Design and Sustainability Assessment ofBioenergy Double Cropping System in Southern Sweden

Sbatie Lama Agroecology – Master’s program

IntroductionBioenergy is the largest source of renewable energies providing

worlds’ 10% of energy supply1

Target set by EU to acheive by 20202:• 20% of total energy supply should be from renewable energy by 2020• Compulsarily share 10% biofuel of the total fuel cponsumption in transport

sector by EU membersSwedish government has set the target to fulfil 50% of it’s total

energy supply with renewable energy by 20203

IntroductionBioenergy may compete with food sector either directly or indirectly Influence on price of the food4

.

Reduction of the availability of water for food production5 Competetion for land for food production6

Indirect land use change,• Loss of biodiversity4

• loss of terrestrial carbon and reduce carbon sequestration7

• Higher risk of GHG emission than the total emissions from transport using fossil fuel8

Project AimTo design a cropping system that can increase overall crop production and able to provide food, feed, energy and non-market ecosystem services such as increase annual carbon input in the soil and reduce leaching loss of mineral nitrogen.

Research Question What are the advantage and disadvantage in terms of production and

sustainable development of cropping system from Bioenergy double cropping system?

Methodology Literature review Field study • Crop yield • Weed density • Min-N in soil

Interview

Field Study Selected area: Dybäck, Skurup municipality, Skåna SwedenSoil type: SandyFirst crop: Rye for energy production Selected crops as second crop:• Fodder pea, blue lupin, blood clover, red clover, soybean, black

bean, lentil, green pea, buckwheat, hemp and sudangrass. Successfully harvested: • Blue lupin, soybean, black bean, Lentil, buckwheat

Field Study The experiment was arranged as randomized complete block design with four replications. Each plot was 9 m long and 2 m wide.

Rye Blue lupin, Soybean,Black bean, Lentils,

Buckwheat

Rye

Sep May Jun Jul Aug

Figure 1. A timeline of bioenergy double cropping system

Blue lupin Soybean Black bean Lentil Buckwheat 0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

c

c

bc

a

ab

Gra

in (t

/ha)

Blue lupin Soybean Black bean Lentil Buckwheat 0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

b

bb

ab

a

Cro

p re

sidue

s (t/h

a)

Figure 2. Grain yield measured in above ground whole plant part harvested at full maturity of the crops.

Figure 3. Biomass yield measured in above ground whole plant part harvested at full maturity of the crops.

Results

Treatment Mean value of total biomass

(crop + weed) in t/ha

Mean value of weed

biomass in t/haBlue lupin 3,5 a 2,2 aSoybean 2,8 a 1,1 bBlack bean 2,9 a 1,0 bLentil 4,5 a 0,8 bBuck wheat 4,8 a 0,3 b

Table 1. Total biomass yield (crop + weed) measured in above ground whole plant part harvested at full maturity of the crops. Mean values were determined from four replicates.

Results

Blue lupin Soybean Black bean Lentil Buckwheat 0.0

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0

bb

b

ab

a

bcc bc

ab

a

Above ground crop residues Below ground residues

Mea

n an

nual

C in

put (

kg/h

a)

Soybean Lentil Buckwheat0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

aa

a

aa a

aa

a

a a

a

NH4 (0-30 cm) NO3 (0-30 cm) NH4 (30-60 cm)NO3 (30-60 cm)

kg/h

a

Results

Figure 4. Mean annual C input by the above ground crop residues and below ground residues.

Figure 5. MinN at 0-60 cm depth of the soil.

ConclusionThe yield of the double crops were optimistic.Non- market ecosystem services can also be achieved by adopting this cropping system. Provides both food and biomass for energy and there may be helpful to reduce competition for land for food and energy production and indirect land use change. The cropping system might also be helpful to increase the local source of food.

Recommendation Investigate quality of the double crop. Investigate effect of double cropping on water and nutrient

availability on subsequent crops. Investigate performance of the second crops in different

management practices for example in different water and nutrient management system.

investigate production of double crops after winter wheat and how to set best bioenergy double cropping system in farmers’ crop rotation system.

1. International Energy Agency (2015). Bioenergy. https://www.iea.org/topics/renewables/ subtopics/bioenergy/ [2015.10.20].

2. European Commission (2016.05.22a). Biofuels. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/renewable-energy/biofuels [2016.05.22].

3. Regeringskansliet (2010). Swedish National Action Plan for the promotion of the use of renewable energy in accordance with Directive 2009/28/EC and the Commission Decision of 30.06.2009. Stockholm.

4. Muller, A., Schmidhuber, J., Hoogeveen, J. & Steduto, P. (2008). Some insights in the effect of growing bio-energy demand on global food security and natural resources. Water Policy, 10, pp. 83-94.

5. Popp, J., Lakner, Z., Harangi-Rákos, M. & Fári, M. (2014). The effect of bioenergy expansion: Food, energy, and environment. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 32, pp. 559-578.

6. Tilman, D., Socolow, R., Foley, J.A., Hill, J., Larson, E., Lynd, L., Pacala, S., Reilly, J., Searchinger, T., Somerville, C. & Williams, R. (2009). Beneficial Biofuels-The Food, Energy, and Environment Trilemma. Science, 325(5938), pp. 270-271.

7. European Commission (2016.05.22b). Land use change. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/renewable-energy/biofuels/land-use-change. [2016.05.22]

8. Harvey, M. & Pilgrim, S. (2011). The new competition for land: Food, energy, and climate change. Food Policy, 36, pp. S40-S51.

Reference

AcknowledgementPartnership Alnarp Supervisors

• Sven-Erik Svensson, SLU and Mozhgan Zachrison, SLU

Farmers participated in the studyColleagues