IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i18p6497-d1236046.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sweet Sorghum as a Potential Fallow Crop in Sugarcane Farming for Biomethane Production in Queensland, Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Divya Joslin Mathias

    (School of Engineering and Built Environment, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia)

  • Thiago Edwiges

    (School of Engineering and Built Environment, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
    Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Medianeira 85884-000, PR, Brazil)

  • Napong Ketsub

    (Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia)

  • Rajinder Singh

    (Singh Farming Limited, Cairns, QLD 4865, Australia)

  • Prasad Kaparaju

    (School of Engineering and Built Environment, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia)

Abstract

Biogas from lignocellulosic feedstock is a promising energy source for decentralized renewable electricity, heat, and/or vehicle fuel generation. However, the selection of a suitable energy crop should be based on several factors such as biomass yields and characteristics or biogas yields and economic returns if used in biorefineries. Furthermore, the food-to-fuel conflict for the use of a specific energy crop must be mitigated through smart cropping techniques. In this study, the potential use of sweet sorghum as an energy crop grown during the fallow periods of sugarcane cultivation was evaluated. Nine sweet sorghum cultivars were grown on sandy loam soil during September 2020 in North Queensland, Australia. The overall results showed that the crop maturity had a profound influence on chemical composition and biomass yields. Further, the total insoluble and soluble sugar yields varied among the tested cultivars and were dependent on plant height and chemical composition. The biomass yields ranged from 46.9 to 82.3 tonnes/hectare (t/ha) in terms of the wet weight ( w / w ) of the tested cultivars, with the SE-81 cultivar registering the highest biomass yield per hectare. The gross energy production was determined based on the chemical composition and methane yields. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) studies in batch experiments at 37 °C showed that methane yields of 175 to 227.91 NmL CH 4 /gVS added were obtained from the tested cultivars. The maximum methane yield of 227.91 NmL CH 4 /gVS added was obtained for cultivar SE-35. However, SE-81 produced the highest methane yields on a per hectare basis (3059.18 Nm 3 CH 4 /ha). This is equivalent to a gross energy value of 761.74 MWh/year or compressed biomethane (BioCNG) as a vehicle fuel sufficient for 95 passenger cars travelling at 10,000 km per annum. Overall, this study demonstrated that sweet sorghum is a potential energy crop for biogas production that could be cultivated during the fallow period of sugarcane cultivation in Queensland.

