Abstract
Abstract. We describe developments to the land surface model JULES, allowing for flexible user-prescribed harvest regimes of various perennial bioenergy crops or natural vegetation types. Our aim is to integrate the most useful aspects of dedicated bioenergy models into dynamic global vegetation models, in order that assessment of bioenergy options can benefit from state-of-the-art Earth system modelling. A new plant functional type (PFT) representing Miscanthus is also presented. The Miscanthus PFT fits well with growth parameters observed at a site in Lincolnshire, UK; however, global observed yields of Miscanthus are far more variable than is captured by the model, primarily owing to the model's lack of representation of crop age and establishment time. Global expansion of bioenergy crop areas under a 2 ∘C emissions scenario and balanced greenhouse gas mitigation strategy from the IMAGE integrated assessment model (RCP2.6-SSP2) achieves a mean yield of 4.3 billion tonnes of dry matter per year over 2040–2099, around 30 % higher than the biomass availability projected by IMAGE. In addition to perennial grasses, JULES-BE can also be used to represent short-rotation coppicing, residue harvesting from cropland or forestry and rotation forestry.
Highlights
A large supply of biomass energy, from diverse sources, is an essential component of most strategies to avoid dangerous climate change (Rose et al, 2013; Daioglou et al, 2019)
We describe new functionality developed within the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model to represent the growth and harvest cycles of specific perennial bioenergy crops including lignocellulosic grasses (Miscanthus) and trees used in short-rotation coppice regimes, as well as forest management (Table 1), hereafter called JULES-BE
This study introduces examples of tree types grown for biomass or bioenergy in Sect. 3.4, using two poplar plant functional type (PFT) developed for JULES by Oliver et al (2015)
Summary
A large supply of biomass energy, from diverse sources, is an essential component of most strategies to avoid dangerous climate change (Rose et al, 2013; Daioglou et al, 2019). “Second-generation” bioenergy crops, comprising lignocellulosic perennial grasses, tree species managed as shortrotation coppice and residues from forestry and agriculture, are the assumed preferred candidates to meet future biomass energy demand (Chum et al, 2011). They are preferred over “first-generation” biofuels such as maize and sugarcane which require higher nutrient inputs and have undesirable interactions with the food production systems (since they are food crops and must be grown on cropland; Tilman et al, 2009).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
