SUSTAINABLE ENERGY CROPPING SYSTEMS FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION. Session 1. Bioenergy crops in the Mediterranean, practical experiences

Transcription

1 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY CROPPING SYSTEMS FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION Session 1. Bioenergy crops in the Mediterranean, practical experiences Jesús Fernández Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

2 Facts that are encouraging the sector of the energy crops in the EU 1. Availability of several million hectares of lands, as a result of the CAP set-aside lands- and the EU support to non-food land uses. 2. Need of finding alternative energy sources; emphasis is placed in autochtonous renewable energy sources. 3. Need of developing systems to mitigate the greenhouse effect avoidance of CO 2 emissions. 4. Need of finding solutions to the growing demand of energy from developing countries.

3 THE AGROENERGY CONCEPT SOLAR RADIATION CO 2 ATMOSPHERE H 2 O NO X CO2 CO2 ELECTRICITY BIOMASS THERMAL USES OR CO-GENERATION H 2 O FERTILIZER N-P-K ASHES OR RESIDUES MINERAL FERTILIZERS SEWAGE SLUDGE SLURRY WASTE-WATER MECHANICAL ENERGY

4 ENERGY CROPS versus TRADITIONAL CROPS: MAIN DIFFERENCES (I) 1.- Positive energy balance of the production chain 2.- Species selectioned for energy purposes, not for food purposes 3.- Polyculture farming mixture of several plant species for energy purposes 4.- Species valued for the energy content, not for the nutritive content

5 ENERGY CROPS versus TRADITIONAL CROPS: MAIN DIFFERENCES (II) 5.- The whole crop produce should be used for energy purposes 6.- Better environmental balance lower inputs 7.- Ash or residues from the conversion industries might be re-cycled as fertilizers in the energy crops. 8.- Energy crops may be grown in set-aside lands.

6 CHARACTERISTICS WANTED IN ENERGY CROPS 1.- Composition of the biomass appropriate for the enduse (type of biofuel) 2.- Positive energy balance 3.- High production with low inputs 4.- Adaptation to marginal lands 5.- Environmentally-friendly crop management system 6.- Crop mechanization based on conventional agricultural machinery

7 BASIC CATEGORIES OF ENERGY CROPS OIL CROPS bio-diesel ALCOHOLIGENOUS CROPS bio-ethanol. LIGNOCELLULOSIC CROPS Solid bio-fuels power, heating, domestic hot water, gasification, biohidrocarbons, bio-ethanol, etc.

8 OIL CROPS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIO-DIESEL Traditional crops - Sunflower - Rape R&D of new crops - Cynara - Carinata - Castor bean - Oil palm - Jatropa

9 TRADITIONAL OIL CROPS FOR BIO-DIESEL: Rapeseed RAPESEED IN SPAIN (2002) Mean production in dry farming: 1216 kg/ha Mean production with irrigation: 1923 kg/ha Seed oil content: 40 % LAND AREA: 6,814 ha (50% dry farming)

10 TRADITIONAL OIL CROPS FOR BIO-DIESEL: Sunflower SUNFLOWER IN SPAIN (2002) Mean production in dry farming: 902 kg/ha Mean production with irrigation: 1929 kg/ha Seed oil content: 45 % LAND AREA: 753,628 ha (88 % dry farming)

11 R&D OF ALTERNATIVE CROPS FOR BIO-DIESEL Cynara (Cynara cardunculus) Carinata (Brassica carinata) Castor bean (Ricinus communis) Oil palm (Eleais guinensis) Jatropa (Jathropa curcas)

12 Cynara (Cynara cardunculus L.)

13 Cynara (Cynara cardunculus L.) R&D of CYNARA IN SPAIN Mean production in dry farming (Central Spain): 15 t dm/ha of which 1.5 t are dry fruits (oil seeds ) and 13.5 t are lignocellulosic biomass

14 Carinata (Brassica carinata A. Braun) R&D OF CARINATA IN SPAIN Production in N Spain: 5-10 t dm/ha, of which t are oil seeds Advantages over the rape plant: indehiscent pods Drawbacks: Sensitive to low temperatures Water requirements rather high Sulfur content of the biomass

15 Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) R&D OF CASTOR BEAN Production in Spain (Murcia): 3.5 t seeds/ha Production in Brasil: 5 t seeds/ha Seed oil content: 40-60% ( 89% ricinoleic acid)

16 Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) R&D OF OIL PALM Not experimented in Spain Quoted as the most productive oil crop when grown in adequate climate conditions Oil from both the fruit pulp and the kernel Pulp: 3-5 t oil/ha (32-42% palmitic, 38-50% oleic, 7-11% linoleic) Kernel: t oil/ha from the kernel (48% lauric acid)

17 Jatropa (Jatropha curcas L.) R&D of Jatropa No reports of trials in Spain Fruit oil content: 30 % (40% oleic, 30% linoleic, 15% palmitic, 6% stearic) Oil yield: 1.6 t oil/ha

18 ALCOHOLIGENOUS CROPS FOR BIO-ETHANOL PRODUCTION Traditional crops - Cereals - Sugar beet - Sugar cane R&D of new crops - Jerusalem artichoke - Sweet sorghum - Prickly pear - Wild tobacco

19 CEREALS Mean production in Spain: Wheat (dry farming): 2.7 t /ha Maize (irrigated) : 10 t/ha Ethanol production rate: ~ 2.7 t grain/m 3 Ethanol yield: Wheat (dry farming): 1 m 3 (0.7 t)/ha Maize (irrigated) : 3.7 m3 (2.6 t)/ha

