Harvesting Technologies and Costs of Biomass Production from Energy Crops Cultivated on Farms in the Małopolska Region

Dariusz Kwaśniewski,Aleksandra Płonka,Paweł Mickiewicz

doi:10.3390/en15010131

Dariusz Kwaśniewski, Aleksandra Płonka + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010131

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess biomass production costs from perennial energy crops, such as Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow, in selected agricultural holdings. This assessment was based on applied technologies for harvesting the biomass of the energy crops mentioned above. The scope of the study included research on ten farms located in Małopolska and establishing the possibility of biomass production from selected energy crops in these entities. Biomass production costs have been estimated using the computer application “Bioalkylation”. The result of the research was the answer to the question: what can be the cost range of biomass production from perennial energy crops for the crops Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow as the most popular plants? The study shows that production costs depend primarily on the harvesting technology used and the machinery used in the farm. The harvest with rotary mowers, small presses, and windrows was applied regarding Miscanthus giganteus and Sida hermaphrodita. The costs of biomass production were, on average, 424.7 EUR ha−1 for Miscanthus giganteus and 278.9 EUR ha−1 for Sida hermaphrodita. Concerning tonne, this was 37.6 EUR t−1 for Miscanthus giganteus and 30.0 EUR t−1 for Sida hermaphrodita, respectively. In the case of harvesting energy willow, in the form of whole shoots, inefficient and labour-intensive technologies using chainsaws and combustion cutters were applied. The biomass production costs were thus the highest among the assessed plants and amounted, on average, to 612.1 EUR ha−1, which in terms of tonne corresponded to a value of 30.6 EUR. The obtained results and the analysis presented in the paper may help in planning the cultivation of perennial energy crops in order to obtain biomass used for heating purposes on a farm.

Highlights

The foundation of the economy of the super-industrial era is still fossil fuels, the use of which has steadily increased since the industrial revolution in Europe [1]
This study aimed to assess biomass production costs from perennial energy crops, i.e., energy willow, Sida hermaphrodita, and Miscanthus giganteus, which can be grown on selected farms
The production costs were given in monetary units of Euro, and the evaluation was based on the applied biomass harvesting technologies

Summary

Introduction

The foundation of the economy of the super-industrial era is still fossil fuels, the use of which has steadily increased since the industrial revolution in Europe [1]. With successive decades, this disparity has intensified and the need for constant energy consumption has grown to become the biggest addiction of modern civilisation. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy report [3], the world consumed over 14,000 Mtoe in 2019, and global consumption is growing at a rate of 178 Mtoe/year. Experts warn that with the current energy consumption, non-renewable resources may be used up as soon as 2040 [6]. Power generation in Poland is mainly based on the combustion of hard coal and lignite; as the probability of their exhaustion seems natural and to meet the obligations towards the European Union, the government of Poland should intensify its actions to promote renewable energy sources (RES) in the country [7]

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