Original scientific paper
The Impact of Harvest Timing on Properties of Miscanthus x Giganteus Biomass as a CO2 Neutral Energy Source
Nikola Bilandžija
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Leto
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops, Forage and Grassland, Zagreb, Croatia
Darko Kiš
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of agriculture, Department for Mechanization in Agriculture, Osijek, Croatia
Vanja Jurišić
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Technology, Storage and Transport, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Matin
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Technology, Storage and Transport, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Kuže
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Technology, Storage and Transport, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The European Commission, through its Directive 2009/28/EC, decided to extensively support the consumption and production of »green« energy from renewable energy sources, primarily because of diminishing supplies and constant rise in fossil fuels prices and critical necessity to mitigate their negative influence on the environment. The alleviation of a part of these problems can be achieved by growing and use for energy purposes of biomass from Miscanthus x giganteus grass. Given the fact that these cultures can be harvested in the whole period from the month of November until the beginning of new vegetative cycle, the objective of this paper is to determine the ultimate properties (C, H, O, S, volatile matter) and proximate properties (moisture, fixed carbon, coke, ash, N), content of minor (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn) and major elements (Ca, K, Na, Mg) as well as high heating value of biomass M. x giganteus from the first year of cultivation from three different locations in the Republic of Croatia (Donja Bistra, Medvednica and Donji Lapac), harvested in three different times (November 2011, February and March 2012). The conducted investigations confirmed the potential of M. x giganteus crop grown in the fields in Croatia as a high-quality and environmental friendly feedstock for direct production of electricity and heat.
Keywords
Miscanthus x giganteus; harvest times; ultimate and proximate properties; minor and major elements
Hrčak ID:
120998
URI
Publication date:
30.4.2014.
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