Title:
Switchgrass, Cardoon and Miscanthus Perennial Crops as Alternatives for Solid Bio-fuel Production in Central Greece
Author(s):
Giannoulis, K.D., Danalatos, N.G., Sakellariou, M.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
In this work, the performance of alternative, environmental –friendly land use systems involving energy crops versus existing traditional monocultures were evaluated in Thessaly plain. The cropping systems under study include switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), cynara (Cynara cardunculus) and miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis) all being perennial energy crops that ensure minimum production cost and therefore optimum costbenefit ratios. On the other site, Thessaly plain comprises the major lowland formation of Greece and the country’s centre of agricultural production. The results, which were based on the crop life cycle analysis, demonstrated that cynara still comprises the best alternative crop for energy production, both in rainfed and irrigated lands. Switchgrass comprises a second alternative, producing good quality biofuel but the crop has moderate water needs for maximum productivity. Due to its high potential productivity (C4 crop), switchgrass might be preferable in areas where irrigation water is available and cheep as in west Thessaly plain and elsewhere. Finally, miscanthus is also a C4 crop characterized by high production potential which can be realized in less fertile, sandy soils. The crop however has greater irrigation water needs and is characterized by increased establishment cost. It seems that miscanthus will be a good solution in poor sandy and gravelly soils in deltas and estuaries where groundwater is present in the summer months.
Keywords:
miscanthus, switchgrass, biomass production, cardoon, Greece
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Energy crops (session 5)
Event:
19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
VP1.3.49
Pages:
692 - 696
ISBN-13:
978-88-89407-55-4
ISBN-10:
88-89407-55-7
Paper DOI:
10.5071/19thEUBCE2011-VP1.3.49
Price:
FREE
