Research confirms prairie grass could be good source of ethanol

A study by the USDA and the University of Nebraska found that switchgrass grown on marginal farmland in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota could yield 300 gallons of ethanol per acre. An acre of corn kernels grown in those same states, says an AP article, yields about 350 gallons of ethanol per acre on average. Many of the corn acres in those states are irrigated, however, while the switchgrass will not need irrigation. Fertilizer and pesticide inputs will likely be much less as well, and erosion will greatly reduced since switchgrass is a perennial and does not require annual tillage. In fact, soil planted in grasses tends to be improved over time. All in all, then, switchgrass could prove to be a profitable and beneficial crop for farmers and the quality of our soils and environment. The last remaining challenge is to design a viable system for cellulosic ethanol production. Several possibilities are about to be implimented.
from the High Plains Journal:
Research confirms prairie grass could be good source of ethanol