Paper details

Title:

Cereal Straws for Energy Conversion: A Regional Assessment to Preserve Soil Organic Carbon and Decrease GHG Emissions

Author(s):

Garofalo, P., Cammerino, A.R.B., Kami Delivand, M., Giuntoli, J., Monteleone, M.

Document(s):

Abstract:

According to the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC), no direct impacts from residue removal and no GHG emissions should be attributed to cereal residues (straws) when they are removed from agricultural land for the purpose of bioenergy utilization. Crop residues, on the other side, play a critical role in sustaining soil organic matter and preserving soil fertility. How to optimize the trade­off between natural resource preservation and energy resource generation? The application of an “expanded” LCA analysis was assumed and a comparison of three different cropping systems based on wheat cultivation was performed. A crop simulation model (CropSyst) and a Geographical Information System (GIS) were coupled to LCA in order to obtain explicitly spatial distributed results at regional scale. Homogeneous agricultural zones were mapped, thus indicating the area where the best/worst performances were obtained. Our analysis showed that cropping management is a key factor in greenhouse gas emission savings. Sustainable cropping management practices (no­tillage plus cover crops) significantly reduce the total energy demand of the system and save GHG emissions. Therefore, energy from cereal residues can be optimally coupled with grain productions, without detrimental effects on environment, on condition that improved and specifically tailored cropping systems are designed.

Keywords:

geographical information system (GIS), greenhouse gases (GHG), life cycle assessment (LCA), soil fertility, N2O soil emissions, land use change (LUC)

Topic:

Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability

Subtopic:

Environmental impacts of bioenergy

Event:

22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

4CO.15.5

Pages:

1431 - 1440

ISBN:

978-88-89407-52-3

Paper DOI:

10.5071/22ndEUBCE2014-4CO.15.5

Price:

FREE