Integrated assessment of sustainable cereal straw potential and different straw-based energy applications in Germany

Weiser, Christian; Zeller, Vanessa; Reinicke, Frank; Wagner, Bernhard; Majer, Stefan; Vetter, Armin; Thraen, Daniela

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.07.016

Cited by 109 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The net emission from the LC of ethanol is estimated to be 0.45-1.32 kg/L depending on the scenarios and processing plant locations, which seems to be mainly dependent on the carbon dynamics and the emission offsets by the by-product. The net emission was perceived to be within the range of the emissions reported in other studies on lignocellulosic ethanol [13,15,24]. The results also confirmed that these variations might not only be due to the type of land, but also the region and crop rotation, because various crop rotations were considered for different scenarios.…”

Section: Greenhouse Gas (Ghg) Emission (Co2e)supporting

confidence: 75%

“…The woody or lignocellulosic biomass production potential of the degraded or abandoned or surplus land is reported to be about 50 EJ [12]. The amount of biomass that can be used for the ethanol industry differs among regions because of ecological, technical, and economic factors [9,13]. The potential biomass sources in Canada include municipal solid waste, forestry by-products, energy crops and agricultural residues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus-Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada

2015

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Abstract:The life cycle (LC) of ethanol extracted from Miscanthus has been evaluated to identify the potential location for the Miscanthus-based ethanol industry in Ontario, Canada to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and minimize the production cost of ethanol. Four scenarios are established considering the land classes, land use, and cropping patterns in Ontario, Canada. The net energy consumption, emissions, and cost of ethanol are observed to be dependent on the processing plant location and scenarios. The net energy consumption, emissions, and cost vary from 12.9 MJ/L to 13.4 MJ/L, 0.79 $/L to 0.84 $/L, and 0.45 kg-CO2e/L to 1.32 kg-CO2e/L, respectively, which are reliant on the scenarios. Eastern Ontario has emerged as the best option. This study reveals that Miscanthus is a potential feedstock for the ethanol industries in Ontario, even if it is cultivated on marginal land. This study also highlights the contribution of energy crops (Miscanthus) to avoid the potential technical and economic constraints of lignocellulosic biomass for the renewable energy industry. Miscanthus may help avoid competition with food crops for prime land (higher quality land that is suitable for food crops), avoid the food versus fuel debate, help meet the ethanol demand, and achieve the GHG emissions abatement target of Canada.

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Section: Greenhouse Gas (Ghg) Emission (Co2e)supporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus-Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada

2015

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“…In order to maximize the energy utilization of the cultivated biomass, the agricultural and industrial residues (straw and oil press cake) should be used to produce heat or power [23,24], allowing a more complete exploitation of the bioenergy crop. On the other hand, the different management of crop residues is relevant from an agronomic point of view and for soil fertility issues [25,26]. In fact, crop residues are rich in essential plant nutrients and their continuous removal adversely impacts on soil properties, soil organic matter dynamics, and water as well as crop production [27].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

LCA Study of Oleaginous Bioenergy Chains in a Mediterranean Environment

et al. 2014

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This paper reports outcomes of life cycle assessments (LCAs) of three different oleaginous bioenergy chains (oilseed rape, Ethiopian mustard and cardoon) under Southern Europe conditions. Accurate data on field practices previously collected during a three-year study at two sites were used. The vegetable oil produced by oleaginous seeds was used for power generation in medium-speed diesel engines while the crop residues were used in steam power plants. For each bioenergy chain, the environmental impact related to cultivation, transportation of agricultural products and industrial conversion for power generation was evaluated by calculating cumulative energy demand, acidification potential and global warming potential. For all three bioenergy chains, the results of the LCA study show a considerable saving of primary energy (from 70 to 86 GJ· ha −1 ) and greenhouse gas emissions (from 4.1 to 5.2 t CO2· ha −1 ) in comparison to power generation from fossil fuels, although the acidification potential of these bioenergy chains may be twice that of OPEN ACCESSEnergies 2014, 7 6259 conventional power generation. In addition, the study highlights that land use changes due to the cultivation of the abovementioned crops reduce soil organic content and therefore worsen and increase greenhouse gas emissions for all three bioenergy chains. The study also demonstrates that the exploitation of crop residues for energy production greatly contributes to managing environmental impact of the three bioenergy chains.

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“…Withholding plant residues can put considerable pressure on soils by preventing the maintenance of soil organic matter with all its functions and ecosystem services (Berndes et al 2015). Considering this circumstance, Weiser et al (2014) still estimate that between 53 and 89% of the technical potential of straw in Germany could be sustainably used for bioenergy. In the short run, it is likely that only a small share of this potential will be used because of technical constraints such as low energy density and long transport distances due to dispersed cultivation (Hennig et al 2016).…”

Section: Irrigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Biomass technology: plant residues discussed as feedstock for bioenergy and industry in the future Long et al 2015;Caicedo et al 2016;Berndes et al 2015;Weiser et al 2014;Hennig et al 2016;Thrän et al 2016 …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pressures on soil functions from soil management in Germany. A foresight review

Techen

Helming

2017

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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Global trends in demand for biomass-based food, feed, energy, and fiber call for a sustainable intensification of agricultural production. From the perspective of sustaining soil functions, this implies the integration of soil productivity with the other soil functions and services, namely carbon sequestration, water purification and retention, and nutrient and matter cycling as well as biodiversity. Soil management is the key to this integration. The proper anticipation of future opportunities and challenges for sustainable soil management requires an analysis of drivers and trends affecting soil management. Here, we review drivers and trends of soil management and their relevance for soil functions taking Germany as an example of industrialized agricultural systems with low yield gaps. We analyzed socio-economic, biophysical and technological drivers and identified two types of future management changes: (1) Quantitative changes, i.e., more or less of the same input factors, such as fertilizers, as part of a moderate intensification. (2) Qualitative changes: There, we found the strongest signals for the following practices: higher precision and lightweight machines triggered by information and communication technology (ICT) and robotics; diversification of crop rotations, including the integration of lignocellulosic crops; inoculation with biota; and new crop varieties. Positive practices may be reinforced by a behavioral trend towards sustainable soil management, driven by increasing awareness, knowledge, and consumer demand. They offer opportunities for relieving mechanical pressures from weight and contact stress, chemical pressures from pesticides and fertilizers and promoting soil biodiversity without compromising the soil's production function. We also found threats, such as increased removal of organic residues and potentially harmful organisms. This foresight study is the first to delineate opportunities and challenges for sustainable soil management and intensification. It informs researchers who intend to improve the knowledge base for reinforcement of positive and mitigation of negative trends of soil management.

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Integrated assessment of sustainable cereal straw potential and different straw-based energy applications in Germany

Cited by 109 publications

References 10 publications

An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus-Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada

An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus-Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada

LCA Study of Oleaginous Bioenergy Chains in a Mediterranean Environment

Pressures on soil functions from soil management in Germany. A foresight review

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