Arundo donax L. can substitute traditional energy crops for more efficient, environmentally-friendly production of biogas: A Life Cycle Assessment approach. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: D'Imporzano, Giuliana; Pilu, Roberto; Corno, Luca; Adani, Fabrizio
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 267(2018)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 256
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Arundo donax L. -- Biogas sustainability -- Biomethane -- Crop surface -- Double crops -- Environmental impacts -- Life Cycle Assessment; 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.2018.07.053
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Biogas production needs maize silage to be productively sustainable. Double crops reducing total crop area can replace maize silage. Double crop increases environmental impacts and crop costs. A. donax can be used instead of double crop reducing area for biogas production. The use of A. donax reduces environmental impacts measured by LCA approach. Abstract: Maize silage contributes to biogas production in Lombardy Region (400 anaerobic digestion plants) employing 47, 000 Ha (Production Model – PM1). Reducing the area devoted to this energy crop is a goal to free soil for food production. Double cropping (PM2) and Arundo donax L. (PM3) have been proposed and tested to measure the impacts for the three Production Models by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The impact category related to Climate Change remained stable for PM2 while it decreased by 17% for Arundo donax L. (PM3) in comparison with PM1. Impact categories related to nutrient management (acidification, particulate matter eutrophication) showed an increase in the range of 3–5% for PM2 in comparison with PM1, while Arundo donax L. allowed the same impact categories to be reduced by 31%, 24%, 17% and 33%, respectively.