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Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Researching the use of prairie hay to generate electricity CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Tallgrass Prairie Center is conducting a project to research how prairie hay can be used to generate electricity, partnering with Cedar Falls Utilities, Soil Tilth Lab at Iowa State University and the Black Hawk County Conservation Board.
In July, the Iowa Legislature awarded the Tallgrass Prairie Center $330,000 to conduct research on the feasibility of utilizing prairie hay for electrical generation. The demand on corn for ethanol production has raised concerns that land owners may put Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and other marginal land back into row crop production, resulting in increased soil erosion, greater runoff of pesticides and fertilizers and reduced habitat for wildlife and environmental benefits, according to Dave Williams, project manager at the Center.
This spring, the Center will plant 100 acres with various mixtures of prairie species to determine which mixtures produce the most energy efficient and sustainable prairie hay. "This is a five year research project. It takes about three years before the perennial prairie plants mature and can be harvested and we need at least two years of harvest to interpret the results," says Williams. Cedar Falls Utilities will test burn the prairie hay.
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