julie Carrier (University of Arkansas)
Co-PI:  Dr. Michael Buser (Oklahoma State University)
Funded: $171,394
Start Date: 4/30/2013

End Date: 4/29/2015

 

Expected Outcomes

The research will try to overcome the issues of physico-chemical pretreatment and reduce cost by adapting a holistic approach of exploiting a part of storage time for a biological pretreatment process.

 

The following are the expected outcomes:

1. Demonstrate positive benefits of storage on subsequent conversion in terms of reduced production of inhibitors during pretreatment.
2. Demonstrate feasibility of incorporating fungal pretreatment into baling and bale storage.
3. Reduce pretreatment severity and energy use through fungal pretreatment.