Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential
Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant resource that can be valorized for the production of bioenergy. However, studies aiming to quantify the amount of biogas production potential per km forest road are scarce in the literature. In this study, fresh pine needles, pine needle litter, pine branches,...
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5233 |
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| author | Alexandros Eftaxias Evangelia Anna Passa Christos Michailidis Christodoulos Daoutis Apostolos Kantartzis Vasileios Diamantis |
| author_facet | Alexandros Eftaxias Evangelia Anna Passa Christos Michailidis Christodoulos Daoutis Apostolos Kantartzis Vasileios Diamantis |
| author_sort | Alexandros Eftaxias |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant resource that can be valorized for the production of bioenergy. However, studies aiming to quantify the amount of biogas production potential per km forest road are scarce in the literature. In this study, fresh pine needles, pine needle litter, pine branches, and pine bark were digested in batch reactors under mesophilic conditions after a grinding/milling pre-treatment. All samples were collected from a low-altitude Mediterranean <i>Pinus</i> forest (North Greece) adjacent to a category G forest road with a gentle slope. The methane yield of fresh pine needles was between 115 and 164 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> volatile solids (VS), depending on the <i>Pinus</i> tree size. Pine needle litter produced a significantly lower methane yield (between 58 and 77 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> VS), followed by pine bark (85 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> VS) and pine branches (138 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> VS). Considering the quantity of pine needle litter accumulated on adjacent forest roads (600 ± 200 g m<sup>−2</sup>), it was possible to calculate the biomethane production potential per km of forest road (up to 500 Nm<sup>3</sup> km<sup>−1</sup>) if the biomass collected was disposed of at an anaerobic digestion facility. The results of the study demonstrate that residual forest biomass represents an additional resource for bioenergy production. Moreover, harvesting residual forest biomass can decrease the incidence of devastating summer forest fires and their disastrous consequences for the environment, the economy, and the local populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:19:42Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:19:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-df632469b5cc49be87fb5eafcad72e572023-12-01T22:07:31ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-07-011514523310.3390/en15145233Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production PotentialAlexandros Eftaxias0Evangelia Anna Passa1Christos Michailidis2Christodoulos Daoutis3Apostolos Kantartzis4Vasileios Diamantis5Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR67132 Xanthi, GreeceDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR67132 Xanthi, GreeceDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR67132 Xanthi, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, GR68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, GR68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR67132 Xanthi, GreeceLignocellulosic biomass is an abundant resource that can be valorized for the production of bioenergy. However, studies aiming to quantify the amount of biogas production potential per km forest road are scarce in the literature. In this study, fresh pine needles, pine needle litter, pine branches, and pine bark were digested in batch reactors under mesophilic conditions after a grinding/milling pre-treatment. All samples were collected from a low-altitude Mediterranean <i>Pinus</i> forest (North Greece) adjacent to a category G forest road with a gentle slope. The methane yield of fresh pine needles was between 115 and 164 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> volatile solids (VS), depending on the <i>Pinus</i> tree size. Pine needle litter produced a significantly lower methane yield (between 58 and 77 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> VS), followed by pine bark (85 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> VS) and pine branches (138 NmL g<sup>−1</sup> VS). Considering the quantity of pine needle litter accumulated on adjacent forest roads (600 ± 200 g m<sup>−2</sup>), it was possible to calculate the biomethane production potential per km of forest road (up to 500 Nm<sup>3</sup> km<sup>−1</sup>) if the biomass collected was disposed of at an anaerobic digestion facility. The results of the study demonstrate that residual forest biomass represents an additional resource for bioenergy production. Moreover, harvesting residual forest biomass can decrease the incidence of devastating summer forest fires and their disastrous consequences for the environment, the economy, and the local populations.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5233anaerobic digestionbiogaspine needlespine barkpine branchforest biomass |
| spellingShingle | Alexandros Eftaxias Evangelia Anna Passa Christos Michailidis Christodoulos Daoutis Apostolos Kantartzis Vasileios Diamantis Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential Energies anaerobic digestion biogas pine needles pine bark pine branch forest biomass |
| title | Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential |
| title_full | Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential |
| title_fullStr | Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential |
| title_full_unstemmed | Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential |
| title_short | Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential |
| title_sort | residual forest biomass in pinus stands accumulation and biogas production potential |
| topic | anaerobic digestion biogas pine needles pine bark pine branch forest biomass |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5233 |
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