Ontario’s Present and Future

Ontario’s Present and Future

Sources, Volumes and

Distribution of Agricultural

Biomass

Ian McDonald

Field Crops Unit

Agriculture Development Branch

OMAFRA

What is the Ontario Arable Landscape?

Canada Land Inventory

Capability Classes for Agriculture

Class 1 & 2 Lands



Class 1 & 2 Lands



Class 3 Lands



Class 3 Lands



Class 4 Lands



Class 4 Lands



Class 5 & 6 Lands



Class 5 & 6 Lands



Class 7 Lands



Class 7 Lands

What is the Present Use of the Ontario Arable

Landscape?

Major Acreage Crops

Estimates of Crop Residue Volumes

Based on 2008 Harvest

Numbers Corn Soybean Wheat Forages

Area (million ac) 1.73 2.10 1.20 2.60

Yield (*bu/ac or **mt/ac) 156* 43* 80* 2.5**

Dry Matter (mt/ac) 3.96 1.17 2.18 2.50

Harvest Moisture (%) 15.5 14.0 14.5 15-18

Harvest Index (%) 52 50 50 95

Residue Yield (0% mt/ac) 3.10 1.01 1.86 1.98

Total Residue (million mt) 5.37 2.12 2.24 5.16

Estimates of Crop Residue Volumes



Area (million ac) 1.73 2.10 1.20 2.60

Yield (*bu/ac or **mt/ac) 156* 43* 80* 2.5**

Dry Matter (mt/ac) 3.96 1.17 2.18 2.50

Harvest Moisture (%) 15.5 14.0 14.5 15-18

Harvest Index (%) 52 50 50 95



5.37+2.12+2.24= 9.73 mmt + 5.16 = 14.9 mmt

Estimates of Total Energy Value in the Landscape




btu / lb 8100 7520 7200 7950

Total Energy Volume (btu) 9.5 x1013 3.520 x1013 3.56 x1013 9.04 x1013

Total Energy Volume (GJ) 101,171,819 37,098,706 37,512,911 95,343,441





Practically Available (%) 50 40 66 5-10

Sustainably Available (mt) ? ? ? ?

Estimates of Accessible Residue Volumes

Estimates of Accessible Residue Volumes





Practically Available (%) 50 40 66 5-10

Sustainably Available (mt) ? ? ? ?

Estimates of

residue

volumes that

can be

practically

removed

How much can be sustainably

removed from the landscape?

Volumes Available Implications

Sustainably Available

• Soil Organic Matter Levels

• Soil Erosion Protection

• Cost and Depletion of Nutrients

• Long term productivity

Practically Available

• Cost And Logistics of Harvest / Storage /

Transport / Processing

• Competing Uses Of Crop Residues / Biomass

Other Crop Options For Biomass

Energy Value of Non Traditional Crops

Substrate Yield (t/ac) Type Biology

Corn stover (omafra) 2.5 - 3.5 R Ann

Soybean Straw (omafra) 0.7 – 1.3 R Ann

Wheat Straw (omafra) 1.7 – 2.2 R Ann

Hay (omafra) 1.8 – 2.5 WP Per

Sweet Sorghum (aerc) 5.5 – 6.0 WP Ann

Pearl Millet (aerc) 3 - 6 WP Ann

Hemp (ont hemp alliance) 1 - 5 WP Bie

Switch Grass (reap) 3 - 5 WP Per

Miscanthus (univ illinois) 9 - 12 WP Per

Prairie Cordgrass (scijou) 2.0 – 3.2 WP Per

Big Bluestem (ny) 2.5 WP Per

Willow (biomass energy) 2.8 – 8.0 WP WoodPer

Hybrid Poplar (biomass energy) 4.0 – 10.0 WP WoodPer

aerc = agriculture environmental renewal canada

Energy Value of Non Traditional Crops

Substrate Yield (t/ac)

jeruselum artichoke 9 – 16

giant knotweed 15

nettle 6 – 10

Rhubarb 2 - 4

US DOD numbers

Non Traditional Crops / Weeds

Food Processing Residues

Food Processing Residues

Location Type Volume

(t)

Essex/Kent Veggie and Fish 400,000

London Veggie 50,000

Niagara Region Grape Pumice 50,000

Windsor, Chatham, Sarnia,

London, Port Colborne,

Collingwood, Thunder Bay,

Aylmer

Wet Corn Milling DDG’s 600,000

GTA, Hanover, Cambridge, Port

Colborne

Wheat Bran /Shorts 400,000

GTA, KW Meat Residues 400,000

GTA Veggie from retail and

wholesale

400,000

Various Direct Air Flotation Residues 20,000

TOTAL 2.3 million

tonnes

The End!

Ian D. McDonald

Applied Research Coordinator, Field Crops Unit

OMAFRA Ag Development Branch

Rm 407 Crop Science Building

University of Guelph

Guelph, On., N1G 2W1

519.824.4120 ext. 56707

[email protected]

Ontario’s Present and Future

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