Nitrogen fertilization challenges the climate benefit of cellulosic biofuels

Ruan, Leilei; Bhardwaj, Ajay K.; Hamilton, Stephen K.; Robertson, G. Philip

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/6/064007

Title: Nitrogen fertilization challenges the climate benefit of cellulosic biofuels

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Environmental Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/6/064007· OSTI ID:1310264

Ruan, Leilei; Bhardwaj, Ajay K.; Hamilton, Stephen K.;

Cellulosic biofuels are intended to improve future energy and climate security. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is commonly recommended to stimulate yields but can increase losses of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) and other forms of reactive N, including nitrate. We measured soil N2O emissions and nitrate leaching along a switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) high resolution N-fertilizer gradient for three years post-establishment. Results revealed an exponential increase in annual N2O emissions that each year became stronger (R² > 0.9, P < 0.001) and deviated further from the fixed percentage assumed for IPCC Tier 1 emission factors. Concomitantly, switchgrass yields became less responsive each year to N fertilizer. Nitrate leaching (and calculated indirect N2O emissions) also increased exponentially in response to N inputs, but neither methane (CH4) uptake nor soil organic carbon changed detectably. Overall, N fertilizer inputs at rates greater than crop need curtailed the climate benefit of ethanol production almost two-fold, from a maximum mitigation capacity of–5.71 ± 0.22 Mg CO₂e ha^–1 yr^–1 in switchgrass fertilized at 56 kgNha^–1 to only –2.97 ± 0.18 MgCO₂e ha^–1 yr^–1 in switchgrass fertilized at 196 kgNha^–1. In conclusion, minimizing N fertilizer use will be an important strategy for fully realizing the climate benefits of cellulosic biofuel production.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FC02-07ER64494

OSTI ID:: 1310264

Journal Information:: Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 11, Issue 6; ISSN 1748-9326

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 65 works

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
09 BIOMASS FUELS
nitrous oxide (N2O)
nitrate leaching
switchgrass
methane (CH4)
oxidation
nitrogen fertilizer
life cycle analysis
IPCC emission factor