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

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.

scholarly journals Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment of Arable Crop Production Technologies Compared to Different Harvesting Work Systems in Short Rotation Energy Plantations

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-68
Author(s):  
András Polgár ◽  
Zoltán Kovács ◽  
Veronika Elekné Fodor ◽  
András Bidló
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Arable Crop ◽  
Production Technologies ◽  
Energy Plantations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rotation Energy

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.

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

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

scholarly journals Raw material criticality assessment as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment: Examining methods for product‐level supply risk assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1226-1236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Cimprich ◽  
Vanessa Bach ◽  
Christoph Helbig ◽  
Andrea Thorenz ◽  
Dieuwertje Schrijvers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Supply Risk ◽  
Product Level ◽  
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Criticality Assessment

scholarly journals FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF SHORT ROTATION ENERGY CROPS IN HUNGARY: A CASE STUDY

2017 ◽  
Vol XIX (3) ◽  
pp. 41-45
Author(s):  
Zsuzsanna Deák ◽  
Árpád Ferencz
Keyword(s):  
Energy Production ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Capital Outlay ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Energy Forest ◽  
Rotation Energy ◽  
The Eu

Biomass is a readily available, renewable and environmentally friendly source of energy. Exploiting renewable organic matter for energy production is showing a growing tendency worldwide including in Hungary. Forest plantations with large numbers of plants (short rotation coppices) that provide a homogeneous, locally available raw material of various fast growing deciduous wood species are broadly supported. In our research we have investigated the financial viability of a short rotation energy forest plantation in the Kunság region of Hungary. Both the EU and Hungary provide economic incentives for the creation and propagation of bio-energy producing facilities. Our results show that the enterprise could not generate profit for the period examined without the help of such subsidies. There are several obstacles that farmers are facing such as the initial high capital outlay, technological shortcomings of the harvesting methods, high logistics costs and suppressed purchasing prices.

scholarly journals The Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Selected Plastics

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 420-425
Author(s):  
Lubica Bednarova ◽  
Romana Dobáková ◽  
Marián Lázár ◽  
Natália Jasminská ◽  
Tomáš Brestovič ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Present Article ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Environmental Burden ◽  
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Material Extraction

The present article deals with a method of the environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for the evaluation of environmental burden of selected products. The assessment of the life cycle of individual products should be carried out while considering emissions released during production, use and disposal of products and during processes of raw material extraction, production of materials and energy, auxiliary processes or sub-processes.    

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

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Tenorio ◽  
Roger Moya ◽  
Dagoberto Arias-Aguilar ◽  
Elemer Briceño-Elizondo
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Biomass Yield ◽  
Gmelina Arborea ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Energy Plantations ◽  
One Year ◽  
Rotation Energy

The role and significance of woody biomass plantations in Swedish agriculture

1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 687-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Christersson ◽  
L. Sennerby-Forsse ◽  
L. Zsuffa
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Short Fiber ◽  
Deciduous Tree ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Ground Water Pollution ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Alternative Crops ◽  
Energy Plantations

The low profitability of agriculture, the greenhouse effect, acidification, the energy supply, ground water pollution, waste disposal and depopulation of the countryside are some of the problems in urgent need of solution not only in Sweden but in many other western countries. Naturally, there is no single solution to all these complex problems. However, by establishing plantations of fast-growing deciduous tree species on abandoned or surplus arable land it is possible to address many of these problems in a positive way. More than 15 years of research and development within the National Swedish Energy Forestry Program (NSEFP) have resulted in a new agricultural crop with a high potential for sound ecological and economic outcome. The further utilization of biomass plantations for environmental clean-up programmes and waste cycling is now developing on a regional and local basis. As a complement to pure energy plantations, mixed forest stands are discussed as multipurpose production systems for wood chips, short fiber and veneer. Key words: alternative crops, biomass plantations, energy crops, energy forestry, Salix, short-rotation forestry

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

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (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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