call for proposals: comprehensive canada-wide long-term trials of various energy crops
letters of intent for this opportunity are due september 30.
the trials will provide bfn and its stakeholders with data on potential sources of biomass available for use as feedstocks in either biological or thermo-chemical conversion processes. the ultimate goal will be for bfn to identify the optimal combination of feedstock and conversion technologies for the production of liquid biofuels. properties to be monitored and reported upon include:
- details of land/soil quality, preparation and harvest
- irrigation rates and moisture content of biomass
- rates of growth, yields, residues, removal rates (dry tonnes per hectare)
- cost and/or value ($ per dry tonne) in local markets
- quantities and cost of inputs (water, fertilizer, herbicides/pesticides/fungicides, fuel, etc.)
- post-harvest logistics
- other properties, to be determined on a per-project basis
successful projects will work closely with bfn’s social, economic, and environmental sustainability (sees) theme to provide trial data to perform in-depth lifecycle and economic analysis.
the trial will involve establishing agriculture and agro-forestry plots and monitoring their progress in three of the following canadian climate zones, selected to enable a pan-national perspective:
1. south british columbia mountains
2. northwestern forest
3. prairies
4. northeastern forest
5. great lakes and st. laurence
6. atlantic canada