TOPIC 'Bioenergy' on Jan 14, 2009 (CET)
Biomass Crop Seeds Now For Sale
Ceres, Inc. has begun selling “high-biomass sorghum seed” and switchgrass under the name Blade Energy Crops. This is the beginning of the low-carbon and non-food crop seeds that have been manufactured and designed specifically to grow the raw materials necessary to provide and produce biopower with biofuels.
Ceres, Inc. also introduced a web site to sell the seeds directly to farmers. These specially designed seeds are said to be able to potentially produce double-digit crop yields. If these figures can be supported in the long term, it will represent a huge advancement in crop science. Experts say high yields are important due to the fact that biomass can be expensive to harvest and transport.
Energy crops present farmers with an enormous opportunity for viable success as renewable energy sources and alternatives are gaining a renewed momentum. Biofuels from non-corn sources have been requested to the tune of 21 billion gallons. This can mean a whole new era for farmers and the farming industry.
The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) is an additional incentive program that is anticipated to be launched shortly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Federal and state initiatives are planned to be introduced to offer support to growers who will take a chance on this new area of farming. Both the switchgrass and sorghum seed hybrids have undergone improvements to reach this higher-performing stage.
Switchgass and high-biomass sorghum seeds are touted as a great new idea for acres of farmland that are currently not performing up to standard expectations. Ceres, Inc. expects the initial interest to come from commercial bioenergy companies, but they are also concentrating on the market of smaller growers who are looking to “break into” and get started in this new area of farming technology.
Another plus for those desiring to try their hand at growing these new energy crops is the way that Blade plans to sell the seeds. The sorghum seeds will be sold by count instead of weight, and the switchgrass will be sold in pounds of “live” seed (PLS) as opposed to bulk weight. Both these methods are advantageous to the buyer as they can purchase only the amount of seeds they need or desire, instead of having to over-purchase.
Sherry Irvin
on behalf of the
BascoTec Internet Limited
Technologie Park 13
33100 Paderborn
Germany
TAGS: low-carbon biomass, renewable energy, renewed momentum, high-biomass, bioenergy companies, new energy,
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