title: Screening of novel plants for biogas production in northern conditions.
abstract: The objective of this study was to screen nine annual or perennial novel plants for biogas production cultivated in years 2007-2010 in Finland. The most promising novel plants for biogas production were found to be brown knapweed, giant goldenrod and Japanese millet producing 14-27 t total solids/ha and 4000-6100 Nm(3)CH4/ha. The specific methane yields of all studied plants varied from 170 to 381 Nm(3)CH4/t volatile solids (VS), depending on harvest time and plant species. Co-digestion of brown knapweed with cow manure in continuously stirred tank reactor was investigated and the highest methane yield was 254 NL CH4/kg VS, when the share of brown knapweed was 50% in the feed VS (organic loading rate (OLR) 2 kg VS/m(3)/d). The cultivation managements and sustainability of novel plants for biogas production have to be investigated.
authors.affiliation: University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland. mari.p.seppala@jyu.fi
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seppälä
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laine
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rintala
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D002417:Cattle; D005308:Fertilizers; D005387:Finland; D008372:Manure; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D005308:Fertilizers; D008372:Manure; D008697:Methane