Bioenergy crops on marginal lands: Investigating strategies for remediation, stormwater management and nutrient load reduction

边际土地上的生物能源作物：研究修复、雨水管理和减少养分负荷的策略

• 批准号: 1254559
• 负责人: Amy Landis
• 金额: $ 12.34万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1254559&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Bioenergy; crops; marginal; lands; Investigating

0933249LandisBiofuels are currently derived from corn and soybeans in the US to make ethanol and biodiesel, respectively. While energy and greenhouse gas savings are realized, several significant tradeoffs have arisen including a) increase in food prices and b) a shift in environmental burden to impacts manifesting as eutrophication and hypoxia (i.e. the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico). Cultivating biofuels on marginal lands may alleviate these problems and may serve to contribute additional environmental benefits in the form of soil remediation.The goal of the proposed research is to quantify the benefits of growing bioenergy crops on marginal lands. Throughout this project they will: (i) quantify on-site phytoremediation of biofuel crops, (ii) evaluate runoff related to biofuel crops, and (iii) compare the life cycle environmental impacts of biofuels grown on marginal lands to petroleum fuels and traditional biofuels (i.e. soy biodiesel, corn ethanol).The PIs at the University of Pittsburgh will partner with Alcoa Corp and a local nonprofit, GTECH Strategies, to form a unique collaboration. Alcoa Corp is involved in a mine reclamation demonstration at the Mather Mine site in PA. Alcoa is aiding in the evaluation of the use of alkaline clay to assist in reclamation. GTECH Strategies cultivates biofuel crops on vacant urban lands; their mission is to foster community growth in underserved communities through the creation of "egreen collar" jobs.This project is unique not only for Pennsylvania, but for the water resources, water quality, and biofuels research community at large. The findings of the proposed research will inform the research community about the life cycle environmental benefits of alternative uses for marginal and vacant lands, and will also contribute to the literature and understanding of phytoremediation. The findings of the life cycle assessment will also contribute to the ever growing and highly debated body of LCA research on biofuels.The proposed activities will have broad reaching impacts that serve the purpose of energy production, storm water management, nutrient management, water conservation, reclamation, and job creation in underserved communities. The impacts of the proposed research extend from contribution to the scientific study of biofuel crops to community engagement and empowerment through the collaboration with GTECH Strategies. The proposed project will directly aid in the increase of job opportunities in environmental justice communities through GTECHs green job corps program and will foster the growth of GTECH as a sustainable nonprofit. Clearly, the development of new strategies for sustainable biofuel production will aid in addressing national security issues and help the nation meet national 2010 fuel standards. In addition to the outreach inherent in the collaboration with GTECH, they also propose to continue to include a diverse set of students (REU, grad, and high school, via GTECH's green job corps) in the proposed research. They also have outlined an extensive plan for integration of the research partnership into the sustainability curriculum at Pitt.

0933249landisbiofuels目前来自美国的玉米和大豆，分别制造乙醇和生物柴油。尽管实现了能源和温室气的节省，但出现了几个重大的权衡，包括a）粮食价格上涨和b）环境负担转移到影响表现为富营养化和缺氧的影响（即墨西哥湾的死区）。在边际土地上培养生物燃料可能会减轻这些问题，并可能以土壤修复的形式贡献额外的环境益处。拟议的研究的目的是量化生物能源作物在边际土地上的收益。在整个项目中，他们将：（i）量化生物燃料作物的现场植物修复，（ii）评估与生物燃料作物有关的径流，以及（iii）比较生物燃料对边际土地的生物燃料的环境影响与石油含量和传统生物燃料的影响（即大豆生物柴油，玉米乙醇）。匹兹堡大学的PIS将与Alcoa Corp和当地的非营利组织GTECH Strategies合作，以形成独特的合作。 Alcoa Corp在宾夕法尼亚州的Mather矿场参与了一次矿山开垦示范。 Alcoa正在协助评估碱性粘土来协助开垦。 GTECH策略在空地的城市土地上种植了生物燃料作物；他们的任务是通过创建“ Egreen collar”工作来促进服务不足社区的社区发展。该项目不仅对宾夕法尼亚州而言是独一无二的，而且对于水资源，水质和生物燃料研究社区而言。拟议研究的发现将为研究界提供有关边际和空地替代用途的生命周期环境益处的信息，并将有助于文学和对植物修复的理解。生命周期评估的发现还将有助于LCA关于生物燃料的LCA研究的不断增长和高度争议的机构。拟议的活动将产生广泛的影响，以实现能源生产，雨水管理，养分管理，节水，节水，节水，节水，水平，在服务不足的社区中开垦和创造就业机会。 拟议研究的影响从对生物燃料作物的科学研究的贡献扩展到通过与GTECH策略的合作，对社区参与和赋权的影响。拟议的项目将直接通过GTECHS绿色工作组计划直接帮助增加环境司法社区的就业机会，并将促进GTECH作为可持续的非营利组织的增长。显然，开发可持续生物燃料生产的新战略将有助于解决国家安全问题，并帮助该国达到2010年国家燃料标准。除了与GTECH合作的固有的宣传外，他们还建议在拟议的研究中继续在GTECH的绿色职位团中包括各种各样的学生（REU，Grad和高中）。他们还概述了将研究伙伴关系整合到皮特可持续性课程中的广泛计划。