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Life-cycle assessment of biogas production under the environmental conditions of northern Germany: greenhouse gas balance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2013

S. CLAUS ,
F. TAUBE ,
B. WIENFORTH ,
N. SVOBODA ,
K. SIELING ,
H. KAGE ,
M. SENBAYRAM ,
K. DITTERT ,
D. GERICKE  and
A. PACHOLSKI
...Show all authors
S. CLAUS*
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
F. TAUBE
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
B. WIENFORTH
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
N. SVOBODA
Affiliation:
Leibnitz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Strasse 84, D-15374 Müncheberg, Germany
K. SIELING
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
H. KAGE
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
M. SENBAYRAM
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Plant Nutrition, Germany Georg-August-Ernst University of Göttingen, Carl-Sprengel-Weg 1, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
K. DITTERT
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Plant Nutrition, Germany Georg-August-Ernst University of Göttingen, Carl-Sprengel-Weg 1, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
D. GERICKE
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
A. PACHOLSKI
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
A. HERRMANN
Affiliation:
Institute of Crop Science & Plant Breeding, Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: sclaus@gfo.uni-kiel.de
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Summary

A considerable expansion of biogas production in Germany, paralleled by a strong increase in maize acreage, has caused growing concern that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during crop substrate production might counteract the GHG emission saving potential. Based on a 2-year field trial, a GHG balance was conducted to evaluate the mitigation potential of regionally adapted cropping systems (continuous maize, maize-wheat-Italian ryegrass, perennial ryegrass ley), depending on nitrogen (N) level and N type. Considering the whole production chain, all cropping systems investigated contributed to the mitigation of GHG emissions (6·7–13·3 t CO2 eq/ha), with continuous maize revealing a carbon dioxide (CO2) saving potential of 55–61% compared with a fossil energy mix reference system. The current sustainability thresholds in terms of CO2 savings set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive could be met by all cropping systems (48–76%). Emissions from crop production had the largest impact on the mitigation effect (⩾50%) unless the biogas residue storage was not covered. The comparison of N fertilizer types showed less pronounced differences in GHG mitigation potential, whereas considerable site effects were observed.

Type
Nitrogen Workshop Special Issue Papers
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 152 , Supplement S1: Special Issue from the 17th International Nitrogen Workshop , December 2014 , pp. 172 - 181
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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