Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes
Peatland drainage has caused enormous environmental problems at global scale; in particular, ongoing greenhouse gas emissions and soil degradation. In Belarus, which is rich in peatlands and a hotspot of emissions from drained peatlands, several thousand hectares have already been re-wetted but are...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Mires and Peat |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map13/map_13_06.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797716833925595136 |
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| author | W. Wichtmann C. Oehmke S. Bärisch F. Deschan U. Malashevich F. Tanneberger |
| author_facet | W. Wichtmann C. Oehmke S. Bärisch F. Deschan U. Malashevich F. Tanneberger |
| author_sort | W. Wichtmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peatland drainage has caused enormous environmental problems at global scale; in particular, ongoing greenhouse gas emissions and soil degradation. In Belarus, which is rich in peatlands and a hotspot of emissions from drained peatlands, several thousand hectares have already been re-wetted but are not used productively. Moreover, vast areas of wet (undrained) peatland that are designated for nature conservation are in need of mowing and biomass removal. Plants such as common reed (Phragmites australis), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and sedges (Carex spp.) which frequently dominate these areas could be harvested and used as fuel, potentially as a substitute for peat. In this study we analysed the yield and combustibility of late harvests in March/April 2009 and 2010. The yields of 3.7–11.7 t DM ha-1 were within the range reported from other studies on wetland plants. Concentrations of Cl, S, N, P, C, Ca, K, Mg and Na, as well as water and ash contents, indicated similar or better combustibility when compared to other straw-like (graminaceous) plants such as Miscanthus. The full replacement of peat fuel by biomass from wet peatlands in Belarus would require an area of 680,000 ha, i.e. 'only' half of the peatland that has been drained for agriculture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:27:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d07bfb857464f318802d4c8e8952d18 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1819-754X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:27:47Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mires and Peat |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d07bfb857464f318802d4c8e8952d182023-09-02T18:00:22ZengInternational Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland SocietyMires and Peat1819-754X2014-01-011306110Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettesW. Wichtmann0C. Oehmke1S. Bärisch2F. Deschan3U. Malashevich4F. Tanneberger5Michael Succow Foundation for the Protection of Nature, Greifswald, GermanyGreifswald University, GermanyMichael Succow Foundation for the Protection of Nature, Greifswald, GermanyGreifswald University, GermanyAPB-Birdlife Belarus, Minsk, BelarusMichael Succow Foundation for the Protection of Nature, Greifswald, GermanyPeatland drainage has caused enormous environmental problems at global scale; in particular, ongoing greenhouse gas emissions and soil degradation. In Belarus, which is rich in peatlands and a hotspot of emissions from drained peatlands, several thousand hectares have already been re-wetted but are not used productively. Moreover, vast areas of wet (undrained) peatland that are designated for nature conservation are in need of mowing and biomass removal. Plants such as common reed (Phragmites australis), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and sedges (Carex spp.) which frequently dominate these areas could be harvested and used as fuel, potentially as a substitute for peat. In this study we analysed the yield and combustibility of late harvests in March/April 2009 and 2010. The yields of 3.7–11.7 t DM ha-1 were within the range reported from other studies on wetland plants. Concentrations of Cl, S, N, P, C, Ca, K, Mg and Na, as well as water and ash contents, indicated similar or better combustibility when compared to other straw-like (graminaceous) plants such as Miscanthus. The full replacement of peat fuel by biomass from wet peatlands in Belarus would require an area of 680,000 ha, i.e. 'only' half of the peatland that has been drained for agriculture.http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map13/map_13_06.pdfbiofuelnature conservationreedre-wettingpaludiculture |
| spellingShingle | W. Wichtmann C. Oehmke S. Bärisch F. Deschan U. Malashevich F. Tanneberger Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes Mires and Peat biofuel nature conservation reed re-wetting paludiculture |
| title | Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes |
| title_full | Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes |
| title_fullStr | Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes |
| title_short | Combustibility of biomass from wet fens in Belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes |
| title_sort | combustibility of biomass from wet fens in belarus and its potential as a substitute for peat in fuel briquettes |
| topic | biofuel nature conservation reed re-wetting paludiculture |
| url | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map13/map_13_06.pdf |
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