Download or read book Biofuel Cropping Systems written by Hans Langeveld and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-01-21 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Choosing appropriate practices and policies for biofuel production requires an understanding of how soils, climate, farm types, infrastructure, markets and social organisation affect the establishment and performance of these crops. The book highlights land use dynamics, cultivation practices related to conversion and wider impacts. It explores how biofuel production chain development is steered by emerging technologies and management practices and how both can be influenced by effective policies designed to encourage sustainable biofuel production. The book highlights major biofuel production chains including: cane cultivation in Brazil corn ethanol in the USA wheat and rapeseed in Europe oil palm in the Far East cane in Asia and Africa SRC and other lignocellulosic crops. In each case the development, cropping systems and impacts are discussed, system dynamics are shown and lessons drawn for the way things could or should change. Biofuel Cropping Systems is a vital resource for all those who want to understand the way biofuels are produced and how they impact other elements of society and especially how improvements can be made. It is a handbook for students, biofuel producers, researchers and policymakers in energy and agriculture.
Download or read book Biofuel Crops written by Bharat P. Singh and published by CABI. This book was released on 2013 with total page 537 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Providing comprehensive coverage on biofuel crop production and the technological, environmental and resource issues associated with a sustainable biofuel industry, this book is ideal for researchers and industry personnel. Beginning with an introduction to biofuels and the challenges they face, the book then includes detailed coverage on crops of current importance or with high future prospects, including sections on algae, sugar crops and grass, oil and forestry species. The chapters focus on the genetics, breeding, cultivation, harvesting and handling of each crop.
Download or read book Cellulosic Energy Cropping Systems written by Douglas L. Karlen and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-06-12 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cellulosic Energy Cropping Systems presents a comprehensive overview of how cellulosic energy crops can be sustainably produced and converted to affordable energy through liquid fuels, heat and electricity. The book begins with an introduction to cellulosic feedstocks, discussing their potential as a large-scale sustainable energy source, and technologies for the production of liquid fuels, heat and electricity. Subsequent chapters examine miscanthus, switchgrass, sugarcane and energy cane, sorghums and crop residues, reviewing their phylogeny, cultural practices, and opportunities for genetic improvement. This is followed by a detailed focus on woody crops, including eucalyptus, pine, poplar and willow. Critical logistical issues associated with both herbaceous and woody feedstocks are reviewed, and alternate strategies for harvesting, transporting, and storing cellulosic materials are also examined. The final sectionof the booktackles the challenge of achieving long-term sustainability, addressing economic, environmental and social factors. Cellulosic Energy Cropping Systems is a valuable resource for academics, students and industry professionals working in the field of biomass cultivation and conversion, bioenergy, crop science and agriculture. Topics covered include: Identifying suitable cellulosic energy crops that are adapted to a wide range of climates and soils Best management practices for sustainably growing, harvesting, storing, transporting and pre-processing these crops The development of integrated cellulosic energy cropping systems for supplying commercial processing plants Challenges and opportunities for the long-term sustainability of cellulosic energy crops This book was conceived and initiated by David I. Bransby, Professor of Energy and Forage Crops in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at Auburn University, USA. For more information on the Wiley Series in Renewable Resources, visit www.wiley.com/go/rrs
Download or read book The Hydrologic Sustainability of Second generation Biofuel Cropping Systems written by Austin Parish and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 59 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maize, switchgrass, miscanthus, and hybrid poplar are four of the leading crops considered as potential sources of biomass for conventional and cellulosic renewable biofuels. Many studies have investigated the evapotranspiration and soil water dynamics of these crops, but less is known about how they will affect deep drainage. More work is also needed to understand how the relationship between crop yield and water use will vary with climate. This thesis describes two studies investigating the hydrologic sustainability of these crops. The first is an observational study that makes use of yield, runoff, soil water content, and drainage measurements to estimate evapotranspiration and water use efficiency. Drainage was measured using automated equilibrium tension lysimeters. This advanced form of drainage measurement has not yet been used under this range of crops. The second study uses the Systems Approach to Land Use Sustainability (SALUS) crop growth model to simulate the response of crop yield and evapotranspiration to 30 years of variable climate. Results of these studies suggest that a) drainage under cellulosic crops will be significantly different from maize and b) climate will have a greater impact on the amount of water going to evapotranspiration than crop type.
