Turning Great Plains Crop Residues and Other Products Into Energy

Crop residues, such as corn stover, grain sorghum stover, and wheat straw, are abundant sources of fuel energy in the 10-State Great Plains region. These residues and other wastes, such as manure, may be either burned directly or decomposed into methane gas. However, costs of collecting these residues may be too high to be competitive with coal or other conventional fuels. Bulky crop residues and wastes, expensive to transport, can be economically shipped no more than 50 miles to a conversion plant.