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Biogas from Fresh Spring and Summer Grass: Effect of the Harvesting Period

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  • Alessandro Chiumenti

    (Department of Agricultural, Food, Animal and Environmental Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Davide Boscaro

    (Department of Agroforesty and Landscape, University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

  • Francesco Da Borso

    (Department of Agricultural, Food, Animal and Environmental Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Luigi Sartori

    (Department of Agroforesty and Landscape, University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

  • Andrea Pezzuolo

    (Department of Agroforesty and Landscape, University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

Abstract

Yard trimmings, landscape management and agricultural practices determine the collection of biomass currently destined mainly to the production of a valuable soil amendant by composting. While composting requires energy, especially for the turning/aeration phases and for air treatment (i.e., biofilters in the case of enclosed systems), anaerobic digestion represents an energy positive process that results in production of biogas and digestate, which can be used as fuel and fertilizer, respectively. The focus of the present research was the evaluation of biogas and methane potential of grass collected in two different periods of the year (spring and summer) from riverbanks located in Northern Italy. The conversion to biogas of feedstocks is greatly influenced by the composition of the organic matter, content of cellulose, and lignin in particular. The production of biomass per hectare and the consequent biogas production were also evaluated. The experimental tests were performed on both samples of fresh grass in laboratory scale batch reactors, characterized by 4.0 L of volume and operated in mesophilic conditions (38 °C), for 40 days per cycle. The anaerobic digestion process was performed on a mixture of inoculum and grass, characterized by inoculum:substrate VS (volatile solids) ratio equal to 2. The inoculum was represented by digestate from a full-scale anaerobic digestion plant fed with dairy cow manure. The results in terms of biogas production, biogas quality (CH 4 , CO 2 , H 2 S), and emissions from digestates (NH 3 , CO 2 and CH 4 ) are presented in the paper. Total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), alkalinity, acidity vs. alkalinity ratio, fibers (cellulose, lignin), and total Kjieldahl nitrogen (TKN) were determined both on input and output of the process. The biogas yield obtained from grass resulted higher than expected, quite similar to the yield obtained from energy crops, with Biomethane Potential (BMP) of 340.2 NL·kg −1 VS and of 307.7 NL·kg −1 VS, respectively, for spring and summer grass. Biogas quality was slightly lower for summer grass, perhaps in relation to the higher content of fibers (lignin). Alternatively, the yield of grass per surface was significantly different between spring and summer with the highest production in the summer. In fact, the results revealed a methane yield of 263 Nm 3 ·ha −1 and of 1181 Nm 3 ·ha −1 , respectively for spring and summer grass.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Chiumenti & Davide Boscaro & Francesco Da Borso & Luigi Sartori & Andrea Pezzuolo, 2018. "Biogas from Fresh Spring and Summer Grass: Effect of the Harvesting Period," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-13, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:6:p:1466-:d:150888
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Spyridon Achinas & Gerrit Jan Willem Euverink, 2019. "Feasibility Study of Biogas Production from Hardly Degradable Material in Co-Inoculated Bioreactor," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-11, March.
    6. Spyridon Achinas & Gerrit Jan Willem Euverink, 2019. "Effect of Combined Inoculation on Biogas Production from Hardly Degradable Material," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-13, January.
    7. Spyridon Achinas & Yu Li & Vasileios Achinas & Gerrit Jan Willem Euverink, 2019. "Biogas Potential from the Anaerobic Digestion of Potato Peels: Process Performance and Kinetics Evaluation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Moritz von Cossel & Andrea Bauerle & Meike Boob & Ulrich Thumm & Martin Elsaesser & Iris Lewandowski, 2019. "The Performance of Mesotrophic Arrhenatheretum Grassland under Different Cutting Frequency Regimes for Biomass Production in Southwest Germany," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-17, September.
    9. Alessandro Chiumenti & Andrea Pezzuolo & Davide Boscaro & Francesco da Borso, 2019. "Exploitation of Mowed Grass from Green Areas by Means of Anaerobic Digestion: Effects of Grass Conservation Methods (Drying and Ensiling) on Biogas and Biomethane Yield," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-11, August.
    10. Józef Szlachta & Hubert Prask & Małgorzata Fugol & Adam Luberański, 2018. "Effect of Mechanical Pre-Treatment of the Agricultural Substrates on Yield of Biogas and Kinetics of Anaerobic Digestion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, October.
    11. Aaron E. Brown & James M. Hammerton & Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero & Andrew B. Ross, 2022. "Integration of Hydrothermal Carbonisation and Anaerobic Digestion for the Energy Valorisation of Grass," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-21, May.
    12. Spyridon Achinas & Johan Horjus & Vasileios Achinas & Gerrit Jan Willem Euverink, 2019. "A PESTLE Analysis of Biofuels Energy Industry in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.
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    14. Giovanni Ferrari & Andrea Pezzuolo & Abdul-Sattar Nizami & Francesco Marinello, 2020. "Bibliometric Analysis of Trends in Biomass for Bioenergy Research," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
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