Download or read book Resource Use Efficiency and Environmental Performance of Biofuel Cropping Systems written by Sander C. de Vries and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Surface Runoff Soil and Nutrient Fluxes of Cellulosic Biofuel Cropping Systems written by Michael James Polich and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 87 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Biofuel Crop Sustainability written by Bharat Singh and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-08-05 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biofuel Crop Sustainability brings together the basic principles of agricultural sustainability and special stipulations for biofuels, from the economic and ecological opportunities and challenges of sustainable biofuel crop production to the unique characteristics of particular crops which make them ideal for biofuel applications. This book will be a valuable resource for researchers and professionals involved in biofuels development and production as well as agriculture industry personnel. Chapters focus the broad principles of resource management for ecological, environmental and societal welfare, the sustainability issues pertaining to several broad categories of biofuel crops , as well as the economics and profitability of biofuels on both a local and international scale. Coverage includes topics such as utilizing waste water for field crop irrigation and algae production, reliability of feedstock supply, marginal lands, and identifying crops with traits of significance for survival and growth on low fertility soils. The development of production practices with low external inputs of fertilizer, irrigation, and pesticides is also covered. Biofuel Crop Sustainability will be a valuable, up-to-date reference for all those involved in the rapidly expanding biofuels industry and sustainable agriculture research fields.
Download or read book Advances in Energy Systems Engineering written by Georgios M. Kopanos and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-17 with total page 839 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a scientific framework for integrated solutions to complex energy problems. It adopts a holistic, systems-based approach to demonstrate the potential of an energy systems engineering approach to systematically quantify different options at various levels of complexity (technology, plant, energy supply chain, mega-system). Utilizing modeling, simulation and optimization-based frameworks, along with a number of real-life applications, it focuses on advanced energy systems including energy supply chains, integrated biorefineries, energy planning and scheduling approaches and urban energy systems. Featuring contributions from leading researchers in the field, this work is useful for academics, researchers, industry practitioners in energy systems engineering, and all those who are involved in model-based energy systems.
Download or read book Biofuel Cropping System Impacts on Soil C Microbial Communities and N2O Emissions written by Andrew R. McGowan and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Substitution of cellulosic biofuel in place of gasoline or diesel could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation. However, emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) could have a large impact on the GHG balance of cellulosic biofuel, thus there is a need to quantify these responses in cellulosic biofuel crops. The objectives of this study were to: (i) measure changes in yield, SOC and microbial communities in potential cellulosic biofuel cropping systems (ii) measure and characterize the temporal variation in N2O emissions from these systems (iii) characterize the yield and N2O response of switchgrass to N fertilizer and to estimate the costs of production. Sweet sorghum, photoperiod-sensitive sorghum, and miscanthus yielded the highest aboveground biomass (20-32 Mg ha−1). The perennial grasses sequestered SOC over 4 yrs, while SOC stocks did not change in the annual crops. Root stocks were 4-8 times higher in the perennial crops, suggesting greater belowground C inputs. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) abundance and aggregate mean weight diameter were higher in the perennials. No consistent significant differences were found in N2O emissions between crops, though miscanthus tended to have the lowest emissions. Most N2O was emitted during large events of short duration (1-3 days) that occurred after high rainfall events with high soil NO3. There was a weak relationship between IPCC Tier 1 N2O estimates and measured emissions, and the IPCC method tended to underestimate emissions. The response of N2O to N rate was nonlinear in 2 of 3 years. Fertilizer induced emission factor (EF) increased from 0.7% at 50 kg N ha−1 to 2.6% at 150 kg N ha−1. Switchgrass yields increased with N inputs up to 100-150 kg N ha−1, but the critical N level for maximum yields decreased each year, suggesting N was being applied in excess at higher N rates. Yield-scaled costs of production were minimized at 100 kg N ha-1 ($70.91 Mg−1). Together, these results show that crop selection and fertilizer management can have large impacts on the productivity and soil GHG emissions biofuel cropping systems.
Download or read book Genetics Biofuels and Local Farming Systems written by Eric Lichtfouse and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-06-29 with total page 429 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for our children. This discipline addresses current issues such as climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, starvation, obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control and biodiversity depletion. Novel solutions are proposed based on integrated knowledge from agronomy, soil science, molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, economy, philosophy and social sciences. As actual society issues are now intertwined, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world. This book series analyzes current agricultural issues and proposes alternative solutions, consequently helping all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians wishing to build safe agriculture, energy and food systems for future generations.
Download or read book Effect of Biotechnology and Biofuels on United States Corn Belt Cropping Systems written by Scott Fausti and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The effects of transgenic crop and federal biofuel policy on state-level cropping patterns in the Corn Belt region are investigated (2000-2012). The literature links the expansion of corn acreage to the supplanting of small grain and hay acreage in this region. Empirical evidence generated by a random intercept model with fixed effects indicates that the intensification of corn acres planted was positively impacted by biotech advancements in energy and agriculture. This suggests producers are moving away from diverse cropping patterns and the rotational practices associated with a diverse crop planting strategy. However, the empirical evidence suggests that the effects of these biotech advancements on producer planting decisions are not heterogeneous across States. Thus, future policy changes affecting producer corn production decisions will not be uniform across States.
