Modeling the ecosystem service of agricultural residues provision for bioenergy production: A potential application in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy)

Abstract Background Increasing the use of forest harvest residues for bioenergy production reduces greenhouse emissions from the use of fossil fuels. However, it may also reduce carbon stocks and habitats for deadwood dependent species. Consequently, simple tools for assessing the trade-offs of alternative management practices on forest dynamics and their services to people are needed. The objectives of this study were to combine mapping and simulation modelling to investigate the effects of forest management on ecosystem services related to carbon cycle in the case of bioenergy production; and to evaluate the suitability of this approach for assessing ecosystem services at the landscape level. Stand level simulations of forest growth and carbon budget were combined with extensive multi-source forest inventory data across a southern boreal landscape in Finland. Stochastic changes in the stand age class distribution over the study region were simulated to mimic variation in management regimes. Results The mapping framework produced reasonable estimates of the effects of forest management on a set of key ecosystem service indicators: the annual carbon stocks and fluxes of forest biomass and soil, timber and energy-wood production and the coarse woody litter production over a simulation period 2012–2100. Regular harvesting, affecting the stand age class distribution, was a key driver of the carbon stock changes at a landscape level. Extracting forest harvest residues in the final felling caused carbon loss from litter and soil, particularly with combined aboveground residue and stump harvesting. It also reduced the annual coarse woody litter production, demonstrating negative impacts on deadwood abundance and, consequently, forest biodiversity. Conclusions The refined mapping framework was suitable for assessing ecosystem services at the landscape level. The procedure contributes to bridging the gap between ecosystem service mapping and detailed simulation modelling in boreal forests. It allows for visualizing ecosystem services as fine resolution maps to support sustainable land use planning. In the future, more detailed models and a wider variety of ecosystem service indicators could be added to develop the method.

Download Full-text

A systematic review of the conceptual differences of environmental assessment and ecosystem service studies of biofuel and bioenergy production

Biomass and Bioenergy ◽

10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.05.003 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 114 ◽

pp. 8-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Markus A. Meyer ◽

Florian S. Leckert

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Environmental Assessment ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Bioenergy Production

Download Full-text

Biogas from Agri-Food and Agricultural Waste Can Appreciate Agro-Ecosystem Services: The Case Study of Emilia Romagna Region

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12208392 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

pp. 8392

Author(s):

Elena Tamburini ◽

Mattias Gaglio ◽

Giuseppe Castaldelli ◽

Elisa Anna Fano

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Inorganic Nitrogen ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Agricultural Residues ◽

Regional Level ◽

Mineral Fertilizers ◽

Livestock Waste ◽

Regulating Services ◽

Bioenergy Generation ◽

Emilia Romagna Region

Agro-ecosystems are intensively exploited environments which are both providers and consumers of ecosystem services. The improvement of both provisioning and regulating services in cultivated landscapes is crucial for the sustainable development of rural areas. Among the provisioning services offered, producing biogas from the anaerobic digestion of residual biomass is nowadays a promising option for decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while avoiding the land use conflicts related to the use of dedicated crops. Based on the available quantitative data at a regional level, provisioning and regulating services provided by the use of agri-food waste, livestock waste and agricultural residues were assessed for the case of Emilia Romagna region, the second biggest biogas producer in Italy. One provisioning service, i.e., bioenergy generation, and three regulating services were considered: (i) air quality improvement by the reduction of odors derived from direct use of waste, (ii) regulation of soil nutrients by reducing organic load and digestate spreading, and (iii) global climate regulation by saving GHG emissions. A potential further generation of 52.7 MW electric power was estimated at the regional level. Digestate spreading on fields may reduce odor impact by more than 90%, while containing a higher percentage of inorganic nitrogen, which is readily available to plants. The estimated GHG emission savings were equal to 2,862,533 Mg CO2eq/yr, mainly due to avoided landfilling for agri-waste and avoided replacing of mineral fertilizers for livestock waste and agricultural residues. The results suggest that bioenergy generation from lignocellulosic, livestock and agro-industrial residues may improve some regulating services in agro-ecosystems, while helping to reach renewable energy targets, thus contributing to overcoming the provisioning vs. regulating services paradigm in human-managed ecosystems.

