A comparative economic analysis of utilization options for harvested hydrilla in Florida

The utilization of harvested aquatic plants has the potential to offset some of the high costs of mechanical harvesting in Florida lakes. Methane production, animal feed production, and the production of compost from harvested hydrilla all appear to be feasible, given current technology. However, results of an economic evaluation indicate that at low harvest rates, compost production is the only option which provides a net positive contribution to the harvesting operation. Due to initial equipment and operating costs, only at larger harvesting production rates (the result of ten large mechanical harvesters working year-round) do methane and pelletized animal feed production provide a positive net economic gain to the harvesting operation, with methane production having the highest net economic contribution