Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8079033 | Energy | 2013 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
Semi-natural grasslands are characterized by high biodiversity and can be maintained only with continuous management. In current situation, without sufficient demand for these biomass as cattle fodder, this source can be used for bioenergy production. In Estonia the largest average annual dry biomass yield per area was achieved in alluvial meadows (5.5 t haâ1) and the lowest in wooded meadows (1.9 t haâ1). Chemical characteristics of herbaceous biomass from wooded meadows differed from mesic and alluvial meadows resulting in the highest values of N, Ca, K, Mg and ash (1.3%, 2.4%, 0.3%, 10.9% and 9.5% of the dry matter, respectively) and lower ash softening temperature (1161 °C). The energy potential for combustion was estimated to be 102, 53 and 34 GJ haâ1 yâ1 for alluvial, mesic and wooded meadows, respectively. The highest feedstock-specific methane yield can be produced from the biomass of wooded meadows (299 lN CH4 kgâ1 VS (volatile solids)) and the lowest from alluvial meadows (269 lN CH4 kgâ1 VS). The area-specific methane yield was obtained from 514 for wooded to 1375 m3 CH4 haâ1 for alluvial meadows that corresponds to 20 and 55 GJ haâ1. Via biogas production it is possible to achieve less than 60% of energy available for combustion.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Energy
Energy (General)
Authors
Indrek Melts, Katrin Heinsoo, Liina Nurk, Linnar Pärn,