New studies show switchgrass could power sustainable aviation with high yields, low fertilizer use, and strong climate benefits.
New University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research highlights switchgrass’ potential as a sustainable aviation fuel . Switchgrass, a promising bioenergy crop, could help meet the US goal of producing 35 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel by 2050.
Two new studies by the University tested high-yield crops across the Midwest, revealing strong biomass output, low fertilizer needs, and valuable ecosystem services, offering a more sustainable alternative to corn in the race for cleaner skies.“All the data that helps us estimate switchgrass suitability for SAF comes from small plot research or older forage-type switchgrass cultivars. We wanted to test high-yielding switchgrass cultivars on a larger scale to provide a more accurate picture of the benefits these new cultivars provide,” said D.K. Lee, senior author of both studies and professor in the Department of Crop Sciences at the university, in a statement. Grass gains groundPurpose-grown bioenergy crops like switchgrass are key to the US’ SAF 2025 goal, offering high biomass yields, low nitrogen input needs, and multiple ecosystem benefits. Switchgrass can thrive on marginal land, reducing nitrate leaching, preventing erosion, enhancing soil health, and sequestering carbon. Its low nitrogen requirements—less than half that of corn—also lower nitrous oxide emissions. However, past studies relied on outdated cultivars and small-scale trials. In their works, researchers evaluated five switchgrass cultivars—three energy types and two forage types —on marginal lands across Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Grown for five years, the cultivars were tested under two nitrogen fertilizer rates: 28 and 56 kg/ha, significantly lower than corn’s typical 200 kg/ha. Economic analyses revealed that energy cultivars, particularly Independence and Liberty, were consistently more profitable than forage types across all locations. However, the optimal nitrogen rate varied by site. While 56 kg/ha generally produced higher yields, the lower 28 kg/ha rate yielded greater profits in some areas. Performance also differed by region. Independence proved most profitable in US hardiness zone 6a, Liberty led in zone 5b, and Carthage excelled in zone 4b. These results underscore the importance of site-specific strategies for maximizing economic returns from switchgrass and highlight the viability of energy-type cultivars as profitable and sustainable bioenergy crops on low-productivity lands.Sustainable soil solutionsSwitchgrass delivers high biomass yields and valuable ecosystem services during its productive lifespan of a decade or more. In another field-scale study in Illinois, the team evaluated the environmental benefits of the Independence switchgrass cultivar over three years. Comparing switchgrass plots to continuous no-till corn fields, researchers assessed soil greenhouse gas emissions—carbon dioxide , nitrous oxide —and nitrate leaching.The results revealed a significant reduction in environmental impact from switchgrass. Nitrate leaching decreased by 80 percent by the third year, and N₂O emissions were much lower due to reduced nitrogen inputs—56 kg/ha for switchgrass versus 202 kg/ha for corn. However, CO₂ emissions were over 50 percent higher in switchgrass during the second year, likely due to its extensive root system, which increases belowground respiration. Despite this, the greater root biomass enhances long-term carbon sequestration potential, with about 10 megagrams of carbon stored underground.Researchers emphasized that switchgrass thrives on marginal land, making it an ideal crop for unproductive areas while avoiding competition with food crops. While demand for bioenergy feedstocks remains low due to current market conditions, researchers believe switchgrass is well-positioned to meet future energy needs as economic landscapes shift.“Our research ensures that we can feed productive cultivars into the SAF production system once the economy and the technology is ready to transition,” said Lee, in a statement. The details of the teams’ studies were published in the Journal of Environmental Quality and GCB Bioenergy.
Carbon Emissions Clean Fuel Climate Change Cultivar Fuel Global Warming SAF Sustainable Sustainable Aviation Fuel University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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