Methane production from birch and maple leaves and Miscanthus grass
2024
Dubrovskis, Vilis | Dubrovskis, Dagnis
Global warming is increasingly affecting life in the world. We have to experience drastic temperature fluctuations, floods and drought periods more and more. The European Union has decided to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. To achieve this, it is important to stop using fossil energy sources. Renewable energy resources should be used instead. Instead of fossil natural gas, biogas obtained from various organic residues and waste can be used well. In order to make biogas production more profitable, cheap raw materials are needed. These could be tree leaves, which are collected in large quantities in the autumn and deposited in piles and garbage dumps. The piles also produce harmful gases. If the gas from these piles is not collected, then it escapes into the atmosphere and also pollutes the environment. Such practices should not be allowed in the future. The aim of this study was to find out the potential of biomethane production from maple and birch leaves compared to grass Miscanthus, which gives a high biomass yield. The study was conducted in a laboratory facility with 16 bioreactors. The study lasted for 32 days. Anaerobic fermentation took place in an oven at 38 °C. On average, grass Miscanthus yielded 0.474 L·gE−1DOM of biogas and 0.236 L·gE−1DOM of methane. 0.542 L·gE−1DOM biogas and 0.262 L·gE−1DOM methane were obtained from maple leaves. Birch leaves yielded 0.467 L·gE−1DOM biogas and 0.219 L·gE−1DOM methane. All biomasses tested in the study can be used as raw materials for biogas production. Only the average content of methane in this biogas is lower than that obtained from animal manure.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
Publisher Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
This bibliographic record has been provided by Fundamental Library of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies