Paper details

Title:

Energy Analysis of Agricultural Exploitations under Rain-Fed Continental Conditions in Central-Northern Spain

Author(s):

Ciria, P., Ciria, C.S., Pérez, P., Carrasco, J.E.

Document(s):

Abstract:

The study of energy balance and efficiency of real agricultural exploitations and an analysis of the influence of some parameters, like the size of the exploitation, are important aspects that require to pay more attention in order to optimize the net biomass energy produced per land unit and energy production efficiency.The main objective of this study is to evaluate and analyze the energy balance and the efficiency of seven agricultural exploitations of different size (from 80 to 500 hectares) located in the province of Soria (Spain). In, all the farms studied, mainly cereal was grown under rain­fed continental conditions. Cereal can be used for ethanol production, and the straw as a solid biomass. The study was carried out utilizing the PLANETE method for two consecutive years. Results indicated that all the exploitations studied had a positive energy balance, with an average energy profit of 62.4 x 103 MJ/year and an average energy efficiency of 9.1 (output/input ratio). However, it can be said that there is not a clear trend with regard to the area of the farm as it would be necessary to increase the number of farms studied to elucidate this.

Keywords:

agriculture, crop, efficiency, energy balance, farm

Topic:

Biomass Resources

Subtopic:

Energy crops (session 5)

Event:

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

VP1.3.15

Pages:

585 - 590

ISBN-13:

978-88-89407-55-4

ISBN-10:

88-89407-55-7

Paper DOI:

10.5071/19thEUBCE2011-VP1.3.15

Price:

FREE