title: Assessment of energy crops alternative to maize for biogas production in the Greater Region.
abstract: The biomethane yield of various energy crops, selected among potential alternatives to maize in the Greater Region, was assessed. The biomass yield, the volatile solids (VS) content and the biochemical methane potential (BMP) were measured to calculate the biomethane yield per hectare of all plant species. For all species, the dry matter biomass yield and the VS content were the main factors that influence, respectively, the biomethane yield and the BMP. Both values were predicted with good accuracy by linear regressions using the biomass yield and the VS as independent variable. The perennial crop miscanthus appeared to be the most promising alternative to maize when harvested as green matter in autumn and ensiled. Miscanthus reached a biomethane yield of 5.5 ± 1 × 10(3)m(3)ha(-1) during the second year after the establishment, as compared to 5.3 ± 1 × 10(3)m(3)ha(-1) for maize under similar crop conditions.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg; Université catholique de Louvain, Earth & Life Institute, Bioengineering, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.19, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: Université catholique de Louvain, Earth & Life Institute, Bioengineering, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.19, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gerin
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Anaïs
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noo
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lemaigre
authors.affiliation: Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques, Agriculture and Natural Environment Department - Farming Systems, Territory and Information Technologies Unit, Rue du Serpont 100, B-6800 Libramont, Belgium.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stilmant
authors.affiliation: Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques, Agriculture and Natural Environment Department - Farming Systems, Territory and Information Technologies Unit, Rue du Serpont 100, B-6800 Libramont, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmit
authors.affiliation: Chambre Régionale d'Agriculture de Lorraine, 9, rue de la Vologne - Building i, 54520 Laxou, France.
authors.forename: Nathael
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leclech
authors.affiliation: Centre Provincial Liégeois des productions Végétales et Maraîchères, Rue de Huy, 123, B-4300 Waremme, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruelle
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche et de formations agricole pour l'Est de la Belgique - Agra-Ost, Klosterstrasse 38, B-4780 Saint-Vith, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gennen
authors.affiliation: Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum Eifel, Brodenheckstraße 3, 54634 Bitburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Francken-Welz
authors.affiliation: Centre Indépendant de Promotion Fourragère, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.11, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foucart
authors.affiliation: Administration des Services Techniques de l'Agriculture, 16 route d'Esch, L-1019 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flammang
authors.affiliation: Administration des Services Techniques de l'Agriculture, 16 route d'Esch, L-1019 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weyland
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, Department "Environment and Agro-biotechnologies", 41, rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg. Electronic address: delfosse@lippmann.lu.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delfosse
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources / Q000379:methods*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry*; D008031:Lignin / Q000032:analysis; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D045868:Sorghum / Q000737:chemistry; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; C036909:lignocellulose; D008031:Lignin; D008697:Methane
keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Biochemical methane potential (BMP); Biomethanation; Energy crops; Lignocellulose