Download or read book Bioenergy Feedstocks written by Malay C. Saha and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-04-03 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bioenergy and biofuels are generated from a wide variety of feedstock. Fuels have been converted from a wide range of sources from vegetable oils to grains and sugarcane. Second generation biofuels are being developed around dedicated, non-food energy crops, such as switchgrass and Miscanthus, with an eye toward bioenergy sustainability. Bioenergy Feedstocks: Breeding and Genetics looks at advances in our understanding of the genetics and breeding practices across this diverse range of crops and provides readers with a valuable tool to improve cultivars and increase energy crop yields. Bioenergy Feedstocks: Breeding and Genetics opens with chapters focusing primarily on advances in the genetics and molecular biology of dedicated energy crops. These chapters provide in-depth coverage of new, high-potential feedstocks. The remaining chapters provide valuable overview of breeding efforts of current feedstocks with specific attention paid to the development of bioenergy traits. Coverage in these chapters includes crops such as sorghum, energy canes, corn, and other grasses and forages. The final chapters explore the role of transgenics in bioenergy feedstock production and the development of low-input strategies for producing bioenergy crops. A timely collection of work from a global team of bioenergy researchers and crop scientists, Bioenergy Feedstocks: Breeding and Genetics is an essential reference on cultivar improvement of biomass feedstock crops.
Download or read book Handbook of Bioenergy Crops written by N. El Bassam and published by Earthscan. This book was released on 2010 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This completely revised second edition includes new information on biomass in relation to climate change, new coverage of vital issues including the "food versus fuel" debate, and essential new information on "second generation" fuels and advances in conversion techniques. The book begins with a guide to biomass accumulation, harvesting, transportation and storage, as well as conversion technologies for biofuels. This is followed by an examination of the environmental impact and economic and social dimensions, including prospects for renewable energy. The book then goes on to cover all the main potential energy crops.
Download or read book Biodiversity Biofuels Agroforestry and Conservation Agriculture written by Eric Lichtfouse and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-09-24 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for our children. This discipline addresses current issues such as climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, starvation, obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control and biodiversity depletion. Novel solutions are proposed based on integrated knowledge from agronomy, soil science, molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, economy, philosophy and social sciences. As actual society issues are now intertwined, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world. This book series analyzes current agricultural issues, and proposes alternative solutions, consequently helping all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians wishing to build safe agriculture, energy and food systems for future generations.
Download or read book Subsurface Water and Nutrient Dynamics of Cellulosic Biofuel Cropping Systems written by Ryan Scott Stenjem and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2008-02-09 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: National interests in greater energy independence, concurrent with favorable market forces, have driven increased production of corn-based ethanol in the United States and research into the next generation of biofuels. The trend is changing the national agricultural landscape and has raised concerns about potential impacts on the nation's water resources. To help illuminate these issues, the National Research Council held a colloquium on July 12, 2007 in Washington, DC. Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States, based in part on discussions at the colloquium, concludes that if projected future increases in use of corn for ethanol production do occur, the increase in harm to water quality could be considerable from the increases in fertilizer use, pesticide use, and soil erosion associated with growing crops such as corn. Water supply problems could also develop, both from the water needed to grow biofuels crops and water used at ethanol processing plants, especially in regions where water supplies are already overdrawn. The production of "cellulosic ethanol," derived from fibrous material such as wheat straw, native grasses, and forest trimmings is expected to have less water quality impact but cannot yet be produced on a commerical scale. To move toward a goal of reducing water impacts of biofuels, a policy bridge will likely be needed to encourage growth of new technologies, best agricultural practies, and the development of traditional and cellulosic crops that require less water and fertilizer and are optimized for fuel production.
Download or read book Sustainable Biofuels written by Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2015-04-24 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With oil resources approaching their limits, biofuels have become increasingly attractive. This book provides a detailed description of the ecological implications of second and third generation biofuel feedstock production systems, beginning with an introduction to the importance of ecological sustainability alongside economic viability. The book is divided into sections describing theoretical foundation and benefits of various biofuel cropping systems, and providing a description of practical ecological limitations to achieve those fundamental benefits. The book covers such critical issues as greenhouse gas emissions, carbon balance, water cycle components, other biogeochemical and socioeconomic interactions alongside life cycle analysis principals for achieving sustainability. These are some of the most important sustainability, environmental and economic issues which biofuel industry and scientific community is seeking answers to.
