RII Track-2 FEC: Critical Resource Availability for the Future of the Renewable Energy Industry: Critical Minerals and Ground Water Resources in Iowa and Kansas

风能和乙醇生产是爱荷华州和堪萨斯州增长最快的两个产业，在过去20年里，这两个州都成为了可再生能源领域的全国领导者。爱荷华州在生物燃料生产方面明显处于全国领先地位，这两个州在风能生产总量方面分别排名第三和第四。不幸的是，这两个行业都面临着巨大的资源挑战。风能受到国家关键矿物供应有限的威胁，特别是稀土元素，而乙醇生产面临着将玉米转化为生物燃料所需的充足地下水供应的限制。稀土元素和地下水这两个限制，代表了美国可再生能源产业未来面临的两个最大挑战。这个联合项目由美国国家科学基金会EPSCOR项目资助，由爱荷华大学、爱荷华地质调查局、堪萨斯大学和堪萨斯地质调查局将利用大学和州政府机构之间的多部门合作，通过提供可再生能源部门可持续增长和发展所需的技术能力和信息，产生支持私营部门增长的数据和资源。可再生能源产业的进步和发展是美国能源研究和政策的优先目标。风能、太阳能、水电、地热、生物燃料和电池储能都是未来美国可再生能源组合的主要组成部分，但它们的开发和部署都面临着重大的资源挑战。其中，风能、太阳能和电池储存受到国家关键元素供应有限的威胁，特别是稀土元素（稀土：如钕、镝、铽、镨、铟、镓和碲）。乙醇是美国的主要生物燃料，它利用廉价而丰富的玉米作为主要原料。然而，乙醇生产也面临着生物转化所需的充足水供应（通常是地下水）的严重限制。稀土元素和地下水这两个限制，代表了美国可再生能源产业未来面临的两个最大挑战。在过去的二十年里，爱荷华州和堪萨斯州已经悄然成为可再生能源领域的国家领导者，特别是在风能和乙醇生产方面。这两个州在2019年的风能总产量中分别排名第三和第四，现在在风电发电量占州总量的比例中分别排名第一和第二。到目前为止，爱荷华州在乙醇生产方面处于全国领先地位，堪萨斯州现在也是前十大生产商之一。这项联合提案由美国国家科学基金会EPSCOR项目资助，由爱荷华大学、爱荷华地质调查局、堪萨斯大学和堪萨斯地质调查局将利用大学和州政府机构之间的多部门合作，扩大两国的技术研究能力，并为两国可再生能源领域的可持续发展提供必要的基础研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Wind energy and ethanol production are two of the largest growth industries in Iowa and Kansas, and both states have become national leaders in renewable energy over the past two decades. Iowa is the clear national leader in biofuel production and the two states are #3 and #4 in total wind energy production. Unfortunately, both industries face significant resource challenges. Wind energy is threatened by limited national supplies of critical minerals, particularly the Rare Earth Elements (REEs), and ethanol production faces limitations imposed by access to sufficient groundwater supplies required for the conversion of corn into biofuel. The two limitations, REEs and groundwater, represent two of the largest challenges facing the future of the renewable energy industry in the United States. This joint project funded by the National Science Foundation EPSCOR program and carried out in partnership between the University of Iowa, Iowa Geological Survey, University of Kansas and the Kansas Geological Survey will utilize this multisector collaboration between universities and state governmental agencies to produce data and resources that support private sector growth by providing the technical capacity and information required for sustainable growth and development of the renewable energy sector in both jurisdictions.Advancements and growth within the renewable energy industry are a priority objective of United States energy research and policy. Wind, solar, hydro-electric, geothermal, biofuels, and energy storage in batteries, are all major components of the future U.S. renewable energy portfolio, yet all face significant resource challenges to their development and deployment. Among these, wind, solar, and battery storage are threatened by limited national supplies of critical elements, particularly the Rare Earth Elements (REEs: e.g., neodymium, dysprosium, terbium, praseodymium, indium, gallium, and tellurium). Ethanol, the primary biofuel in the U.S., utilizes cheap and abundant corn as the primary feedstock. However, ethanol production also faces critical limitations imposed by access to sufficient water supplies (typically groundwater) required for bioconversion. These two limitations, REEs and groundwater, represent two of the largest challenges facing the future of the renewable energy industry in the United States. Iowa and Kansas have quietly become national leaders in renewable energy over the past two decades, particularly with respect to wind energy and ethanol production. The two states are #3 and #4 in total wind energy production for 2019 and are now #1 and #2 in wind power electric generation as a share of state total. Iowa is by far the national leader in ethanol production and Kansas is now a top ten producer as well. This joint proposal funded by the National Science Foundation EPSCOR program and carried out in partnership between the University of Iowa, Iowa Geological Survey, University of Kansas and the Kansas Geological Survey will utilize this multisector collaboration between universities and state governmental agencies to expand the technical research capabilities of both jurisdictions as well as provide fundamental research necessary to continue sustainable growth in the renewable energy sector in both jurisdictions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.