Giant cane (Arundo donax L.) can substitute traditional energy crops in producing energy by anaerobic digestion, reducing surface area and costs: A full-scale approach. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Corno, Luca; Lonati, Samuele; Riva, Carlo; Pilu, Roberto; Adani, Fabrizio
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 218(2016)
• Page Start: 826
• Page End: 832
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion -- Arundo donax (Giant cane) -- Electric energy cost -- Energy crop -- Renewable energy; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.07.050
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Arundo donax was used in partial substitution of corn to produce biogas. Substitution did not led to modification in biogas and electricity production. The use of A. donax reduced both area to produce biomass and cost. The use of only A. donax reduced cost for the electricity production of 22%. Abstract: Arundo donax L. (Giant cane) was used in a full-scale anaerobic digester (AD) plant (power of 380 kW hEE ) in partial substitution for corn to produce biogas and electricity. Corn substitution was made on a biomethane potential (BMP) basis so that A. donax L. after substitution accounted for 15.6% of the total mix-BMP (BMPmix ) and corn for 66.6% BMPmix . Results obtained indicated that Giant cane was able to substitute for corn, reducing both biomass and electricity production costs, because of both higher biomass productivity (Mg total solid Ha −1 ) and lower biomass cost (€ Ha −1 ). Total electricity biogas costs were reduced by 5.5%. The total biomass cost, the total surface area needed to produce the energy crop and the total cost of producing electricity can be reduced by 75.5%, 36.6% and 22%, by substituting corn completely with Giant cane in the mix fed to the full-scale plant.