Kurt Thelen stands in a brownfield turned green, a former industrial site in Oakland County's Rose Township, now home to corn and canola. (Image courtesy of Michigan State University)
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??目前,，密歇根州立大學正與戴姆勒克萊斯勒公司合作研究將工業(yè)棕色場地變綠的方法,。
??密歇根州立大學的作物和土壤科學教授Kurt Thelen正在帶領一個研究小組研究是否能夠在廢棄的工業(yè)場地上種植一些含油作物來生產乙醇或生物柴油燃料,，例如大豆,、向日葵和油菜,，以及其他的如玉米和柳枝稷等,。另外一個合作者是下一代能源——支持能源技術發(fā)展的一個非營利性組織,。
??目前的實驗地是一塊兩英畝的場地，是奧克蘭縣羅斯鎮(zhèn)的前工業(yè)垃圾堆放點,。Thelen的研究小組正在研究在這塊棕色場地上種植作物其產量是否能夠滿足生產生物燃料的需求,，另外作物的種子油也要充足。第二個目的是確定是否種植植物能夠真正達到生物修復的目的,，即植物是否能夠從土壤中吸收污染物而不影響自身的生物燃料質量,。
??為了減少對石油燃料的依賴，生物燃料的使用逐漸增加,，但是仍然面臨許多問題,。作物科學家正在研究哪種作物最適合用于生產生物燃料。同時,，工程師們也在探索更有效的生物燃料生產系統(tǒng),。目前對于B20（20％生物燃料和80％柴油混合）還沒有規(guī)范國家標準。工程師和政府工作人員正在研究建立一套相關標準,。Thelen希望在標準公布之后能夠推薦出滿足標準的最好農作物品種,。
??Thelen表示：目前他們正在將學校實驗室的研究復制到優(yōu)良農田中，以對比農田和污染場地的農作物產量和生產的生物燃料質量,，以確定是否兩者之間存在差異,。
??該項研究的結果可能會導致在全國范圍內一些無意用于商業(yè)或居民的地區(qū)萌生出類似的種植場地，也可能促進生物燃料的生產,，有助于清理受污染土壤,。
??這項為期三年的研究得到了戴姆勒克萊斯勒公司、下一代能源,、GREEEN項目（生產研究和延伸以滿足經濟和環(huán)境需求項目）以及密歇根州立大學密歇根農業(yè)實驗站的支持,。
英文原文：
Researchers Look Into Growing Biofuel Crops On Abandoned Industrial Sites
Growing crops for biofuels summons images of fuel alternatives springing from the rural heartland. But a Michigan State University partnership with DaimlerChrysler is looking at turning industrial brownfields green.
?Kurt Thelen, MSU professor of crop and soil sciences, is leading the investigation to examine the possibility that some oilseed crops like soybeans, sunflower and canola, and other crops such as corn and switchgrass, can be grown on abandoned industrial sites for use in ethanol or biodiesel fuel production. Another partner is NextEnergy, a nonprofit organization that supports energy technology development.
The results of the work conducted here might sprout similar sites across the state and nation in areas that aren’t desirable for commercial or residential uses. The results also will contribute crops for biofuel production and may help clean up contaminated soils.
“Right now, brownfields don’t grow anything,” Thelen said. “This may seem like a drop in the bucket, but we’re looking at the possibilities of taking land that isn’t productive and using it to both learn and produce.”
The project now is a two-acre parcel that is part of a former industrial dump site in Oakland County’s Rose Township. Thelen’s group is looking to determine if crops grown on brownfield sites can produce adequate yields to make them viable for use in biofuel production. The crops also need to produce adequate quantities of seed oil.
A secondary objective is to examine whether the growing plants actually contribute to bioremediation, meaning they take up contaminants from the soils, without affecting their quality for use in biofuels. This might make them especially useful to grow on contaminated brownfields.
As interest increases in the use of biofuels to offset dependence on fossil fuels, there are challenges on many fronts. Crop researchers are looking at which crops and crop varieties possess the best qualities for this use, and farmers are contemplating new marketing options.
At the same time, engineers are exploring more efficient and effective biofuel production systems. There currently is no national standardized specification for what constitutes B20, a blend of 20 percent biofuel and 80 percent petroleum diesel that is commonly used in diesel engines. Engineers and the government are working to set a standard. When it’s established, Thelen hopes to have recommendations ready on the best crop varieties that meet the standards.
“As the chemical engineers work on developing a national spec for B20, we’ll grow the crops in the marginal areas and see if they can meet it,” Thelen said. “We’re replicating our study on campus on good agricultural land to compare yields and the quality of biofuel produced from an agricultural land base versus a marginal brownfield land base and see if there’s a difference in yield and quality of biofuel.”
DaimlerChrysler has been selling the Jeep Liberty SUV with a diesel engine, and beginning in early 2007 it will offer a diesel-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. In both cases, the vehicles are fueled with B5 (5 percent biodiesel fuel) at the factory. This fall, the company will approve use of B20 in the Dodge Ram diesel pickup for fleet customers who use fuel that meets the current military fuel quality specification.
“Renewable fuels such as biodiesel can be a home-grown solution to our nation’s environmental, energy and economic challenges,” said Deborah Morrissett, vice president of regulatory affairs for DaimlerChrysler. “This research project with Michigan State can make an important contribution toward reducing our nation’s reliance on oil.”
The three-year study is supported by DaimlerChrysler, NextEnergy and Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs), the state’s plant industry initiative at MSU. The study also is supported by the MSU Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.
“Biofuel production is going to require a significant land base to meet future production expectations,” Thelen said. “Use of marginal lands or sites not preferable for food crops is a good idea. We’ll be looking at whether it is something that might offer multiple benefits.”
