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Production of Wood Pellets from Poplar Trees Managed as Coppices with Different Harvesting Cycles

Author

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  • Vincenzo Civitarese

    (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (Crea), Via Po n° 14, 00198 Rome, Italy)

  • Andrea Acampora

    (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (Crea), Via Po n° 14, 00198 Rome, Italy)

  • Giulio Sperandio

    (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (Crea), Via Po n° 14, 00198 Rome, Italy)

  • Alberto Assirelli

    (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (Crea), Via Po n° 14, 00198 Rome, Italy)

  • Rodolfo Picchio

    (Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

Abstract

High-density biomass plantations have played a key role in the national energy landscape in Italy since the 1990s but, to date, an inversion of tendency and a significant reduction of cultivated areas has been noted. Despite this, the existing plantations have seen their coppicing rotation become significantly lengthened, resulting in large quantities of biomass per hectare. This study aimed to identify the best raw material suitable for pellet production using whole trees or stems without branches from poplar plantations at the end of the third, sixth and ninth year of age. All types of pellets made reach the requirements of class A1 for diameter, length, moisture content, ash melting point, lower heating value, as well as nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and heavy metals. None of the theses satisfied the bulk density parameters while for ashes and mechanical durability, a great variability was observed according to the different raw materials used. An improvement in terms of heating value was observed by transforming the poplar wood chips refined into pellets. The pelletizing process using high density poplar plantation as a raw material highlights the possibility of obtaining a product that meets many of the quality standards required on the market. These aspects are closely related to the innovation carried out in the agro-forestry sector for effective energetic sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincenzo Civitarese & Andrea Acampora & Giulio Sperandio & Alberto Assirelli & Rodolfo Picchio, 2019. "Production of Wood Pellets from Poplar Trees Managed as Coppices with Different Harvesting Cycles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:15:p:2973-:d:253762
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrea Acampora & Vincenzo Civitarese & Giulio Sperandio & Negar Rezaei, 2021. "Qualitative Characterization of the Pellet Obtained from Hazelnut and Olive Tree Pruning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-15, July.
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    3. Urte Stulpinaite & Vita Tilvikiene & Egidijus Zvicevicius, 2023. "Co-pelletization of Hemp Residues and Agricultural Biomass: Effect on Pellet Quality and Stability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Marcin Jewiarz & Krzysztof Mudryk & Marek Wróbel & Jarosław Frączek & Krzysztof Dziedzic, 2020. "Parameters Affecting RDF-Based Pellet Quality," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Andrea Colantoni & Rodolfo Picchio & Alvaro Marucci & Elena Di Mattia & Valerio Cristofori & Fabio Recanatesi & Mauro Villarini & Danilo Monarca & Massimo Cecchini, 2020. "WP3—Innovation in Agriculture and Forestry Sector for Energetic Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-7, November.
    6. Aneta Saletnik & Bogdan Saletnik & Czesław Puchalski, 2021. "Modification of Energy Parameters in Wood Pellets with the Use of Waste Cooking Oil," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-16, October.
    7. Sergio Jaimes Rueda & Bruna Rego de Vasconcelos & Xavier Duret & Jean-Michel Lavoie, 2022. "Lignin Pellets for Advanced Thermochemical Process—From a Single Pellet System to a Laboratory-Scale Pellet Mill," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    8. Pegoretti Leite de Souza, Hector Jesus & Muñoz, Fernando & Mendonça, Regis Teixeira & Sáez, Katia & Olave, Rodrigo & Segura, Cristina & de Souza, Daniel P.L. & de Paula Protásio, Thiago & Rodríguez-So, 2021. "Influence of lignin distribution, physicochemical characteristics and microstructure on the quality of biofuel pellets made from four different types of biomass," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1802-1816.
    9. Stolarski, Mariusz J. & Stachowicz, Paweł & Dudziec, Paweł, 2022. "Wood pellet quality depending on dendromass species," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 498-508.
    10. Okey Francis Obi & Ralf Pecenka, 2023. "Briquetting of Poplar Wood from Short Rotation Coppice—The Effects of Moisture Content and Hammer Mill Screen Size," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
    11. Jakub Styks & Marek Wróbel & Jarosław Frączek & Adrian Knapczyk, 2020. "Effect of Compaction Pressure and Moisture Content on Quality Parameters of Perennial Biomass Pellets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Yining Li & Kang Kang & Wei Wang, 2021. "Quality Improvement and Cost Evaluation of Pellet Fuel Produced from Pruned Fruit Tree Branches," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.
    13. Rodolfo Picchio & Francesco Latterini & Rachele Venanzi & Walter Stefanoni & Alessandro Suardi & Damiano Tocci & Luigi Pari, 2020. "Pellet Production from Woody and Non-Woody Feedstocks: A Review on Biomass Quality Evaluation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.

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