Arodudu, Dunsin and Helming, Katarina and Wiggering, Hubert and Voinov, Alexey (2017) Bioenergy from Low-Intensity Agricultural Systems: An Energy Efficiency Analysis. Energies, 10 (1). ISSN 1996-1073

Preview

Download (5MB) | Preview

Abstract

In light of possible future restrictions on the use of fossil fuel, due to climate change obligations and continuous depletion of global fossil fuel reserves, the search for alternative renewable energy sources is expected to be an issue of great concern for policy stakeholders. This study assessed the feasibility of bioenergy production under relatively low-intensity conservative, eco-agricultural settings (as opposed to those produced under high-intensity, fossil fuel based industrialized agriculture). Estimates of the net energy gain (NEG) and the energy return on energy invested (EROEI) obtained from a life cycle inventory of the energy inputs and outputs involved reveal that the energy efficiency of bioenergy produced in low-intensity eco-agricultural systems could be as much as much as 448.5–488.3 GJ·ha−1 of NEG and an EROEI of 5.4–5.9 for maize ethanol production systems, and as much as 155.0–283.9 GJ·ha−1 of NEG and an EROEI of 14.7–22.4 for maize biogas production systems. This is substantially higher than for industrialized agriculture with a NEG of 2.8–52.5 GJ·ha−1 and an EROEI of 1.2–1.7 for maize ethanol production systems, as well as a NEG of 59.3–188.7 GJ·ha−1 and an EROEI of 2.2–10.2 for maize biogas production systems. Bioenergy produced in low-intensity eco-agricultural systems could therefore be an important source of energy with immense net benefits for local and regional end-users, provided a more efficient use of the co-products is ensured

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	bioenergy; biofuel; energy efficiency; NEG; EROEI; high-intensity industrialized agricultural production systems; low-intensity eco-agricultural production systems;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography
Item ID:	11104
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.3390/en10010029
Depositing User:	Dunsin Arodudu
Date Deposited:	26 Sep 2019 09:30
Journal or Publication Title:	Energies
Publisher:	MDPI AG
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads