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An Assessment of the Potential to Produce Commercially Valuable Lipids on Highway Right-of-Way Land Areas Located Within the Southeastern United States

Author

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  • Mark E. Zappi

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Civil Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Alex Zappi

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Emmanuel Revellame

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Industrial Technology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Wayne Sharp

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Civil Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Dhan Lord Fortela

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Rafael Hernandez

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Terrence Chambers

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Kary Ritter

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Daniel Gang

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

Abstract

Right-of-way (ROW) land areas are required for all publicly owned transportation roadways representing over 40 million acres within the US alone. These relatively unused land assets could support potential farming land for plants and algae that contain high levels of lipids that could be used in the energy industry as an alternative fuel source. This process would offer many benefits including more efficient use of public land, eliminating mowing maintenance, increasing the bioenergy use in the US, providing visually appealing viewscapes, and helping to naturally reduce localized carbon dioxide. This paper analyzed the feasibility and potential optimization strategies of using this concept in the South-Eastern United States by scaling and comparing many of the benefits and risks associated with the selected lipid sources (soybeans, flax, sunflowers, Tung trees, Chinese tallow tree, and microalgae). Based on this assessment, the most attractive option appears to be growing flax in the winter and sunflowers in the summer with Tung Trees grown year-round as an alternative option. This would maximize lipids output while preserving and enhancing right-of-way land areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark E. Zappi & Alex Zappi & Emmanuel Revellame & Wayne Sharp & Dhan Lord Fortela & Rafael Hernandez & Terrence Chambers & Kary Ritter & Daniel Gang, 2020. "An Assessment of the Potential to Produce Commercially Valuable Lipids on Highway Right-of-Way Land Areas Located Within the Southeastern United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-38, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:13:p:5225-:d:376993
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Olatunji V. Oni & Michael A. Lawrence & Mark E. Zappi & William M. Chirdon, 2023. "A Review of Strategies to Enhance the Water Resistance of Green Wood Adhesives Produced from Sustainable Protein Sources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-21, October.

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