Systems and methods for managing and utilizing excess corn residue

A method for managing excess above-ground corn residue and for generating steam, the method comprising:

• identifying a site location within a predetermined proximity to a high density of high-yield corn-on-corn acres;
• building a corn residue combustion and steam generation facility at the site location;
• contracting with corn growers within a service area of the site location for the right to harvest above-ground corn residue on the corn growers behalf, wherein the corn growers are growers of high yield corn-on-corn acres of corn;
• contracting with the corn growers for the right to store baled above-ground corn residue on the corn growers property;
• contracting with the corn growers to require the corn growers to provide notification of expected corn grain harvest dates and measured corn moisture contents;
• harvesting the above-ground corn residue on the corn growers behalf after the corn growers have harvested the corn grain, the above-ground corn residue being harvested when the above-ground corn residue has a moisture content in the range of 10 to 15 percent, and the harvesting including baling the above-ground corn residue in rectangular bales;
• storing bales on the corn grower's property;
• transporting the bales from the corn grower's property to a pre-processing station of the corn residue combustion and steam generation facility, wherein the bales are reduced at the pre-processing station to form reduced corn residue;
• combusting the reduced corn residue in a furnace at the corn residue combustion and steam generation facility to produce heat;
• and
• using the heat from the furnace to generate steam in a boiler.