Title:
Identifying Sustainable Residue Extraction Thresholds for Bioenergy Using a Water-food-energy Framework
Author(s):
Adeoye, O.O., Silva Lora, E.E., Vieira Andrade, R., Venturini, O.J., Chen, Y., Quintero Bertel, Q.R.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
The expansion of second-generation bioenergy in Brazil raises sustainability concerns because agricultural residues support soil health, nutrient cycling, and water regulation. This study develops a dynamic Water–Energy–Food nexus framework to estimate sustainable residue extraction thresholds for seven major Brazilian residues: sugarcane straw, soybean straw, maize stover, rice straw, cassava peel, coffee husk, and cotton straw. A dynamic optimization model was used to assess trade-offs among bioenergy generation, soil degradation, nutrient replacement, hydrological impacts, and agricultural productivity under baseline, macroeconomic, and climate stress scenarios. Results show that sustainable extraction thresholds differ by crop, ranging from 20.0% for cotton straw to 39.9% for maize stover, with sugarcane straw reaching 29.9%. Drought scenarios reduce viable extraction rates, showing that biomass demand may rise when agricultural systems are most vulnerable to residue removal. Fertilizer price shocks mainly reduce profitability without strongly changing extraction thresholds. The findings show that static residue assumptions overestimate sustainable biomass potential and that dynamic, nexus-based management is needed for large-scale bioenergy planning.
Keywords:
crop residues, second-generation bioenergy, biomass sustainability, residue extraction, water-energy-food
Topic:
Sustainability, Impacts, Policies and Systems Analysis
Subtopic:
Environmental impacts
Event:
34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
2AV.5.14
Pages:
303 - 309
ISBN:
978-88-89407-27-1
Paper DOI:
10.5071/34thEUBCE2026-2AV.5.14
Price:
FREE
