The recent expansion of biofuels technology has found one branch of its tree developing in the Augusta area with the work started and promoted by Holst Farms.
Holst Biofuels, which is an offshoot to its main farming operation, has proved to be a particularly valuable adjunct to the total profit picture, one which can likely be adapted to many area farming operations.
“I took ideas from a variety of sources,” Mark Holst, owner of the operation, said during an agricultural field day held at the farm on Friday, July 30. “This isn't entirely new.”
Holst assembled a system which capitalizes on oil-rich sunflowers to create a product that helps to replace a portion of the diesel fuels previously used to power the farm's machinery.
Currently capturing approximately one-third of the farm's total fuel use, that figure may grow in the future as the biofuel portion of the biofuel-diesel mix increases in their operations. Some of the farm's machinery already operate on a 70 percent biofuel proportion, with some equipment envisioned as being able to accommodate a 100 percent biofuel mode.
Although soybean-based biofuel poses cost advantages for potential commercial operations, the sunflower base has an advantage for farmers seeking to reduce their fuel costs.
“We can get two crops out of our land (during a growing season),” Holst said. “We put them (sunflowers) in after we take out the wheat.”
By double cropping, sunflower production for fuel doesn't displace land use for other agricultural products, and still yields the benefits in energy savings, he said.
The sunflower seeds produce between 1.5 and 1.75 gallons of oil per bushel. Further, after the sunflower seeds are crushed to extract their oil, the process yields a further valuable bi-product.
The crushed seed residue, which looks very much like blackened corn flakes, is ground up and mixed with feed as an added nutrient source for cattle.
The cost to set up an operation similar to what Holst Farms maintains is approximately $25,000 for the building and equipment.
Friday's event also drew the attention of two area state legislators, State Representative Rich Myers and State Senator John Sullivan, who were active participants in the tour conducted by the Holsts.
“We're here to learn about this process,” Myers said. “The state has had a role in helping to support the alternative fuels industry. We've encouraged ethanol production through grants and other types of financing, programs to help the ethanol industry develop.
“To a certain extent, we've played the same role with biofuels. We've offered tax credits as well as the national level for these kinds of fuels.
“This is new, though. We don't grow a lot of sunflowers here. But if this catches on, it's always a possibility. We're here to offer moral support, surely, and financial support. Maybe even regulatory support, but that comes later.
“When we thoroughly understand it, then we can develop the legislative and regulatory support it needs to help it out. If this becomes a consumer product, we want to make sure that it meets all consumer standards.
“We've developed an ASTM standard for soy fuels,” Myers continued. “If this becomes a commercial product, then it would have to meet that standard, too. We want consumers to have the assurance that this is a quality product.”
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