Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops
We analysed the environmental impacts of three biogas systems based on dairy manure, sorghum and maize. The geographical scope of the analysis is the Po valley, in Italy. The anaerobic digestion of manure guarantees high GHG (Green House Gases) savings thanks to the avoided emissions from the tradi...
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doaj-be31126cff734ef6be92fd1d643ad9552020-11-24T23:05:08ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732015-06-01865234526510.3390/en8065234en8065234Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy CropsAlessandro Agostini0Ferdinando Battini1Jacopo Giuntoli2Vincenzo Tabaglio3Monica Padella4David Baxter5Luisa Marelli6Stefano Amaducci7European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The NetherlandsInstitute of Agronomy, Genetics and Field crops, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, ItalyEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The NetherlandsInstitute of Agronomy, Genetics and Field crops, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, ItalyEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The NetherlandsEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The NetherlandsEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The NetherlandsInstitute of Agronomy, Genetics and Field crops, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, ItalyWe analysed the environmental impacts of three biogas systems based on dairy manure, sorghum and maize. The geographical scope of the analysis is the Po valley, in Italy. The anaerobic digestion of manure guarantees high GHG (Green House Gases) savings thanks to the avoided emissions from the traditional storage and management of raw manure as organic fertiliser. GHG emissions for maize and sorghum-based systems, on the other hand, are similar to those of the Italian electricity mix. In crop-based systems, the plants with open-tank storage of digestate emit 50% more GHG than those with gas-tight tanks. In all the environmental impact categories analysed (acidification, particulate matter emissions, and eutrophication), energy crops based systems have much higher impacts than the Italian electricity mix. Maize-based systems cause higher impacts than sorghum, due to more intensive cultivation. Manure-based pathways have always lower impacts than the energy crops based pathways, however, all biogas systems cause much higher impacts than the current Italian electricity mix. We conclude that manure digestion is the most efficient way to reduce GHG emissions; although there are trade-offs with other local environmental impacts. Biogas production from crops; although not providing environmental benefits per se; may be regarded as an option to facilitate the deployment of manure digestion.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5234maizemanuresorghumbiogasGHG emissionsenvironmental impacts |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Alessandro Agostini Ferdinando Battini Jacopo Giuntoli Vincenzo Tabaglio Monica Padella David Baxter Luisa Marelli Stefano Amaducci |
spellingShingle |
Alessandro Agostini Ferdinando Battini Jacopo Giuntoli Vincenzo Tabaglio Monica Padella David Baxter Luisa Marelli Stefano Amaducci Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops Energies maize manure sorghum biogas GHG emissions environmental impacts |
author_facet |
Alessandro Agostini Ferdinando Battini Jacopo Giuntoli Vincenzo Tabaglio Monica Padella David Baxter Luisa Marelli Stefano Amaducci |
author_sort |
Alessandro Agostini |
title |
Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops |
title_short |
Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops |
title_full |
Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops |
title_fullStr |
Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops |
title_full_unstemmed |
Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops |
title_sort |
environmentally sustainable biogas? the key role of manure co-digestion with energy crops |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Energies |
issn |
1996-1073 |
publishDate |
2015-06-01 |
description |
We analysed the environmental impacts of three biogas systems based on dairy manure, sorghum and maize. The geographical scope of the analysis is the Po valley, in Italy. The anaerobic digestion of manure guarantees high GHG (Green House Gases) savings thanks to the avoided emissions from the traditional storage and management of raw manure as organic fertiliser. GHG emissions for maize and sorghum-based systems, on the other hand, are similar to those of the Italian electricity mix. In crop-based systems, the plants with open-tank storage of digestate emit 50% more GHG than those with gas-tight tanks. In all the environmental impact categories analysed (acidification, particulate matter emissions, and eutrophication), energy crops based systems have much higher impacts than the Italian electricity mix. Maize-based systems cause higher impacts than sorghum, due to more intensive cultivation. Manure-based pathways have always lower impacts than the energy crops based pathways, however, all biogas systems cause much higher impacts than the current Italian electricity mix. We conclude that manure digestion is the most efficient way to reduce GHG emissions; although there are trade-offs with other local environmental impacts. Biogas production from crops; although not providing environmental benefits per se; may be regarded as an option to facilitate the deployment of manure digestion. |
topic |
maize manure sorghum biogas GHG emissions environmental impacts |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5234 |
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