Abstract
The steadily increasing demand for energy and concerns about climate change have prompted countries to promote the use of renewable energy sources, including lignocellulosic biomass. In this context, this work aims to assess the biomass production for energy purposes in crops with short rotation, as well as its effect on soil properties. Deciduous tree species were used, mainly Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and a hybrid poplar clone (Populus × euroamericana (Dode) Guinier, clone ‘AF2’). Four field trials were implemented, under two different types of Mediterranean climate, where highly productive taxa were tested, in addition to the mixed planting of a nitrogen-fixing species with a non-fixing one. Short-rotation coppices (SRCs) of these taxa yield about 12–14 t ha−1 year−1 of high-quality dry woody biomass, when fertilizers and irrigation water are supplied; generate 205–237 GJ ha−1 year−1 net and earnings of about EUR 1.5 per EUR 1 invested; and sequester into the soil 0.36–0.83 t ha−1 year−1 of C and 57 kg ha−1 year−1 of N. Therefore, these species raised as SRCs could improve degraded soils if the crop is properly managed, resulting in favorable economic, energy and CO2 emission balances. The use of mixed plantations can bring economic and environmental gains, and the biomass transformation into high-quality chips or pellets gives it added value.
Highlights
In the context of climate change, international institutions have promoted the use of clean and renewable energy sources, including biomass, to protect the global environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions [1,2]
This article shows the research carried out in four independent field trials, which have several aspects in common: the location was the same for three of them; two species, Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Populus × euroamericana (Dode) Guinier, were used in the four trials, and Ulmus pumila L. in three of them; the crops were developed in Spain under a Mediterranean climate; they were designed as short-rotation coppices (SRC) for energy purposes; and both the irrigation and fertilization coincided to a great extent
Without attempting to delve deeper into the socio-economic and environmental analysis, this paper provides a brief environmental, energy and economic analysis of a biomass supply chain based on an experimental poplar/black locust/Siberian elm plantation grown as an Short-rotation coppices (SRCs) in an area under a Mediterranean climate
Summary
In the context of climate change, international institutions have promoted the use of clean and renewable energy sources, including biomass, to protect the global environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions [1,2]. In order to meet the growing global demand, plantations of fast-growing species could supplement the additional woody biomass that traditional agroforestry systems cannot supply, and constitute a fundamental complement in the biomass market, since they provide an alternative use for abandoned land, contributing to rural development while reducing CO2 emissions [5,9,10,11,12]. These plantations could reduce some negative effects of biomass exploitation in traditional forest systems, such as the depletion of soil fertility caused by nutrient removal in whole-tree harvesting, as well as the alteration of habitat and biodiversity in sensitive sites [13,14,15,16]. Short-rotation coppice (SRC) plantations consist of a woody cultivation in short cycles (usually less than 7 years) of fast-growing species capable of sprouting from the stump after being cut, and provide a suitable means of obtaining this raw material in short periods of time [17]
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