This study deals with approaches for a social-ecological friendly European bioeconomy based on biomass from industrial crops cultivated on marginal agricultural land. The selected crops to be ...investigated are: Biomass sorghum, camelina, cardoon, castor, crambe, Ethiopian mustard, giant reed, hemp, lupin, miscanthus, pennycress, poplar, reed canary grass, safflower, Siberian elm, switchgrass, tall wheatgrass, wild sugarcane, and willow. The research question focused on the overall crop growth suitability under low-input management. The study assessed: (i) How the growth suitability of industrial crops can be defined under the given natural constraints of European marginal agricultural lands; and (ii) which agricultural practices are required for marginal agricultural land low-input systems (MALLIS). For the growth-suitability analysis, available thresholds and growth requirements of the selected industrial crops were defined. The marginal agricultural land was categorized according to the agro-ecological zone (AEZ) concept in combination with the marginality constraints, so-called ‘marginal agro-ecological zones’ (M-AEZ). It was found that both large marginal agricultural areas and numerous agricultural practices are available for industrial crop cultivation on European marginal agricultural lands. These results help to further describe the suitability of industrial crops for the development of social-ecologically friendly MALLIS in Europe.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract The plasma-assisted pyrolysis process is a powerful treatment for converting wood biomass to graphitic carbon. In order to make this process more precise and effective in time, the rate of ...graphitization data is needed, especially for predicting the effective time of treatment. In this study, numerical analysis is conducted to predict the rate of graphitization. An explicit finite difference method is applied for the numerical analysis. Some initial parameters used are the wood thickness (5 mm), coefficient of diffusivity (0.082 mm 2 /s), input plasma temperature (4,000 C), initial wood temperature (35 C), and room temperature (27 C). The analysis was conducted with a variation of time differences of 1 s, 2 s, 3 s, 4 s, and 5 s. The assumption used in this analysis is that the minimum temperature for graphitic carbon conversion is 2,000 C. The result of this study is the values of graphitization rates and exposure times summarized in TABLE 1. Therefore, this numerical analysis can successfully be used to predict the rate of graphitization and plasma exposure time for different wood biomass thicknesses.
Agronomic aspects of future energy crops in Europe Zegada-Lizarazu, Walter; Elbersen, H. Wolter; Cosentino, Salvatore L. ...
Biofuels, bioproducts and biorefining,
November/December 2010, Volume:
4, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
9.
Switchgrass Monti, Andrea
2012, 20120310, 2012-03-12
eBook
Peer reviewed
The demand for renewable energies from biomass is growing steadily as policies are enacted to encourage such development and as industry increasingly sees an opportunity to develop bio-energy ...enterprises. Recent policy changes in the EU, USA and other countries are spurring interest in the cultivation of energy crops such as switchgrass. Switchgrass has gained and early lead in the race to find a biomass feedstock for energy production (and for the almost requisite need for bio-based products from such feedstocks). Switchgrass: A Valuable Biomass Crop for Energy provides a comprehensive guide to the biology, physiology, breeding, culture and conversion of switchgrass as well as highlighting various environmental, economic and social benefits. Considering this potential energy source, Switchgrass: A Valuable Biomass Crop for Energy brings together chapters from a range of experts in the field, including a foreword from Kenneth P. Vogel, to collect and present the environmental benefits and characteristics of this a crop with the potential to mitigate the risks of global warming by replacing fossil fuels. Including clear figures and tables to support discussions, Switchgrass: A Valuable Biomass Crop for Energy provides a solid reference for anyone with interest or investment in the development of bioenergy; researchers, policy makers and stakeholders will find this a key resource. Andrea Monti is Assistant Professor in Crop Science at the University of Bologna, Italy. He received his PhD in Crop Science from the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2002. Authors by Chapter: Foreword. Kenneth P Vogel Chapter 1.David J. Parrish, Michael D. Casler and Andrea Monti Chapter 2. Michael D. Casler Chapter 3. Walter Zegada-Lizarazu, Stan D. Wullschleger, S. Surendran Nair and Andrea Monti Chapter 4. Matt A. Sanderson, Marty Schmer, Vance Owens, Pat Keyser and Wolter Elbersen Chapter 5. Rob Mitchell and Marty Schmer Chapter 6. R. Howard Skinner, Walter Zegada-Lizarazu and John P. Schmidt Chapter 7. Venkatesh Balan, Sandeep Kumar, Bryan Bals, Shishir Chundawat, Mingjie Jin and Bruce Dale Chapter 8. Anthony Turhollow and Francis Epplin
Full text
Available for:
FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