Biomass yield and energy potential of short-rotation energy plantations of Gmelina arborea one year old in Costa Rica

Abstract Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) was developed as a tool for sustainable, decision-supporting environmental management. Applying agricultural sector-LCA in order to achieve both internal (comparative) and external (efficiency enhancing) benefits is a priority. Since the life-cycle assessment of products and processes attracts great interest, applying the method in agriculture is relevant. Our study undertakes a comparative environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) of local arable crop production technologies used for the main cultivated plants: maize, sunflower, lucerne, cereals, and canola (environmental data in the territorial approach calculated on a 1 ha unit and in the quantitative approach calculated on 1 t of produce). We prepared an environmental inventory of the arable crop production technologies, constructed the life-cycle models, and executed the impact assessment. We also compiled an environmental ranking of technologies. In the impact interpretation, we compared the results with the values of short rotation energy plantations in each impact category. We analysed carbon footprints closely. The obtained results help better assess environmental impacts, climate risks, and climate change as they pertain to arable crop production technologies, which advances the selection of appropriate technologies adjusted to environmental sensitivities.

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Production and Regression Models for Biomass and Carbon Captured in Gmelina arborea Roxb. Trees in Short Rotation Coppice Plantations in Costa Rica

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10070593 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 593

Author(s):

Carolina Tenorio ◽

Róger Moya ◽

Edgar Ortiz-Malavassi ◽

Dagoberto Arias

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Regression Models ◽

Carbon Capture ◽

Goodness Of Fit ◽

Short Rotation Coppice ◽

Total Biomass ◽

High Fertility ◽

Gmelina Arborea ◽

Short Rotation

Mortality, diameter at 30 cm over ground level, height, biomass production, and carbon capture (CC) for different tree components (trunk, bark, branches, and leaves) in two locations in Costa Rica, during their first three years and with three plantation spacings (1.0 × 0.5 m, 1.0 × 1.0 m, and 1.0 × 2.0 m) were obtained for Gmelina arborea Roxb. trees growing in short rotation coppice systems (SRC). In addition, regression models were developed to predict biomass production and CC using location, age, spacing, and their interactions. Biomass production was measured by weight of trees without considering dendrometric variables. Results showed that mortality was lower than 15% for one location, with probable high fertility, and almost 85% for the other location. Diameter and height of trees increased with plantation age in both locations. The highest biomass production and CC were observed in the spacings of 1.0 × 0.5 m2 and 1.0 × 1.0 m2, with 20 Mg/ha/year and 8 Mg/ha/year, respectively. The models to predict biomass production in trunk with bark, branches, leaves, total biomass without leaves, and CC in trunk, branch, and total biomass were developed using this equation: Y = β1 + β2 (location × age) + β3 (age) + β4 (spacing). The R2 values varied from 0.66 to 0.84, with error from 0.88 to 10.75 and indicators of goodness of fit from 60 to 83%.

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Establishment of short rotation energy plantations as an alternative possibility in less favoured areas

Cereal Research Communications ◽

10.1556/crc.35.2007.2.236 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 1109-1112

Author(s):

Dénes Sulyok ◽

Attila Megyes ◽

Tamás Rátonyi ◽

János Nagy

Keyword(s):

Alternative Possibility ◽

Short Rotation ◽

Energy Plantations ◽

Rotation Energy

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Carbon Footprint of Different Harvesting Work Systems in Short Rotation Energy Plantations

Acta Silvatica et Lignaria Hungarica ◽

10.2478/aslh-2018-0008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 113-126

Author(s):

András Polgár ◽

Adrienn Horváth ◽

Katalin Szakálosné Mátyás ◽

Attila László Horváth ◽

János Rumpf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Arable Land ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Raw Material ◽

