AIR-CT92-8002 Lignocellulosic Energy Crops in Different Agricultural Scenarios

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AIR Cluster I - Biomass Production : Agriculture : Wood (Lignocellulose)

Lignocellulosic Energy Crops in Different Agricultural Scenarios Ghislain Gosse, Station de Bioclimatologie INRA, France (AIR-CT92-8002) The aim of this AIR Study for DGXII was to carry out a state of art and to recommend guidelines in order to envisage sustainable development of herbaceous lignocellulosic crops in the European socioeconomic context. Ref: EUR 16514 EN ISBN: 92-827-7209-8

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to carry out a state of art and to recommend guidelines in order to envisage sustainable development of herbaceous lignocellulosic crops in the European socioeconomic context. This study has been initiated in the framework of the third EC research programme by Agriculture and Agro-lndustry Research programme (AAIR). Nonfood crops is one of the interest areas of this MIR programme. Moreover, the evaluation of the potentialities of new productions under European situations represents a significative part of this programme.

Among nonfood productions, agricultural raw materials which can be used for energy purposes represents the major potential market at the European Union level. Nethertheless, today the actual utilisation of biomass for energy production represents only a small part of the total energy consumption in Europe. Besides classical use of wood through combustion which represents the largest utilisation of biomass in Europe, the energy production from biomass can be envisaged through the two following axes:

• biofuels, or liquid and gaseous fuels such as rape methyl ester, alcohol or ETBE from wheat, sugar beet and biogas.

• biocombustibles, or solid fuels produced from lignocellulosic raw materials.

The present study is concerning the analysis of the production stage, ie agricultural aspects, of lignocellulosic crops which are potentially interesting in Europe. Three species will be analysed: sorghum including fiber and sweet sorghum, miscanthus and cynara. These three species have been chosen in order to cover a wide range of geographical and pedoclimatic conditions which can illustrate the European variability.

For each species, we will envisage a synthesis of the state of art, the main recommendations which are possible to do today in order to improve the situation and viability of this crops. The following topics will be developed in detail:

• the agricultural techniques from the plantation to the harvest through all the techniques of crop protection,

• the production evaluation in terms of quantity, using an analysis method which will allow an easy and reliable estimation of yield potential in different farming systems or pedoclimatic conditions,

• the quality of the raw material according to its potential utilisations and its variability in relationship with production systems,

• the energy balance and environmental balance with specific recommendations concerning methodological requirements, gaps and missing informations in order to improve reliability of these balances.

For these different topics, examples from in progress research programmes will be given and adapted to different pedoclimatic conditions.