Renewable Energy Projects

Current & Recent Sponsored Projects

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Improving Alfalfa-based Livestock Forage Production Systems Using Life Cycle Assessment

LCA for Alfalfa Use

  • Sponsor: USDA-NIFA 
  • Award Amount: $350,000
  • Principle Investigator: Joel Tallaksen
  • Collaborators: Joshua Gamble, John Grabber, Jared Goplen, and Brad Heins.
  • Start Date: March 2020

Agricultural Weed Control Using Autonomous Mowers

Robotic Mower

  • Sponsor:  MN LCCMR / Environmental Trust Fund
  • Award Amount:  $750,000
  • Principle Investigator:  Eric Buchanan
  • Start Date:  July 1, 2018

Small-Scale Ammonia Synthesis Using Stranded Wind Energy

Ammonia Synthesis 

  • Sponsor:  U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E REFUEL Program
  • Award Amount:  $2.9 Million
  • Principle Investigator:  Alon McCormick, U of MN Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Material Science
  • Co-PI:  Ed Cussler, Prodromos Daoutidis, and Paul Dauenhauer (U of MN Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Material Science), Larry Micek (U of MN Office of Technology Commercialization), Michael Reese (U of MN WCROC), Mary Biddy and Michael Resch (National Renewable Energy Lab), Kathy Ayers (Proton OnSite)
  • Start / End Date:  July 10, 2017 through July 9, 2021

Solar Energy Utilization for Minnesota Swine Farms - Phase 2

  • Sponsor:  MN LCCMR / Environmental Trust Fund
  • Award Amount:  $475,000
  • Principle Investigator:  Dr. Lee Johnston
  • Co-PI:   Dr. Larry Jacobson, Michael Reese, and Eric Buchanan
  • Start / End Date:  July 1, 2016  through June 30, 2019

Enabling Hydrogen-Fueled Vehicles Using Renewable Ammonia

  • Sponsor:  MN LCCMR / Environmental Trust Fund
  • Award Amount:  $250,000
  • Principle Investigator:  Dr. Will Northrup, U of MN Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
  • Co-PI:   Michael Reese
  • Start / End Date:  July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2019

Optimizing Renewable Electric Generation on Minnesota Dairy Farms

Renewable Electric Generation

  • Sponsor:  Xcel RDF
  • Award Amount:  $982,408
  • Principle Investigator:  Michael Reese
  • Co-PI:  Dr. Brad Heins, Dr. Lee Johnston, Dr. Larry Jacobson, Dr. Joel Tallaksen, and Eric Buchanan
  • Start / End Date:  September 1, 2015 through June 1, 2018

Renewable and Sustainable Fertilizers Produced Locally

  • Sponsor: MN LCCMR / Environmental Trust Fund
  • Award Amount: $1 million
  • Principle Investigator: Alon McCormick
  • Co-PI: Reese, Tiffany, Ruan, Cussler, Kelley, Schmidt
  • Start / End Date: July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018

Transitioning Minnesota Farms to Clean Energy

Transitioning to Clean Energy

  • Sponsor: MN LCCMR / Environmental Trust Fund
  • Award Amount: $500,000
  • Principle Investigator: Mike Reese
  • Co-PI: Dr. Lee Johnston, Dr. Larry Jacobson, Dr. Joel Tallaksen, and Eric Buchanan
  • Start / End Date: July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017

The Green Nutrient Revolution: Development of Renewable and Sustainable Fertilizers

Green Nutrient Revolution

  • Sponsor: MnDRIVE
  • Award Amount: $500,000
  • Principle Investigator: Mike Reese
  • Co-PI: McCormick, Tiffany, Ruan, Cussler, Kelley, Schmidt
  • Start / End Date: July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017

Life Cycle Energy of Renewably Produced Nitrogen Fertilizers

Life Cycle

  • Sponsor: MN LCCMR / Environmental Trust Fund
  • Award Amount: $250,000
  • Principle Investigator: Dr. Joel Tallaksen
  • Co-PI: Dr. Christian Hulteberg, Lund University, Sweden and Dr. Serina Ahlgren (Swedish Agricultural University, Uppsala, SE)
  • Start / End Date: October 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015

Integration of Renewable Energy Technologies to "Green" Energy Consumed in Dairy and Swine Production Systems

  • Sponsor: U of MN and MN Agricultural Rapid Ag Response Fund
  • Award Amount: $167,061
  • Principle Investigator: Dr. Brad Heins
  • Co-PI: Dr. Lee Johnston, Dr. Larry Jacobson, Dr. Joel Tallaksen, Eric Buchanan, Mike Reese
  • Start / End Date: July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015

Integration of Renewable and Efficient Energy Technologies to "Green" Energy Consumed in Agricultural Production Systems

"Green" Energy in Ag Production Systems

  • Sponsor: IREE 
  • Award Amount: $350,000
  • Principle Investigator: Mike Reese
  • Co-PI: Dr. Brad Heins, Dr. Lee Johnston, Dr. Larry Jacobson, Dr. Joel Tallaksen, Eric Buchanan, Dr. Arne Kildegaard, Dr. Prodromos Daoutidis, Dr. Laura Kalambokidis
  • Start / End Date: January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015
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