20 SUGAR BEET (Beta vulgaris L.) Mean production in Spain (irrigated): 70 t root /ha 14 t sugar/h Ethanol production rate: ~ 10 kg root/l YIELD: 7 m 3 ethanol/ha

21 SUGAR CANE (Saccharum officinarum L.) Biomass production (irrigation): t fm/ha Ethanol production rate: ~ 15 kg stalks/l ethanol YIELD: 4-7 m 3 ethanol/ha

22 R&D OF ALTERNATIVE CROPS FOR BIOETHANOL Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) Wild tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

23 JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (Helianthus tuberosus L.)

24 UNDERGROUND BIOMASS OF J. ARTICHOKE: TUBERS

25 JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (Helianthus tuberosus L.) Biomass production: t tubers + 10 t stalks per ha Tuber composition: 17-18% inuline, 20-22% dry matter Inuline: 70-80% fructose % glucose. Ethanol production rate: 12 kg tubers/1 L YIELD: 5-6 m 3 ethanol/ha PROSPECTS OF R&D: Use of the stems for sugar production harvest before the sugar translocation to the tubers

26 SWEET SORGHUM (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.)

27 SWEET SORGHUM (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) Biomass production: 22 t (dm)/ha Stalks: 70-80% (dry weight basis) Stalk sugar content: ~ 24% sucrose, 9% glucose, 6% fructose Sugar production: 7-12 t sugar / ha Ethanol production rate: 15 kg stalks (fm)/1l YIELD: 4-7 m 3 ethanol /ha

28 PRICKLY PEAR (Opuntia ficus-indica L.)

29 EXPERIMENTAL FIELD OF PRICKLY PEAR

30 POTENTIAL PRODUCTIVITY OF PRICKLY PEAR (5 years old) PLANT FRACTION PRODUCTION t fm/ha/year Rate (t fm/l) ETHANOL Yield (m 3/ ha/ year) Fruits (80 % moisture) Cladodes (90 % moisture) Fruit + cladode

31 WILD TOBACCO (Nicotiana glauca)

32 POTENCIAL BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF WILD TOBACCO (Nicotiana glauca) Hydric regime: 200 mm rainfall + 40 mm irrigation in August Habitat: Warm-arid climate lands YEAR DRY BIOMASS (t/ha) ETHANOL (m 3 /ha) 1º º º

33 LIGNOCELLULOSIC CROPS AS SOLID BIOFUELS TRADITIONAL CROPS Cereals (straw) Forest trees (wood) R&D OF NEW CROPS Ligneous species in short rotation forestry: - Wet lands/irrigated: Poplar, willow - Humid climates: Eucaliptus, Cytisus, Ulex - Dry conditions: Black locust, Siberian elm Herbs: - Cynara (Cynara cardunculus L.) - Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) - Fiber sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). - Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

34 OTHER SPECIES EXPERIMENTED IN SHORT ROTATION IN SPAIN Species Location Plant frame Rotation Eucaliptus globulus Galicia (NW Spain) 1 x years Acacia dealbata " 1 x 1 3 years A. melanoxylon " 1 x years Ulex europaeus " years Citysus scoparius " years P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides Soria (N Spain) 1 x 1 3, 4 & 5 years

35 SIBERIAN ELM (Ulmus pumila) GROWN IN SHORT ROTATION FORESTRY IN SPAIN

36 GIANT REED (Arundo donnax L.) POPULATION Productivity (t dm /ha/year) Attiki (CRES) Hania (CRES) Messolongi (AUA) Ioannina (AUA) Caltagirone S.P. (IAGCE) Fondachello (IAGCE) Rabuiese (CETA) Torviscosa (CETA) Carcassonne (INRA) 7.96 MEAN 15.2

37 Cynara cardunculus L. Asteraceae (Compositae) Mediterranean origin Perennial herb Annual growth cycle Very deep root system Floral stem 2-3 m high Gross heads (capitula) Oil fruits (achenes, like sunflower) Common names: - CARDOON (vegetable) - CYNARA (energy crop)

38 Soil erosion prevention during rainfall period in cynara fields

39 ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF CYNARA versus MAIZE: PRODUCTIVITY AND WUE CYNARA MAIZE 10 months growth cycle lenght (October July) 4 months growth cycle length (June- September) Growth cycle adapted to the Mediterranean distribution of rainfalls (autum, winter, spring) Deep root system 7-9 m 40 cm Maize Irrigation is needed in the Mediterranean region (no rainfalls in summer) Shallow root system Aerial plant parts dry up in summertime (no transpiration) Perennial crop Cynara Active canopy in summer high transpiration rate Annual crop

40 MEAN AERIAL BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF CYNARA IN A MULTILOCAL EXPERIMENT (TWO GROWTH CYCLES) Location Rainfall (mm) Production (t dm/ha) Rainfall (mm) Production (t dm/ha) Madrid (Spain) Tebas (Greece) Forly (Italy) Policoro (Italy) Sicily (Italy) MEAN Rainfall from August to July

41 NEW RESEARCH OBJECTIVES for cynara Increase of biomass productivity Increase of the seed oil content Improvement of biomass quality for fuel uses Improvement of seed and biomass harvesting methods New EU Specific Targeted Resear Project (STREP) Global process to improve Cynara cardunculus exploitation for energy applications ( BIOCARD ) 6th Framework Programme. SUSTDEV ( Energy from crops ) CT nº

42 RESEARCH TARGETS AND R&D PERSPECTIVES Prospection of new plant species as energy crops in the Mediterranean soil & climate conditions Plant Breeding focused on energy purposes Development of specific machinery for the new energy crops Valorization of the whole biomass Further development of conversion technologies Ecophysiological & environmental issues