BASF launches xarvio® BIOENERGY in the U.S. to help lower carbon intensity (CI) levels in corn grown for ethanol biofuel production

• ■ Digitally enabled end-to-end solution to lower, track and verify CI levels
• ■ Uses xarvio® FIELD MANAGER’s field and field-zone specific agronomic advice
• ■ Helps the biofuel production supply chain contribute to CO2eq reduction

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, September 30, 2024 - BASF has launched xarvio® BIOENERGY, an innovative low carbon intensity crops program that lowers, tracks and documents CI levels in corn grown for ethanol biofuel production in the U.S.

xarvio BIOENERGY offers the biofuel production supply chain - growers, retail agronomists and biorefineries - a quality assured and complete, end-to-end solution. It complies with the U.S. Government’s Department of Energy (DOE) GREET® (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) model, and enables participants to improve business performance and access Government incentives aimed at reducing CI levels and enhancing environmental sustainability.

At its core, the program uses the advanced agronomic intelligence of xarvio® FIELD MANAGER to deliver timely, field and field-zone specific agronomic recommendations including seeding rates, fertilizer application, and crop protection strategies directly linked to CI reduction. These recommendations are aimed at continually lowering CI levels by optimizing input efficiency, while retaining plant health and maximizing yield.

The recommendations from xarvio® FIELD MANAGER are powered by a unique Agronomic Decision Engine (ADE), with locally calibrated machine learning based plant growth, pest and disease models that have been confirmed in field trials. By integrating the models with data including historic farm records, soil type and quality, current satellite biomass images and weather station information, the ADE continuously refines its advice to support sustainable practices. The platform also enables the generation of tailored variable application maps for seeding, fertilizer, and crop protection tasks, which target field areas offering the highest yield potential. The maps can be shared directly with farm machinery terminals and are automatically recorded on task execution. This precision enables the consistent monitoring of CI levels and optimized input use, ensuring compliance, improving traceability and reducing environmental impacts. More importantly, it delivers greater transparency for CI verification, which is then undertaken by an independent consultancy in accordance with the U.S. Government’s 45-z Clean Fuel Production Credit.

xarvio BIOENERGY features a specialized reporting dashboard within xarvio® FIELD MANAGER, displayed under the new Sustainability tab. This dashboard, which will greatly benefit retail agronomists serving multiple customers, calculates and tracks CI scores during the season by farm and field. It allows real-time monitoring of program progress, input use, and total corn production. The documented data can be shared at the end of the season with biofuel refineries taking part in the program.

Kyle King, U.S. Commercial Lead for xarvio Digital Farming Solutions, says: “xarvio BIOENERGY is an innovative program using the advanced agronomic intelligence of xarvio® FIELD MANAGER with robust data verification. It offers a quality assured, turnkey solution for key players in the biofuel production industry - growers, retail agronomists and biorefineries. Each can profit from using xarvio BIOENERGY, reducing CI levels and helping make the agricultural and road transport industries even more sustainable, supporting the Government’s goal of decarbonizing these sectors.”

xarvio BIOENERGY is available now in the U.S., as part of BASF’s Low Carbon Intensity Crops program. Interested parties can contact BASF for further information.

To learn more about xarvio Digital Farming Solutions, visit: www.xarvio.com.