Abstract
AbstractBiogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) emissions from bioenergy crops may differ from those of conventional crops. We compared emission rates of isoprene and a number of monoterpenes from the lignocellulosic bioenergy crops short‐rotation coppice (SRC) willow and Miscanthus, with the conventional crops wheat and oilseed rape. BVOC emission rates were measured via dynamic vegetation enclosure and GC‐MS analysis approximately monthly between April 2010 and August 2012 at a location in England and from SRC willow at two locations in Scotland. The largest BVOC emission rates were measured from willow in England and varied between years. Isoprene emission rates varied between <lod and 1960 μg g−1 h−1. Of the monoterpenes detected from willow, α‐pinene emission rates were highest (<lod to 803 μg g−1 h−1), followed by <lod to 268 μg g−1 h−1 for δ‐3‐carene, <lod to 125 μg g−1 h−1 for β‐pinene and <lod to 80.4 μg g−1 h−1 for limonene. BVOC emission rates measured in Scotland were much lower. Low emission rates of isoprene and α‐pinene were measured from Miscanthus in 2010 (<lod to 6.42 μg g−1 h−1 and <lod to 20.8 μg g−1 h−1, respectively) but were not detected in subsequent years. Emission rates from wheat of isoprene were negligible but relatively high for monoterpenes (<lod to 422 μg g−1 h−1 and <lod to 104 μg g−1 h−1 for α‐pinene and limonene, respectively). No significant emission rates of BVOCs were measured from oilseed rape. The measured emission rates followed a clear seasonal trend. Crude extrapolations based solely on data gathered here indicate that isoprene emissions from willow could correspond to 0.004–0.03% (UK) and 0.76–5.5% (Europe) of current global isoprene if 50% of all land potentially available for bioenergy crops is planted with willow.
Highlights
The depletion of fossil fuel resources, pollution concerns and the challenge of energy security are driving the search for renewable energy sources
Terrestrial vegetation is an important source of these trace gases, with the exception of a short field campaign reported by Copeland et al (2012) and experimental pot studies by Crespo et al (2013), there are very few previous measurements of any of these reactive gases, except isoprene, from these bioenergy crops
The highest isoprene emission rates were measured in Lincolnshire, where the maximum emission rate measured was more than 7 times the maximum emission rate measured in Perthshire (269 lg gÀ1 hÀ1) and greatly in excess of the maximum measured in Fife (4.63 lg gÀ1 hÀ1)
Summary
The depletion of fossil fuel resources, pollution concerns and the challenge of energy security are driving the search for renewable energy sources. The use of lignocellulosic plant biomass as an energy source is increasing in the United Kingdom (UK) and worldwide. In the United Kingdom, up to 6% of the total arable land may be planted with perennial bioenergy crops by 2020 in order to meet renewable energy and CO2 reduction targets (DEFRA, 2007). The dominant BVOC is isoprene (Guenther et al, 2006), but other important compounds include terpenes, terpenoids and oxygenated VOCs. terrestrial vegetation is an important source of these trace gases, with the exception of a short field campaign reported by Copeland et al (2012) and experimental pot studies by Crespo et al (2013), there are very few previous measurements of any of these reactive gases, except isoprene, from these bioenergy crops.
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