This study analyzed biomass options for use in the bio-refinery industry by comparing the energy use efficiency (EUE) of four crops - maize, switchgrass, Miscanthus x giganteus (MxG), and willow. Data on annual dry matter yield, energy content, energy input, primary energy yield, net energy yield, and EUE were collected from a field experiment in Belgium. While willow had the highest EUE, it is only harvested every three years. Switchgrass also had a high EUE but a low annual yield. MxG outperformed maize and many other crops in terms of annual yield and EUE, making it a very promising biomass source for its ability to
Sustainable Development through Waste Management: An Empirical Research throu...inventionjournals
The aim of this research is to examine the perspective of the costumers concerning the environmental practices that are applied by grocery stores (Supermarkets), especially in relation to packaging and food products that have expired. In order to arrive to a conclusion, a questionnaire was distributed amongst Greek costumers. The results of this survey showed that packaging and expired food products are considered by Greek consumers, as a big environmental problem. In detail, they think that these problems are not handled in a resultful way by the Supermarkets, although the Supermarkets are somewhat environmental friendly. Moreover, consumers are ethical-aware concerning their purchases, and they are willing to visit another supermarket (than their local one) or a "green" store that is more environmental friendly. However they are not willing to reward any environmental practices of their local supermarkets, if they have to suffer higher prices.
Sustainable Development through Waste Management: An Empirical Research throu...inventionjournals
The aim of this research is to examine the perspective of the costumers concerning the environmental practices that are applied by grocery stores (Supermarkets), especially in relation to packaging and food products that have expired. In order to arrive to a conclusion, a questionnaire was distributed amongst Greek costumers. The results of this survey showed that packaging and expired food products are considered by Greek consumers, as a big environmental problem. In detail, they think that these problems are not handled in a resultful way by the Supermarkets, although the Supermarkets are somewhat environmental friendly. Moreover, consumers are ethical-aware concerning their purchases, and they are willing to visit another supermarket (than their local one) or a "green" store that is more environmental friendly. However they are not willing to reward any environmental practices of their local supermarkets, if they have to suffer higher prices.
Presentation at the 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture.
Title: Linking Monitoring & Evaluation for CSA to the SDGs- synergies vs. trade-offs among CSA pillars
Speaker: WFO
Applications of Aqua crop Model for Improved Field Management Strategies and ...CrimsonpublishersMCDA
To quantify, integrate and assess the impacts from weather and climate change/variability on crop growth and productivity, crop models have been used for several years as decision support tools in the world. This paper is reviewed to assess applications of Aqua crop model as a decision support tool for simulating and validating crop management practices and climate change adaptation strategies. This model is devised by the FAO irrigation and drainage team. This model is very important especially, to guide as a decision support tool for dry land areas where soil moisture is very critical to affect crop productivity. It maintains the balance between simplicity, accuracy and robustness. The model has been calibrated and validated to simulate growth and productivity of crops, soil moisture balance, water use efficiency, evapo-transpiration and climate change impact assessment in different climate, management (water, fertilizer, sowing date, spacing etc.) practices around the world, especially in areas where soil moisture stress prevails. Maize, wheat, barley, tee, sorghum, pulse crops such as groundnut, soybean, vegetables (tomato, cabbage) have been tested using this model. The model comprehensively uses stress coefficients (water stress, fertilizer and temperature coefficients) to compute the effect of the factors on crop canopy, dry matter, stomatal closure, flowering, pollination and harvest index build up.
https://crimsonpublishers.com/mcda/fulltext/MCDA.000558.php
For more open access journals in Crimson Publishers please click on link: https://crimsonpublishers.com
For more articles on International Journal of Agronomy please click on below link: https://crimsonpublishers.com/mcda/
Development of holistic metrics of agricultural and food system performanceFrancois Stepman
Presentation by Fergus Sinclair - Chief Scientist CIFOR-ICRAF, Center for International Forest Research - World Agroforestry, Co-convener of the TPP, the Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology - "Development of holistic metrics of agricultural and food system performance"
This presentation was given on 9 July 2019 by Jan Broeze (Wageningen University & Research) and focused on the new Agro-Chain Greenhouse gas Emissions calculator that he has developed. The presentation was part of the CLIFF-GRADS webinar series session 3 which focused on mitigating climate change through reducing food loss and waste.
Find the calculator here: https://ccafs.cgiar.org/resources/tools/acge-calculator
The presentation Measuring FLW About The FLW Standard Tools And Resources is by Kai Robertson, lead advisor for the FLW Protocol at the World Research Institute.
Presented at the WBCSD Climate Smart Agriculture workshop at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT on 28 March 2018.