Suggested Citation

  • Divya Joslin Mathias & Thiago Edwiges & Napong Ketsub & Rajinder Singh & Prasad Kaparaju, 2023. "Sweet Sorghum as a Potential Fallow Crop in Sugarcane Farming for Biomethane Production in Queensland, Australia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:18:p:6497-:d:1236046
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/18/6497/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/18/6497/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dias, Tomás Andrade da Cunha & Lora, Electo Eduardo Silva & Maya, Diego Mauricio Yepes & Olmo, Oscar Almazán del, 2021. "Global potential assessment of available land for bioenergy projects in 2050 within food security limits," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    2. Sambusiti, C. & Ficara, E. & Malpei, F. & Steyer, J.P. & Carrère, H., 2013. "Effect of sodium hydroxide pretreatment on physical, chemical characteristics and methane production of five varieties of sorghum," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 449-456.
    3. Mohammed Kelif Ibro & Venkata Ramayya Ancha & Dejene Beyene Lemma, 2022. "Impacts of Anaerobic Co-Digestion on Different Influencing Parameters: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.
    4. Chen, Z.M. & Chen, G.Q., 2011. "An overview of energy consumption of the globalized world economy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 5920-5928, October.
    5. Liu, Ronghou & Li, Jinxia & Shen, Fei, 2008. "Refining bioethanol from stalk juice of sweet sorghum by immobilized yeast fermentation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 1130-1135.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Amal Babu Puthumana & Prasad Kaparaju, 2024. "Impact of Organic Load on Methane Yields and Kinetics during Anaerobic Digestion of Sugarcane Bagasse: Optimal Feed-to-Inoculum Ratio and Total Solids of Reactor Working Volume," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Christian Aragón-Briceño & Panagiotis Boutikos & Musa Manga, 2024. "Editorial: Special Issue “From Waste to Energy: Anaerobic Digestion Technologies”," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-3, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wenmei Kang & Mou Wang & Ying Chen & Ying Zhang, 2022. "Decoupling of the Growing Exports in Foreign Trade from the Declining Gross Exports of Embodied Energy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Ren, Siyu & Hao, Yu & Xu, Lu & Wu, Haitao & Ba, Ning, 2021. "Digitalization and energy: How does internet development affect China's energy consumption?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    3. Li, Yilin & Chen, Bin & Li, Chaohui & Li, Zhi & Chen, Guoqian, 2020. "Energy perspective of Sino-US trade imbalance in global supply chains," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Wu, X.D. & Guo, J.L. & Chen, G.Q., 2018. "The striking amount of carbon emissions by the construction stage of coal-fired power generation system in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 358-369.
    5. Tang, Miaohan & Hong, Jingke & Liu, Guiwen & Shen, Geoffrey Qiping, 2019. "Exploring energy flows embodied in China's economy from the regional and sectoral perspectives via combination of multi-regional input–output analysis and a complex network approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 1191-1201.
    6. Li, Xue & Lin, Cong & Wang, Yang & Zhao, Lingying & Duan, Na & Wu, Xudong, 2015. "Analysis of rural household energy consumption and renewable energy systems in Zhangziying town of Beijing," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 318(C), pages 184-193.
    7. Raza, Muhammad Yousaf & Lin, Boqiang, 2023. "Future outlook and influencing factors analysis of natural gas consumption in Bangladesh: An economic and policy perspectives," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    8. Sun, Xudong & Li, Jiashuo & Qiao, Han & Zhang, Bo, 2017. "Energy implications of China's regional development: New insights from multi-regional input-output analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 118-131.
    9. Vítor JPD Martinho, 2018. "A transversal perspective on global energy production and consumption: An approach based on convergence theory," Energy & Environment, , vol. 29(4), pages 556-575, June.
    10. Saha, Chayan Kumer & Nandi, Rajesh & Akter, Shammi & Hossain, Samira & Kabir, Kazi Bayzid & Kirtania, Kawnish & Islam, Md Tahmid & Guidugli, Laura & Reza, M. Toufiq & Alam, Md Monjurul, 2024. "Technical prospects and challenges of anaerobic co-digestion in Bangladesh: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    11. Lijun Wang & Haizhong An & Xiaohua Xia & Xiaojia Liu & Xiaoqi Sun & Xuan Huang, 2014. "Generating Moving Average Trading Rules on the Oil Futures Market with Genetic Algorithms," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2014, pages 1-10, May.
    12. Md Shah Naoaj & Mir Md Moyazzem Hosen, 2023. "Does higher capital maintenance drive up banks cost of equity? Evidence from Bangladesh," Papers 2302.02762, arXiv.org.
    13. Zhang, Bo & Chen, Z.M. & Xia, X.H. & Xu, X.Y. & Chen, Y.B., 2013. "The impact of domestic trade on China's regional energy uses: A multi-regional input–output modeling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1169-1181.
    14. Zhang, Bo & Qu, Xue & Meng, Jing & Sun, Xudong, 2017. "Identifying primary energy requirements in structural path analysis: A case study of China 2012," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 425-435.
    15. Manzone, Marco & Calvo, Angela, 2016. "Energy and CO2 analysis of poplar and maize crops for biomass production in north Italy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 675-681.
    16. Sun, Xueqing & Xiang, Pengcheng & Cong, Kexin, 2023. "Research on early warning and control measures for arable land resource security," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    17. Wu, X.D. & Ji, Xi & Li, Chaohui & Xia, X.H. & Chen, G.Q., 2019. "Water footprint of thermal power in China: Implications from the high amount of industrial water use by plant infrastructure of coal-fired generation system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 452-461.
    18. Wang, Saige & Chen, Bin, 2016. "Energy–water nexus of urban agglomeration based on multiregional input–output tables and ecological network analysis: A case study of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 773-783.
    19. Lin Zhang & Shan Guo & Zezhou Wu & Ahmed Alsaedi & Tasawar Hayat, 2018. "SWOT Analysis for the Promotion of Energy Efficiency in Rural Buildings: A Case Study of China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, April.
    20. Arias, I. & Cardemil, J. & Zarza, E. & Valenzuela, L. & Escobar, R., 2022. "Latest developments, assessments and research trends for next generation of concentrated solar power plants using liquid heat transfer fluids," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:18:p:6497-:d:1236046. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.