A number of oil producing crops (e.g., soybean, sunflower, safflower, flaxseed, canola, and cotton) are grown in the U.S. and their residues could potentially be used for bioenergy and bioproducts. However, few studies have analyzed the potential quantities that might be available.
Generally, it is assumed that the quantities produced are small and, for several of the crops, the residues deteriorate rapidly in the field. After accounting for quantities needed to maintain soil quality and reduce erosion, the amounts that can be collected are generally too small to be economically viable.
The principal oilseed crop grown in the U.S. is soybean, averaging nearly 73 million harvested acres annually. One study projects that in the future, new varieties of soybean with higher percentages of stems and leaves could be developed. If this occurs, 13 to 48 million dry tons of soybean residues could potentially become available by mid century. About 13 million acres of cotton are harvested annually, and one study estimates that 5 to 9 million dry tons of cotton stubble could potentially be available for bioenergy and bioproducts.