Les Levidow: Divergent Pathways for Sustainable Agriculture: Contending accou...STEPS Centre
Presentation at the STEPS Conference 2010 - Pathways to Sustainability: Agendas for a new politics of environment, development and social justice
http://www.steps-centre.org/events/stepsconference2010.html
two suggestions on the aspect of food (chain) policy for a workshop organised by DG Agri May 2017 in Brussels. Intended to be a bit provocative to stimulate discussion
Efficient Use of Cesspool and Biogas for Sustainable Energy Generation: Recen...BRNSS Publication Hub
Biogas from biomass appears to have potential as an alternative energy source, which is potentially rich
in biomass resources. This is an overview of some salient points and perspectives of biogas technology.
The current literature is reviewed regarding the ecological, social, cultural, and economic impacts of
biogas technology. This article gives an overview of present and future use of biomass as an industrial
feedstock for the production of fuels, chemicals, and other materials. However, to be truly competitive
in an open market situation, higher value products are required. Results suggest that biogas technology
must be encouraged, promoted, invested, implemented, and demonstrated, but especially in remote rural
areas
Presentation at the 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture.
Title: Linking Monitoring & Evaluation for CSA to the SDGs- synergies vs. trade-offs among CSA pillars
Speaker: WFO
Applications of Aqua crop Model for Improved Field Management Strategies and ...CrimsonpublishersMCDA
To quantify, integrate and assess the impacts from weather and climate change/variability on crop growth and productivity, crop models have been used for several years as decision support tools in the world. This paper is reviewed to assess applications of Aqua crop model as a decision support tool for simulating and validating crop management practices and climate change adaptation strategies. This model is devised by the FAO irrigation and drainage team. This model is very important especially, to guide as a decision support tool for dry land areas where soil moisture is very critical to affect crop productivity. It maintains the balance between simplicity, accuracy and robustness. The model has been calibrated and validated to simulate growth and productivity of crops, soil moisture balance, water use efficiency, evapo-transpiration and climate change impact assessment in different climate, management (water, fertilizer, sowing date, spacing etc.) practices around the world, especially in areas where soil moisture stress prevails. Maize, wheat, barley, tee, sorghum, pulse crops such as groundnut, soybean, vegetables (tomato, cabbage) have been tested using this model. The model comprehensively uses stress coefficients (water stress, fertilizer and temperature coefficients) to compute the effect of the factors on crop canopy, dry matter, stomatal closure, flowering, pollination and harvest index build up.
https://crimsonpublishers.com/mcda/fulltext/MCDA.000558.php
For more open access journals in Crimson Publishers please click on link: https://crimsonpublishers.com
For more articles on International Journal of Agronomy please click on below link: https://crimsonpublishers.com/mcda/
Development of holistic metrics of agricultural and food system performanceFrancois Stepman
Presentation by Fergus Sinclair - Chief Scientist CIFOR-ICRAF, Center for International Forest Research - World Agroforestry, Co-convener of the TPP, the Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology - "Development of holistic metrics of agricultural and food system performance"
This presentation was given on 9 July 2019 by Jan Broeze (Wageningen University & Research) and focused on the new Agro-Chain Greenhouse gas Emissions calculator that he has developed. The presentation was part of the CLIFF-GRADS webinar series session 3 which focused on mitigating climate change through reducing food loss and waste.
Find the calculator here: https://ccafs.cgiar.org/resources/tools/acge-calculator
The presentation Measuring FLW About The FLW Standard Tools And Resources is by Kai Robertson, lead advisor for the FLW Protocol at the World Research Institute.
Presented at the WBCSD Climate Smart Agriculture workshop at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT on 28 March 2018.
Les Levidow: Divergent Pathways for Sustainable Agriculture: Contending accou...STEPS Centre
Presentation at the STEPS Conference 2010 - Pathways to Sustainability: Agendas for a new politics of environment, development and social justice
http://www.steps-centre.org/events/stepsconference2010.html
two suggestions on the aspect of food (chain) policy for a workshop organised by DG Agri May 2017 in Brussels. Intended to be a bit provocative to stimulate discussion
Efficient Use of Cesspool and Biogas for Sustainable Energy Generation: Recen...BRNSS Publication Hub
Biogas from biomass appears to have potential as an alternative energy source, which is potentially rich
in biomass resources. This is an overview of some salient points and perspectives of biogas technology.
The current literature is reviewed regarding the ecological, social, cultural, and economic impacts of
biogas technology. This article gives an overview of present and future use of biomass as an industrial
feedstock for the production of fuels, chemicals, and other materials. However, to be truly competitive
in an open market situation, higher value products are required. Results suggest that biogas technology
must be encouraged, promoted, invested, implemented, and demonstrated, but especially in remote rural
areas
Poyry - Are you ready for the Age of Confluence? - Point of ViewPöyry
Our global ecosystem is evolving. We have entered a new era, characterised by an increasingly complex mesh of interconnections and linkages across the world’s major resource groups: land, biomass, energy, fresh water, chemicals, manpower, and metals and minerals. Another parallel phenomenon is emerging: our digital and
bio-based worlds are also converging. We are living in what we call the ‘Age of Confluence’.