Work Systems ◽

The Third ◽

Short Rotation ◽

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Energy Plantations ◽

Rotation Energy

Abstract Almost half of the total area of Hungary is arable land. Nearly one-third of this area is poor-quality arable land where agriculture would be uneconomical. Energy plantations can be grown extremely well on poor-quality land. Currently, the carbon neutrality of wood as a raw material must also be justified, considering several factors. Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) was developed as a tool for sustainable, decision-supporting, environmental management, which is an outstanding tool for the well-established analysis of environmental impacts, although the application of it in forestry remained a challenge for the LCA community. No sector specific LCA and life cycle inventory methodology has been developed in forestry; thus, implementing such a methodology remains a big challenge. Calculated on a common functional unit (100 m3/ha wood chips, 100% energy purpose), we have performed a comparative environmental life cycle assessment for harvesting technologies of short rotation energy plantations (technology related to stands of 3 ha of poplar, 5–10 ha of willow, 20 ha of willow), specifically for the third year harvesting work system. Research results on global warming potential show the carbon footprint of harvesting work systems, the knowledge of which has a strong influence on the environmental consideration of raw material (wood chips) and also on the more precise definition of carbon sequestration capacity. The typical values of carbon balance ratio (1.37–1.46) indicate a positive carbon sequestration potential and a magnitude well within the system boundaries of the third year harvesting work system submodule. The results obtained enable the estimation and prediction of environmental impacts for the whole lifecycle of the plantation.

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Short-Rotation Energy Plantations in North Central United States: An Economic Analysis

Energy Sources ◽

10.1080/00908319108908974 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 111-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

DAVID C. LOTHNER

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Economic Analysis ◽

North Central ◽

Short Rotation ◽

Central United States ◽

Energy Plantations ◽

Rotation Energy

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The role of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in establishment of short-rotation energy plantations in Hungary

International Journal of Horticultural Science ◽

10.31421/ijhs/15/3/832 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

K. Rédei ◽

I. Veperdi

Keyword(s):

Black Locust ◽

Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Site Quality ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Annual Increment ◽

Short Rotation ◽

The Common ◽

Energy Plantations ◽

Rotation Energy

Establishment of short-rotation energy plantations for fuel production has been of international interest for many years. Energy plantation experiments in Hungary have been conducted for a longer time. In the country black locust ( Robinia ps eudoacacia L.) is one of the most important stand-forming tree species, covering approximately 23% of the forested land (410 000 ha) and providing about 19% of the annual timber output of the country. This fast growing species seems to be suitable for energy plantations as well. So, in Helvecia (Central Hungary, sand-soil region) two energy plantation s were established u sing common black locust and its cultivars improved in Hungary. The spacing variations of the common black locust were: l.5x0.3 m, I .5x0.5 m and l.5x 1.0 m. At the age of 5 the closest spacing ( 1.5x0.3m) produced the greatest annual increment in oven-dry weight (6.5 t ha·1 yr- 1). In the trial with black locust cultivars planted in spacing of 1.5xl.0m, at the age of 7 the highest annual increment in oven-dry mass was produced by the cultivar ' Ulloi' (9.7 t ha-1 yr- 1) followed by the common black locust (8.4 t ha-1 yr- 1) and the cultivar 'J tiszkiseri (1.6 t ha·1 yr- 1). The trials have verified that in temperate climate the increment in oven dry dendromass of black locust energy plantation s has ranged from 6 to 12 t ha·1 yr·1. On the basis of the trials' evaluation the quantity of dendromass mostly depends on site quality, species and cultivars, as well as on the initial spacing (plants per hectare).

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Energieholzproduktion in Mittel- und Nieder-wäldern der Schweiz | Energy Wood Production in Coppice With Standards and Coppice Forests in Switzerland

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.1999.0142 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 150 (4) ◽

pp. 142-147

Author(s):

Bettina Bally

Keyword(s):

Twentieth Century ◽

Economic Value ◽

Wood Production ◽

Fuel Production ◽

Energy Wood ◽

Short Rotation ◽

Energy Plantations ◽

Coppice With Standards

Coppice with standards and coppice forests are the result of silvicultural systems widely applied until the mid-twentieth century, mainly for fuel production. Similar to energy plantations in Scandinavia and Germany the above-mentioned systems are characterised by a short rotation. The present paper tries to show that, owing to efficient logging methods, energy wood can be produced from coppice and coppice with standards forests so cheaply that it proves to be highly competitive compared to oil. The economic value of coppice and coppice with standards was calculated on the basis of models and compared to high forest cultivation. Contrary to high forests, the coppice with standards system is cost-covering on poor, well developed and easily accessible sites.

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