Source: SHAW UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
CANOLA: A CASH-CROP FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0223895
Grant No.
2011-68005-20027
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2010-03355
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Nov 15, 2010
Project End Date
Nov 14, 2012
Grant Year
2011
Program Code
[A6111]- Sustainable Bioenergy: Planning
Recipient Organization
SHAW UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
RALEIGH,NC 27602
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Shaw University initiated a Canola Biodiesel Project last year with the planting of 10 acres of Canola in Bertie County and installation of a BioPro 380 machine for generating Biodiesel from used cooking oil collected from Bertie County Schools and Shaw University cafeterias. The Biodiesel generated by our BioPro 380 has been tested and actually used in the city as well as highway driving during the last few months. The goal of the Canola project is four fold: 1 Provide a cash-crop for farmers to reduce dependence on tobacco. 2 Provide a source of locally produced Biodiesel and eventually contribute to the United States' goal of generating billions of gallons of bio fuels by 2022. 3 Provide hands-on alternative energy curriculum to students and train students for bio-energy related careers in teaching, research, government and industry. 4 Produce edible canola oil from canola seeds grown by farmers, to reduce dependence on Canada for Canola oil. 90% of Canola oil is imported from Canada. These goals are ambitious and will have a far reaching impact on farmers and energy related education. The achievement of these goals will also create "green" jobs on farms, manufacturing jobs related to canola crushing, refining of canola oil for cooking, collection of used cooking oil, and generation of Biodiesel from used cooking oil. The project will contribute to the solution of America's energy problem. The entire process from growing canola to making Biodiesel is Zero Waste Process. The byproducts include: high protein canola meals (solid part of seeds) and glycerin which can be used for composting, making soap and sold to chemical companies for making adhesives.
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
20%
Developmental
80%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1311848301020%
1311848303060%
2021848108110%
2051848106010%
Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems; 202 - Plant Genetic Resources; 131 - Alternative Uses of Land;

Subject Of Investigation
1848 - Canola;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1081 - Breeding; 3010 - Economics; 3030 - Information and communication;
Goals / Objectives
This planning grant will focus on preparing a Coordinated Agricultural Program Proposal for developing a Regional Sustainable Energy (RSE) System. We will conduct three workshops during Fall 2010, Spring 2011, and Summer 2011 to prepare a comprehensive and competitive CAP grant proposal.
Project Methods
In order to develop a comprehensive CAP proposal, we will conduct three workshops of cooperating partners and planning teams. We will conduct workshops for farmers, collect needed data, and prepare a competitive CAP proposal.

Progress 11/15/10 to 11/14/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The main goal of this project was to develop a C. A. P.( Coordinated Agricultural Program) proposal,focusing on education and extension. A Education: To develop renewable energy curriculum for STEM majors focusing on biodiesel generation from used cooking oil and from oil seed crops to be grown for Shaw University. B Extension: To grow canola seeds for producing refined canola oil for cooking, collecting used cooking oil for conversion to biodiesel, and producing biodiesel from other oil-seeds and waste fats. These goals will be achieved through the following objectives:(A1) Develop Renewable Energy Curriculum and provide research opportunities for Shaw STEM majors; and A2 Train Bertie County farmers on the know-how of growing canola crop and of making biodiesel from waste oil. B Extension (B1) Conduct workshops to educate Bertie County farmers in the know-how of growing canola seeds and making biodiesel from canola oil; (B2) Provide high quality canola seeds and detailed crop-growing information from planting to harvesting to selected Bertie County farmers ; (B3) Grow 2,000 acres of canola each year: Twenty Bertie county farmers will be paid to grow canola seeds on each year. The canola oil will be processed into cooking oil and biodiesel; (B4) Extract oil from the harvested seeds, refine the oil for cooking and convert used cooking oil to biodiesel using the Bio Pro 380 machine located at our Windsor, NC facility; (B5) Produce high quality biodiesel which meets DOT standards. Biodiesel will be used by Bertie County School System buses, Shaw University buses and participating farmers; and (B6) Develop a manual for farmers to set up their own biodiesel-from-canola system. A 10 Million dollars proposal has been drafted. It will be submitted to USDA. We are waiting for the guidelines from N.I.F.A. to prepare the final proposal. In the absence of the final guidelines, the 10 M Dollars proposal has not been disseminated. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
As a result of the Planning Grant, we have prepared a Renewable Energy Curriculum for Minority Students proposal. This 400K dollars proposal with a focus on bio-diesel generation from used cooking oil and oil extracted from canola seeds will be submitted to the National Sciences Foundation on 02/11/2013. If funded by the NSF, the grant will enable us to develop seven modules on bio-diesel generation, solar wind, ethanol, and other renewable energy sources. A one page summary of the Renewable Energy Curriculum proposal is attached in the addendum. Since the planning Grant proposal in still being revised and refined, we not had the project evaluated. Evaluation and dissemination will take place after the project is funded and implemented.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period