It is time for industries to understand and master the bio-economic implications of these interconnections – or risk facing serious issues, which cut deep into the core of a
sustainable future.
United Nation's ambassidor's Presentation on World Environmental DayHammadAwan37
"Join us on World Environmental Day as we embark on a transformative journey towards a sustainable and green future. Our presentation, curated by the esteemed United Nations member, delves into the crucial realms of environmental protection, sustainability, and the promotion of lush greenery for a healthier planet.
This impactful presentation will shed light on the 3Rs method—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—as a cornerstone for responsible consumption and waste management. Discover innovative techniques and strategies to minimize our ecological footprint and foster a circular economy that ensures the longevity of our precious resources.
Together, let's explore actionable steps to safeguard our environment, mitigate climate change, and create a harmonious balance between human activities and the natural world. This World Environmental Day, be part of the global movement for a greener, more sustainable tomorrow."
Sustainable Development of Bioenergy from Agriculture Residues and EnvironmentTriple A Research Journal
This communication discusses a comprehensive review of biomass energy
sources, environment and sustainable development. This includes all the
biomass energy technologies, energy efficiency systems, energy
conservation scenarios, energy savings and other mitigation measures
necessary to reduce emissions globally. The current literature is reviewed
regarding the ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts of biomass
technology. This study gives an overview of present and future use of
biomass as an industrial feedstock for production of fuels, chemicals and
other materials. However, to be truly competitive in an open market
situation, higher value products are required. Results suggest that
biomass technology must be encouraged, promoted, invested,
implemented, and demonstrated, but especially in remote rural areas.
Keywords: Biomass resources, wastes, woodfuel, biofuels, energy,
environment, sustainability related with bioenergy development, disperse
systems formulation science, surfactant sciences
One of the challenges of ecological intensification is to move agricultural research out of a focus on singular focal areas – e.g., improved seed, pest control, water management – to solutions that integrate all components of the farming system. As such, the canon of knowledge supporting ecological intensification is transdisciplinary, focusing on the biological components of farming systems and agroecological practices but extending as well to considerations of policy and farmer
and societal benefits. As the biodiversity benefits of ecological intensification, along with the negative externalities of conventional agriculture are an important motivation for ecological intensification, we have included literature on these topic, as well as references that relate climate change to ecosystem services in agriculture.
The annotated bibliography presented here is compiled on this basis, to identify the literature relevant to ecological intensification, with respect to the following categories:
1. Ecosystem services
2. Agroecology and agroecological practices
3. Farmer and societal benefits from enhancing ecosystem services
4. Biodiversity benefits of ecological intensification
5. Agriculture-induced impacts
6. Climate change
7. Policy
Within the category of ecosystem services, it has been noted in the keywords if the relevant study addresses one or several of the key ecosystem services underpinning ecological intensification in agriculture: pollination, pest regulation or soil nutrients/cycling. (Bommarco et al. 2013)
Principal Tools for a Cleaner Chemical Technology, presented at the european ...Patrick VanSchijndel
Principal Tools for a Cleaner Chemical Technology, Process improvements have been tremendous in the last century but production volume increase will overshadow these good results in terms of resource use and environmental impact. It will be important to use the right tools in order to achieve the necessary sustainable development within the industry. These tools should be combinations of exergy analysis, LCA and economic analysis. The focus should be on the development of these combinations and on the teaching of these combinations in engineering curricula.
Application and scope of atom economy green chemistryAhmadUmair14
these are slides are made to explain the scope and applications about green chemistry and atom economy and where they both can be utilized. hope you love it
Westchester Green Town Conf 2011 03 17 Life Cycle WiegmanLeo Wiegman
"What goes in, must come out: the cycle of material life" A primer on why we use life cycle analysis to understand energy consumption in our choices of products and services.
1. Environmental Mathematics & Economics of Sustainability
The purpose of this study is to understand the
analysis of biomass options in the bio-refinery
industry. This industry, of international relevance, uses
plant matter to produce bio-fuel, feedstock, and
proteins. In a world that is searching for ways to
minimize the use of fossil fuels, there is a great sense
of importance in researching and developing new
methods in this field. To assess the biomass sources,
comparative units are derived using quantitative data
points. The conclusion from this study illustrates the
sources that are the most efficient and cost-effective to
be considered as primary sources of biomass.
[1] Buxel, H., Esenduran, G., & Griffin, S. (2015). Strategic
sustainability: Creating business value with life cycle analysis.
Business Horizons, 58, 109-122.