Download Full-text

Assessment of the availability of agricultural residues on a zonal basis for medium- to large-scale bioenergy production in Nigeria

Biomass and Bioenergy ◽

10.1016/j.biombioe.2012.11.015 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 48 ◽

pp. 66-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Edward L. Iye ◽

Paul E. Bilsborrow

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Agricultural Residues ◽

Bioenergy Production

Download Full-text

Potential of cereal-based agricultural residues available for bioenergy production

Data in Brief ◽

10.1016/j.dib.2019.103829 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

pp. 103829 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lisandra Rocha-Meneses ◽

Thaísa Fernandes Bergamo ◽

Timo Kikas

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Residues ◽

Bioenergy Production

Download Full-text

A GIS-Based Model to Assess the Potential of Wastewater Treatment Plants for Enhancing Bioenergy Production Within the Context of the Water–Energy Nexus

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14102838 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 2838

Author(s):

Francesca Valenti ◽

Attilio Toscano

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Sewage Sludge ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Green Energy ◽

Green Economy ◽

Bioenergy Production ◽

Emilia Romagna Region

The necessity of developing renewable energy sources has contributed to increasing interest in developing the anaerobic digestion for producing biomethane since it both provides green energy and reduces disposal treatment. In this regard, to assure efficient water utilization by finding alternative water sources, sewage sludge collected from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was recently investigated because it could represent a suitable resource for producing biomethane within the context of a circular economy. Therefore, this study aims at improving the current knowledge on the feasibility of biomethane production from sewage sludge by optimizing the logistic-supplying phase. In this regard, a GIS-based model was developed and applied to the Emilia-Romagna region to consider the existing networks of WWTPs and biogas systems to valorize sewage sludge for bioenergy production and minimizing environmental impact. The results of the GIS analyses allowed to localize the highest productive territorial areas and highlighted where sewage sludges are abundantly located and could be better exploited within agricultural biogas plants. Finally, the achieved results could help plan suitable policy interventions that are centered on biomass supply and outputs diversification, governance, and social participation, since the regulatory framework could play a crucial role in planning the reuse of these wastes for developing a more sustainable biomethane sector in line with the green economy goals.

Download Full-text

Developing an Integrated Model Framework for the Assessment of Sustainable Agricultural Residue Removal Limits for Bioenergy Systems

Volume 2: 31st Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/detc2011-48889 ◽

2011 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David Muth ◽

Douglas McCorkle ◽

Jared Abodeely ◽

Joshua Koch ◽

Richard Nelson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Management Practice ◽

Soil Health ◽

Agricultural Residues ◽

Integrated System ◽

Process Models ◽

Model Framework ◽

Agricultural Residue ◽

Bioenergy Production ◽

Residue Removal ◽

First Case

Agricultural residues have significant potential as a feedstock for bioenergy production, but removing these residues from the land can have negative impacts on soil health. Because of this computational tools are needed that can help guide decisions on the amount of agricultural residue that can be sustainably removed. Models and datasets that can support decisions about sustainable agricultural residue removal are available; however, no tools currently exist that are capable of simultaneously addressing all of the environmental factors that can limit the availability of residue for bioenergy production. This paper presents an integrated framework of models and data that provide a coupled a set of environmental process models and databases that can support agricultural residue removal decisions. Specifically the RUSLE2, WEPS, and Soil Conditioning Index models have been integrated together with the disparate set of databases providing the soils, climate, and management practice data required. The integrated system has been demonstrated for two example cases. In the first case the potential impact of agricultural residue removal is explored. In the second case an aggregate assessment of the agricultural residues available bioenergy production in the state of Iowa is performed.

Download Full-text

Extraction of cellulose nanofiber from parenchyma cells of agricultural residues

Modern Physics Letters B ◽

10.1142/s0217984919400128 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (14n15) ◽

pp. 1940012 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antonio Norio Nakagaito ◽

Yusuke Katsumoto ◽

Hitoshi Takagi

Keyword(s):

Cell Wall ◽

Potential Application ◽

Agricultural Residues ◽

Cellulose Nanofiber ◽

Banana Peel ◽

Wall Structure ◽

Pulp Fibers ◽

Corn Husk ◽

Parenchyma Cells ◽

Hardwood Pulp

Cellulose nanofiber is an environmentally friendly reinforcing phase extractable from plants, with potential application in composites. Due to the cell wall structure differences, plant parenchyma cells might be easier to nanofibrillate than sclerenchyma cells of wood pulp fibers, resulting in lower extraction costs. This study assessed the extraction of nanofibers from residues like corn husk, banana peel, cabbage leaf, and taro leaf using a kitchen blender. Fibrillation was evaluated based on the strength of paper-like sheets produced from the nanofibers. Corn husk was nanofibrillated by the shortest blending time among the sources considered, and delivered the highest sheet strength. The blending time needed was significantly shorter than that needed to fibrillate hardwood pulp fibers.

Download Full-text