WSC-Category 3: Sustainable Large-Scale Deployment of Perennial Biomass Energy Crops

面对与国内能源安全和大规模人为气候变化有关的问题是美国继续追求可再生能源的主要因素。 然而，与第一代生物燃料的气候和粮食安全有关的有害的间接和无意后果表明，目前的生物能源生产是一种不可持续的方法。 在美国退化和废弃的农田上种植柳枝稷和芒草等多年生生物质能源作物可能是一个可行的替代方案。 然而，与这种扩张有关的土地使用变化可能对自然水资源产生额外的直接影响，需要在大规模地表改变之前进行评估，以确保长期的环境可持续性。 该项目将整合物理（即，耦合水文气候建模，使用WRF 3.4耦合到两个不同的陆面模型），农业（即，作物建模，使用EPIC和世纪作物模型），和社会经济（即，经济建模，使用FASOMGHG和BEPAM模型）元素，以评估与美国退化和废弃农田上多年生生物能源作物的扩张相关的系统弹性。 将绘制地理上明确的地图，描绘常年生物量能源扩展的可持续区域“热点”。 该研究将量化对当地水文循环的影响，包括对土壤和地下水资源的影响（例如，地下水位深度的变化），以及相关的气候后果，以确定在十年的时间尺度上扩张是否可行和可持续。 将对生物能源作物的光合生产进行评估，并将由此产生的模拟产量转化为量化美国液体燃料消耗的比例。 这项研究还将评估在确定的“热点”地区种植多年生生物质能源作物的经济效益。 此外，还将对商品储备计划等农业项目的扩展设计进行研究，以促进指定地区多年生生物质能源作物的生长。本项目将通过整合物理、农业和经济要素的综合透镜探索生物质能源的扩展，指导地方和国家一级机构就生物质能源的可行性做出决策。 建模工具将使水和资源管理人员以及农民能够认识到大规模部署多年生生物质能源作物的影响和权衡，以便为水资源管理做出更明智的决策。 因此，该项目将促进决策者的参与，扩大公民参与的机会。 该项目还将通过与一所非营利（K-12）公立特许学校的独特教育合作，促进参与，扩大机会，并协助指导代表性不足的群体。

Confronting concerns associated with domestic energy security and large-scale anthropogenic climate change are principal factors for continued pursuit of renewable energy in the United States. Yet, detrimental indirect and inadvertent consequences related to both climate and food security for first generation biofuels, illustrate a non-sustainable approach to current bioenergy production. Expansion of perennial biomass energy crops such as switchgrass and miscanthus on U.S. degraded and abandoned farmland may prove to be a viable alternative. However, land-use change associated with this expansion may have additional, direct effects on natural water resources that requires assessment prior to large-scale surface alteration to ensure long-term environmental sustainability. This project will integrate physical (i.e., coupled hydro-climatic modeling, using WRF 3.4 coupled to two different land surface models), agricultural (i.e., crop modeling, using EPIC and CENTURY crop models), and socioeconomic (i.e., economic modeling, using FASOMGHG and BEPAM models) elements to evaluate system resilience associated with expansion of perennial bioenergy crops on U.S. degraded and abandoned farmland. Geographically explicit maps depicting sustainable regional "hot-spots" of perennial biomass energy expansion will be developed. The research will quantify impacts on the local hydrologic cycle, including effects on soil and groundwater resources (e.g., change in water table depth), and associated climatic consequences to determine if expansion is feasible and sustainable over decadal timescales. Assessment of photosynthetic production of bioenergy crops will be undertaken and resulting modeled yields will be translated to quantify the fraction of U.S. liquid fuel consumption that could be offset. The research will also evaluate economic profitability of growing perennial biomass energy crops in identified "hot-spot" areas. Potential designs for extension of agricultural programs, such as the commodity reserve program, to promote growth of perennial biomass energy crops in identified regions, will also be examined.By exploring bioenergy expansion through an integrated lens that incorporates physical, agricultural, and economic elements, this project will guide local to national level agencies making decisions regarding the feasibility of biomass-derived energy. The modeling tools will enable water and resource managers as well as farmers to recognize impacts and trade-offs of large-scale deployment of perennial biomass energy crops to make more informed decisions for water resource management. Thus, the project will promote decision-maker participation and expand opportunities for citizen engagement. The project will also enable participation, expand opportunities, and assist in the mentoring of underrepresented groups through a unique educational collaboration with a not-for-profit (K-12) public charter school.