Bioenergy

Why Poplars?

Populus species are well positioned as next generation biofuel feedstocks. Known as aspens, cottonwoods, or poplars, they are found in 49 continental states, and are among some of the fastest growing species in temperate regions. Populus species are characterized by rich natural genetic variation. Traditional tree breeding, assisted and accelerated by genomics technologies, can help develop superior trees for biofuels production that are also adapted to local environments.

Advantages

The advantages of perennial trees over annual crops for biofuel production are many folds. For instance, cultivation of poplars has been shown to compare very favorably or be superior to other bioenergy crops in terms of both carbon sequestration and predicted energy yields. As woody perennials, biomass from poplar can be stored “on the stump”, allowing for flexible harvesting schedule. This is logistically critical, as storage and spoilage can present major challenges to annual bioenergy feedstocks.

Single establishment period
Perennial growth results in larger biomass yields
Reduced or no fertilizer, pesticide, or herbicide inputs
Not competing directly with food or feed production
Ability to thrive on marginal land
Soil and water conservation
Wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services

Suitable for multiple bioenergy and bio-based products

Biomass derived from poplars can support a variety of bioenergy production processes that currently exist or are rapidly being developed.

cellulosic ethanol (bioconversion and fermentation)
bio-oils (pryolysis)
syngas (gasification)
Cogeneration (combined heat and power)
cofiring with coal
by-products and fine chemicals

Existing poplar farming infrastructure

Farming Populus Existing breeding programs, cultivation practices and harvesting infrastructure previously developed for the pulp and paper industry are directly supportive of poplar as a bioenergy feedstock. Poplar growth for bioenergy industry also supports rural economies. Multiple market opportunities, ranging from bioenergy, pulp and soild wood to oriented strand board and structural composite lumber industries, offer farmers additional incentives to produce poplar crop.