Montana State researchers report breakthrough on camelina yields

In Montana, researchers from Montana State University say that they have realized yields of 1200 pounds of camelina oil per acre, by optimizing nitrogen and phosphorus inputs. The high cost of camelina had been preventing further investment in the crop’s production.

Recently, Targeted Growth and Green Earth Fuel have formed a joint venture to develop a 100 Mgy biodiesel plant in Montana, using camelina as a feedstock. The venture, which will be called Sustainable Fuels, plans to sign up to fifty Montana farmers to grow the feedstock. Gov. Brian Schweitzer, and Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester were on hand for the announcement. Camelina, also popularly known as gold-of-pleasure, is a feedstock that has low input requirements and can be produced more cheaply than other feedstocks such as soy.

Although Washington, Idaho, and Oregon had ranked in the top 20 in Oil Independence, Montana has lagged in biofuels capacity. The Northwest has been particularly focused on biodiesel, with the notable launch of the Imperium Renewables plant in Washington State. Last month, Allied Bio-Energies selected a site for a 10 Mgy biodiesel plant near Havre. The site was picked because it is near to major crop growing areas as well as the Northern Agricultural Research Center and Montana State University-Northern.

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