84: Good Biomass, Bad Biomass: Giant Reed Edition—Wendy Owens of Hexas Biomass
When it comes to biomass, giant reed ticks all the boxes. It’s a perennial grass that grows in marginal soil. It meets renewable fuel standards and sequesters a substantial amount of carbon. Not only that, giant reed revitalizes soil and facilitates an extremely high yield. So, what are its applications? Is there any downside to using it as raw material for products or fuel?
Wendy Owens is the founder and CEO of Hexas Biomass, a producer and distributor of sustainable biomass that can supplement or replace wood in multiple applications. Wendy’s team is dedicated to using sun, water and land to benefit people and the planet through renewable resources. Today, she joins Ross to discuss the process of growing giant reed for use in products or to produce energy.
Wendy explains why giant reed does not displace food crops, describing how it takes up chemicals in the soil and facilitates carbon capture. She also addresses the trees displaced by giant reed, the concerns around bioremediation, and the risk of giant reed becoming an invasive species. Listen in for insight on how Hexas Biomass serves as an ecospecies bank and learn about their partnership with IKEA to replace a portion of the wood in its particle board with giant reed!
Key Takeaways
[0:54] Wendy’s path to reversing climate change
Experience in materials engineering and biotech Giant reed = ecologically sound plant with multiple applications
[2:13] What attracted Wendy to the giant reed
Positive impact on soil and environment Least land necessary for highest biomass Sequesters substantial amount of carbon
[4:30] Why giant reed does not displace food crops
Grows in marginal soil, high salt content and wastewater Revitalizes soil and gives farmers income
[5:52] The benefits of producing giant reed
Take up chemicals and put nutrients into rhizome Harvest green to use in digestor to produce energy
[7:45] How Hexas Biomass serves as a producer and distributor of giant reed
Ecospecies bank of ecotypes Project to replace portion of wood in IKEA particle board
[9:05] Wendy’s insight on the trees displaced by giant reed
Wood from public lands (retire trees vs. cut down)
[11:08] A comparison of giant reed vs. tree yields
3K—5K tons per big tree (40-year life cycle) 2K tons per 100 acres of giant reed in single year 50X more biomass of giant reed in 80 years
[12:27] The perennial nature of giant reed
Plant once and harvest multiple times (i.e.: grass in yard) Low maintenance, high yield and pest resistant
[13:47] The potential uses for giant reed
Replacement for wood (furniture, flooring, energy pellets) 3X more ethanol per acre than corn
[18:11] The trend in manufacturing around finding nearby fuel sources
In service of energy independence Hexas policy to grow within 60 miles of manufacturing facility
[20:38] The Hexas Biomass ecospecies bank
Collections of types of giant reed used to growing in certain conditions Apply to new locations that work best (highest yield, fewest resources)
[22:44] How Hexas mitigates the risk of giant reed becoming an invasive species
Create buffer zones and monitor with drones Chipped up to point where can’t grow
[27:03] How giant reed crops facilitate carbon capture
Rhizome serves as energy storage facility, grow more stalks next year Don’t till soil every year (keeps carbon in ground for 20-year life cycle)
[32:02] The Hexas Biomass business model
Find customer wants to use giant reed to replace wood Long-term contract with farmers not using land (rural revitalization)
[34:26] Wendy’s insight on the risks around bioremediation
Depends upon application (Will pollutant remain inert?) Effort to apply to new purpose without causing harm
[38:05] What’s next for Hexas Biomass
Promote opportunity to glean more customers Pursue partnerships with timber companies
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Nori
Nori on Facebook
Nori on Twitter
Nori on Medium
Nori on YouTube
Nori on GitHub
Nori Newsletter
Email hello@nori.com
Nori White Paper
Subscribe on iTunes
Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
Hexas Biomass
The Land Institute
The Land Institute on RCC EP062
PGE Study on Replacing Coal with Giant Reed
Using Closed-loop Biomass to Displace Coal at Portland General Electric's Boardman Power Planet Carbon Implications
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free