[2] Wenjun, J., Qingwen, M., Fuller, A. M., Zheng, Y., Jing, L.,
Shengkui, C., & Wenhua, L. (2015). Evaluating environmental
sustainability with the Waste Absorption Footprint (WAF) in the
Taihu Lake Basin, China. Ecological Indicators, 49, 39-45.
[3] Klein, S.J.W. & Whalley, S. (2015).Comparing the sustainability
of U.S. electricity options through multi-criteria decision analysis.
Energy Policy, 79, 127-149.
[4] Parajuli, R., Dalgaard, T., Jørgensen, U., Adamsen, A.P.S.,
Knudsen, M.T., Birkved, M., … Schjørring, J.K. (2015). Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43, 244-263.
[5] Jørgensen, U. (2011). Benefits versus risks of growing biofuel
crops: the case of Miscanthus. Current Opinion in Environmental
Sustainability, 3, 24-30.
[6] Muylle, H., Van Hulle, S., De Vliegher, A., Baert, J., Van
Bockstaele, E., & Roldán-Ruiz, I. (2015). Yield and energy balance
of annual and perennial lignocellulosic crops for bio-refinery use: a
4-year field experiment in Belgium. European Journal of Agronomy,
63,
• This study focuses on the bio-refinery
process; this is the process of extraction from
grasses and other biomasses in order to
provide alternative protein sources, while
allowing leftover residues to be used for
ethanol production. (4)
• So there is a decision to be made for any
company in the bio-refining industry: What
crop should be used as a source of biomass?
• A good choice crop as a source of biomass
would maximize profits and have the
following qualities: high yield, cold tolerance,
low environmental impact, resistance to pests
and diseases, ease of harvesting and handling,
and non-invasiveness. (5)
• In the procedure section of the display, data
on 4 different crops is analyzed in order to
determine which would potentially be the best
choice as a biomass source.
• More specifically, the computed Energy Use
Efficiency (EUE) values (or the ratio of
energy output : energy input) will be
compared, and the meaning of these
numerical values are discussed in the results
section.
Below are data points from a field experiment in Belgium
(using average values at the low fertilizer level) (6) :
Annul dry matter yield (DMY) [t/ha/yr]
Maize monoculture 17.0
Switchgrass 9.0
M x giganteus 21.1
Willow 12.5
Projected energy content (EC) [MJ*kg/DM]
Maize monoculture 17.105
Switchgrass 16.805
M x giganteus 18.21
Willow 17.985
Energy Input (EI) [GJ/ha/yr]
Maize monoculture 8.3
Switchgrass 1.7
M x giganteus 8.5
Willow 1.5
Primary Energy Yield (PEY) = DMY * EC
P. Net Energy Yield (PNEY) = PEY – EI
EUE = PNEY /EI
Computed values using above equations:
PEY [GJ/ha/yr]
Maize monoculture 290.785
Switchgrass 151.245
M x giganteus 384.231
Willow 224.8125
PNEY[GJ/ha/yr]
Maize monoculture 282.485
Switchgrass 149.545
M x giganteus 375.731
Willow 223.313
EUE [/]
Maize monoculture 34.03
Switchgrass 87.96
M x giganteus 44.20
Willow 148.875
• It is often difficult to compare how one resource
compares with another in an economic/business
perspective due to the many different variables at
any given time.
• There do, in fact, exist tools to help assess the
sustainability and economic value of products.
For example, the Life Cycle Analysis assessment
determines the overall environmental and
economic effects of a product “from cradle to
grave.” (1)
• Two additional tools that compute a
sustainability rating are the internationally
accepted Ecological Footprint, and the emerging
Waste Absorption Footprint. These tools,
however are not effective for influencing
business decisions from an economic
standpoint.(2)
• Still, the LCA is not standardized, therefore it is
difficult to compare information on different
products as results from separate studies. (3)
• Different decisions at different points in time
need to be influenced by an assessment of the
subjects that are relevant to that time period
In terms of energy use efficiency, it
is clear that willow has the highest; in
other words, willow provides the most bio-
energy with the least amount of energy
input. However, willow is only harvested
every 3 years, so that could be problematic
in keeping up with biomass demand. (4)
Switchgrass has a similar problem; while
its EUE looks quite high, its annual DMY
is significantly low. Miscanthus is
regarded to be a very promising candidate
for primary biomass supply for a few
reasons: it outperforms maize in DMY and
EUE (as well as many other crops from the
study that are not listed), and it would not
influence price change on food crops (as
over-cultivation of maize would). In the
future, the selection of crops for biomass
sources will definitely take into
consideration the rate of demand for bio-
refinery products as well as the amount of
energy that a company is willing to put
into growing said crop.
The College of Saint Rose
Department of Mathematics
Study by: Anthony Sauve
Supervisor: Dr. Amina Eladdadi