Teaching

CSS/FOR/BSE 467 BioEnergy Feedstock Production

Instructor:       Dr. Kurt Thelen

Time and Place:  Fall Semesters: Tuesdays & Thursdays 8:30 – 9:50 am, A111 PSSB

Credits:  3 

What will be covered in this course?

This course will cover the cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and storage of agricultural and forest biomass.  This includes the agronomic, silvicultural, economic, and environmental principles involved in bioenergy feedstock production.    The course will be predominantly lectures as well as computer-based activities in which students develop enterprise budgets, energy budgets, and carbon budgets, for bioenergy cropping systems.  Additionally the class will examine various bioenergy crops growing on campus.

What useful information will I learn?

Students will be taught how to integrate bioenergy feedstock crops into existing agricultural and silvicultural production systems.  Students will be able to determine the approximate farmgate value of bioenergy feedstock and be able to determine the production and energy inputs and outputs for the components of the various feedstock supply chains.   Students will be made aware of the mechanization needed in the supply chain and will be able to determine the relative carbon and energy footprint of various bioenergy cropping systems.

What is required for this course?

The course is required for Engineering majors with a BioEnergy Concentration and is open as an elective for all other students.  MTH 103 or MTH 116 are required prerequisites and CSS 101 and CSS 210 are recommended.

Questions?

Contact Kurt Thelen, CSS at thelenk3@msu.edu or

Pavani Tumbalam at tumbala1@msu.edu

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