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Willow Biomass Crops Are a Carbon Negative or Low-Carbon Feedstock Depending on Prior Land Use and Transportation Distances to End Users

Author

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  • Sheng Yang

    (Department of Environmental Resources Engineering, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA)

  • Timothy A. Volk

    (Department of Sustainable Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA)

  • Marie-Odile P. Fortier

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USA)

Abstract

Few life cycle assessments (LCAs) on willow biomass production have investigated the effects of key geographically specific parameters. This study uses a spatial LCA model for willow biomass production to determine spatially explicit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy return on investment (EROI), including land use conversion from pasture and cropland or grassland. There were negative GHG emissions on 92% of the land identified as suitable for willow biomass production, indicating this system’s potential for climate change mitigation. For willow planted on cropland or pasture, life cycle GHG emissions ranged from −53.2 to −176.9 kg CO 2eq Mg -1 . When willow was grown on grassland the projected decrease in soil organic carbon resulted in a slightly positive GHG balance. Changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) associated with land use change, transportation distance, and willow yield had the greatest impacts on GHG emissions. Results from the uncertainty analysis exhibited large variations in GHG emissions between counties arising from differences in these parameters. The average EROI across the entire region was 19.2. Willow biomass can be a carbon negative or low-carbon energy source with a high EROI in regions with similar infrastructure, transportation distances, and growing conditions such as soil characteristics, land cover types, and climate.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheng Yang & Timothy A. Volk & Marie-Odile P. Fortier, 2020. "Willow Biomass Crops Are a Carbon Negative or Low-Carbon Feedstock Depending on Prior Land Use and Transportation Distances to End Users," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-26, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:16:p:4251-:d:400047
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    1. Buonocore, Elvira & Franzese, Pier Paolo & Ulgiati, Sergio, 2012. "Assessing the environmental performance and sustainability of bioenergy production in Sweden: A life cycle assessment perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 69-78.
    2. Rowe, Rebecca L. & Street, Nathaniel R. & Taylor, Gail, 2009. "Identifying potential environmental impacts of large-scale deployment of dedicated bioenergy crops in the UK," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 271-290, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jan Banaś & Katarzyna Utnik-Banaś, 2022. "Using Timber as a Renewable Resource for Energy Production in Sustainable Forest Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-8, March.
    2. Jenny Frank & Obste Therasme & Timothy A. Volk & Tristan Brown & Robert W. Malmsheimer & Marie-Odile Fortier & Mark H. Eisenbies & HakSoo Ha & Justin Heavey, 2022. "Integrated Stochastic Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis for Shrub Willow Production in the Northeastern United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.

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