Assessment of energy crops alternative to maize for biogas production in the Greater Region

Frédéric Mayer; Patrick A Gerin; Anaïs Noo; Sébastien Lemaigre; Didier Stilmant; Thomas Schmit; Nathael Leclech; Luc Ruelle; Jerome Gennen; Herbert von Francken-Welz; Guy Foucart; Jos Flammang; Marc Weyland; Philippe Delfosse

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2014.05.054

Assessment of energy crops alternative to maize for biogas production in the Greater Region

Bioresour Technol. 2014 Aug:166:358-67. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.05.054. Epub 2014 May 23.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg; Université catholique de Louvain, Earth & Life Institute, Bioengineering, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.19, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
² Université catholique de Louvain, Earth & Life Institute, Bioengineering, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.19, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
³ Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
⁴ Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques, Agriculture and Natural Environment Department - Farming Systems, Territory and Information Technologies Unit, Rue du Serpont 100, B-6800 Libramont, Belgium.
⁵ Chambre Régionale d'Agriculture de Lorraine, 9, rue de la Vologne - Building i, 54520 Laxou, France.
⁶ Centre Provincial Liégeois des productions Végétales et Maraîchères, Rue de Huy, 123, B-4300 Waremme, Belgium.
⁷ Centre de recherche et de formations agricole pour l'Est de la Belgique - Agra-Ost, Klosterstrasse 38, B-4780 Saint-Vith, Belgium.
⁸ Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum Eifel, Brodenheckstraße 3, 54634 Bitburg, Germany.
⁹ Centre Indépendant de Promotion Fourragère, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.11, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
¹⁰ Administration des Services Techniques de l'Agriculture, 16 route d'Esch, L-1019 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
¹¹ Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg. Electronic address: delfosse@lippmann.lu.

PMID: 24929279
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.05.054

Abstract

The biomethane yield of various energy crops, selected among potential alternatives to maize in the Greater Region, was assessed. The biomass yield, the volatile solids (VS) content and the biochemical methane potential (BMP) were measured to calculate the biomethane yield per hectare of all plant species. For all species, the dry matter biomass yield and the VS content were the main factors that influence, respectively, the biomethane yield and the BMP. Both values were predicted with good accuracy by linear regressions using the biomass yield and the VS as independent variable. The perennial crop miscanthus appeared to be the most promising alternative to maize when harvested as green matter in autumn and ensiled. Miscanthus reached a biomethane yield of 5.5 ± 1 × 10(3)m(3)ha(-1) during the second year after the establishment, as compared to 5.3 ± 1 × 10(3)m(3)ha(-1) for maize under similar crop conditions.

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Biochemical methane potential (BMP); Biomethanation; Energy crops; Lignocellulose.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biofuels*
Conservation of Energy Resources / methods*
Crops, Agricultural / chemistry*
Lignin / analysis
Methane / analysis*
Poaceae / chemistry
Sorghum / chemistry
Zea mays / chemistry*

Substances

Biofuels
lignocellulose
Lignin
Methane