Alfalfa was the primary biofuel source in the Minnesota Agri-Power (MAP) project that involved a partnership of the Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers (MnVAP),the University of Minnesota, the USDA, the Department of Energy (DOE), and private sector energy processing and distribution businesses. The planned system involved separation of alfalfa hay into leaf and stem fractions. The leaves were to be used as a protein feed supplement while the stems were to be gasified to power a 75 megawatt turbine. The project provided for electrical generation without net carbon dioxide emissions, economic diversification of cropping systems, enhancement of environmental quality and wildlife habit, and rural development. The project began in 1993 when the Minnesota Legislature mandated that Northern States Power, a major utility, produce a small amount of its electricity from renewable sources such as wind and biomass in return for permission to store nuclear wastes. The project was ultimately terminated in 1999 following expenditure of nearly $6 million of MnVAP member funds and $12 million of DOE funds. Obstacles to completion of the project included protracted power purchase contract negotiations, unusual delays in approval of the contract by the Minnesota Public Utility Commission, opposition by the alfalfa processing industry, and the high cost of alfalfa-based electricity. Despite political constraints on completion of the project, we were able to complete significant research on biological aspects of the system. Research activities showed: the use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for rapid prediction of leaf and mineral concentration of hay; the value of newly developed tall, non-lodging alfalfa cultivars for infrequent biofuel harvests; the feeding value of alfalfa leaf meal for dairy, beef, and turkey; the merit of alternative harvest frequencies on the yield and quality of alfalfa leaves and stems; the impact of plant density on leaf and stem yield and quality; and the impact of hay storage conditions on the yield and quality of alfalfa leaves and stems.

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