Abstract
In the future, various forms of bioenergy will be increasingly required to replace fossil energy. Globally, transportation uses almost one third of fossil energy resources, and it is thus of great importance to find ethically, economically, and environmentally viable biofuels in near future. Fieldgrown biomass, including energy crops and crop residues, are alternatives to supplement other non-food biofuel raw materials. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of five crops, maize (Zea mays L.), fiber hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), and Jerusalem artichoke (Heliantus tuborosus L.) cultivated in boreal conditions as raw materials for methane and ethanol. Climate, cultivation requirements, chemical composition, and recalcitrance are some of the parameters to be considered when choosing energy crops for cultivation and for efficient conversion into biofuels. Among the studied crops, protein-rich legumes (faba bean and white lupin) were attractive options for methane, while hemp and Jerusalem artichoke had high theoretical potential for ethanol. Maize was, however, equally suitable for production of both energy carriers. Preservation of crop materials is essential to preserve and supply biomass material throughout the year. Preservation can be also considered as a mild pretreatment prior to
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Citation Formats
Pakarinen, A.
Evaluation of fresh and preserved herbaceous field crops for biogas and ethanol production.
Finland: N. p.,
2012.
Web.
Pakarinen, A.
Evaluation of fresh and preserved herbaceous field crops for biogas and ethanol production.
Finland.
Pakarinen, A.
2012.
"Evaluation of fresh and preserved herbaceous field crops for biogas and ethanol production."
Finland.
@misc{etde_1050572,
title = {Evaluation of fresh and preserved herbaceous field crops for biogas and ethanol production}
author = {Pakarinen, A}
abstractNote = {In the future, various forms of bioenergy will be increasingly required to replace fossil energy. Globally, transportation uses almost one third of fossil energy resources, and it is thus of great importance to find ethically, economically, and environmentally viable biofuels in near future. Fieldgrown biomass, including energy crops and crop residues, are alternatives to supplement other non-food biofuel raw materials. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of five crops, maize (Zea mays L.), fiber hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), and Jerusalem artichoke (Heliantus tuborosus L.) cultivated in boreal conditions as raw materials for methane and ethanol. Climate, cultivation requirements, chemical composition, and recalcitrance are some of the parameters to be considered when choosing energy crops for cultivation and for efficient conversion into biofuels. Among the studied crops, protein-rich legumes (faba bean and white lupin) were attractive options for methane, while hemp and Jerusalem artichoke had high theoretical potential for ethanol. Maize was, however, equally suitable for production of both energy carriers. Preservation of crop materials is essential to preserve and supply biomass material throughout the year. Preservation can be also considered as a mild pretreatment prior to biofuel production. Ensiling was conducted on maize, hemp, and faba bean in this work and additionally hemp was preserved in alkali conditions. Ensiling was found to be most beneficial for hemp when converted to methane, increasing the methane yield by more than 50%, whereas preservation with urea increased the energy yield of hemp as ethanol by 39%. Maize, with a high content of water-soluble carbohydrates (20% of DM), required an acid additive in order to preserve the sugars. Interestingly, hydrothermal pretreatment for maize and hemp prior to methane production was less efficient than ensiling. Enzymatic hydrolysis of faba bean increased after ensiling, but methane yields were reduced. Ensiling had a positive effect also when pectin was hydrolyzed from hemp by pectinases. It was suggested that acids, such as oxalic acid, present in crops degraded pectic compounds synergistically with polygalacturonase and weakened the lignocellulosic structure. Acids, used or formed during preservation, may also increase the access of pectinases by chelating calcium from the structure of pectins. However, the different structures, compositions, and reactions in treatments varied between crops and make it fascinating to seek deeper knowledge on all the features affecting the conversion processes and to further improve the conversion of biomass to biofuels (orig.)}
place = {Finland}
year = {2012}
month = {Jul}
}
title = {Evaluation of fresh and preserved herbaceous field crops for biogas and ethanol production}
author = {Pakarinen, A}
abstractNote = {In the future, various forms of bioenergy will be increasingly required to replace fossil energy. Globally, transportation uses almost one third of fossil energy resources, and it is thus of great importance to find ethically, economically, and environmentally viable biofuels in near future. Fieldgrown biomass, including energy crops and crop residues, are alternatives to supplement other non-food biofuel raw materials. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of five crops, maize (Zea mays L.), fiber hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), and Jerusalem artichoke (Heliantus tuborosus L.) cultivated in boreal conditions as raw materials for methane and ethanol. Climate, cultivation requirements, chemical composition, and recalcitrance are some of the parameters to be considered when choosing energy crops for cultivation and for efficient conversion into biofuels. Among the studied crops, protein-rich legumes (faba bean and white lupin) were attractive options for methane, while hemp and Jerusalem artichoke had high theoretical potential for ethanol. Maize was, however, equally suitable for production of both energy carriers. Preservation of crop materials is essential to preserve and supply biomass material throughout the year. Preservation can be also considered as a mild pretreatment prior to biofuel production. Ensiling was conducted on maize, hemp, and faba bean in this work and additionally hemp was preserved in alkali conditions. Ensiling was found to be most beneficial for hemp when converted to methane, increasing the methane yield by more than 50%, whereas preservation with urea increased the energy yield of hemp as ethanol by 39%. Maize, with a high content of water-soluble carbohydrates (20% of DM), required an acid additive in order to preserve the sugars. Interestingly, hydrothermal pretreatment for maize and hemp prior to methane production was less efficient than ensiling. Enzymatic hydrolysis of faba bean increased after ensiling, but methane yields were reduced. Ensiling had a positive effect also when pectin was hydrolyzed from hemp by pectinases. It was suggested that acids, such as oxalic acid, present in crops degraded pectic compounds synergistically with polygalacturonase and weakened the lignocellulosic structure. Acids, used or formed during preservation, may also increase the access of pectinases by chelating calcium from the structure of pectins. However, the different structures, compositions, and reactions in treatments varied between crops and make it fascinating to seek deeper knowledge on all the features affecting the conversion processes and to further improve the conversion of biomass to biofuels (orig.)}
place = {Finland}
year = {2012}
month = {Jul}
}