Abstract
Willows are one of the plants which can be used to produce biomass for energy purposes. Biomass production is classified as a renewable energy source. Increasing the share of renewable sources is one of the priority actions for European Union countries due to the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve the best possible growth of the willow and increase its biomass for fuel, it is crucial to provide optimal water conditions for its growth. The aim of the study was to determine the water requirements of willows under the conditions of the western Polish climate and to verify whether this area is potentially favourable for willow cultivation. The novelty of this paper lies in its multi-year climatic analysis in the context of willow water needs for the area of three voivodships: Lubusz, Lower Silesian, and West Pomeranian. This is one of the few willow water-needs analyses for this region which considers the potential for widespread willow cultivation and biomass production in western Poland. Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was determined by the Blaney-Criddle equation and then, using plant coefficients, water needs for willow were determined. Calculations were carried out for the growing season lasting from 21 May to 31 October. The estimated water needs during the vegetation season amounted on average to 408 mm for the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, 405 mm for the Lubusz Voivodeship, and 402 mm for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. The conducted analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that these needs do not differ significantly between the voivodeships. Therefore, it can be concluded that the water requirements of willows in western Poland do not differ significantly, and the whole region shows similar water conditions for willow cultivation. Furthermore, it was found that water needs are increasing from decade to decade, making rational water management necessary. This is particularly important in countries with limited water resources, such as Poland. Correctly determining the water requirements of willow and applying them to the cultivation of this plant should increase the biomass obtained. With appropriate management, willow cultivation in Poland can provide an alternative energy source to coal.
Highlights
IntroductionThis document assumes reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the Member States and striving for climate neutrality (i.e., zero emissions)
One of the priority strategies of the European Union is “Climate Neutral by 2050”
The research carried out in this study has shown that in the area of the three voivodships of western Poland, there are no significant differences in the water needs of willow estimated for the growing season between 1981 and 2010
Summary
This document assumes reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the Member States and striving for climate neutrality (i.e., zero emissions). The implementation of this task focuses, among other things, on the use of alternative sources of energy to eliminate conventional fuels. This is important in Poland, where most energy comes from burning fossil fuels. In 2019, the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption in this country was only 12.2% [1] This is one of the lower results concerning the European Union countries. The energy plants cultivated in the conditions of Polish climate include poplar (Populus L.), Robinia acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), Virginia fanpetals (Sida hermaphrodita), Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), Giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus), and willows (Salix L.)
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