title: Giant cane (Arundo donax L.) can substitute traditional energy crops in producing energy by anaerobic digestion, reducing surface area and costs: A full-scale approach.
abstract: Arundo donax L. (Giant cane) was used in a full-scale anaerobic digester (AD) plant (power of 380kWhEE) in partial substitution for corn to produce biogas and electricity. Corn substitution was made on a biomethane potential (BMP) basis so that A. donax L. after substitution accounted for 15.6% of the total mix-BMP (BMPmix) and corn for 66.6% BMPmix. Results obtained indicated that Giant cane was able to substitute for corn, reducing both biomass and electricity production costs, because of both higher biomass productivity (Mg total solid Ha(-1)) and lower biomass cost (€Ha(-1)). Total electricity biogas costs were reduced by 5.5%. The total biomass cost, the total surface area needed to produce the energy crop and the total cost of producing electricity can be reduced by 75.5%, 36.6% and 22%, by substituting corn completely with Giant cane in the mix fed to the full-scale plant.
authors.affiliation: Gruppo Ricicla, Biomass and Bioenergy Laboratory, DiSAA, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corno
authors.affiliation: Gruppo Ricicla, Biomass and Bioenergy Laboratory, DiSAA, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Samuele
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lonati
authors.affiliation: Gruppo Ricicla, Biomass and Bioenergy Laboratory, DiSAA, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory, DiSAA, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pilu
authors.affiliation: Gruppo Ricicla, Biomass and Bioenergy Laboratory, DiSAA, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: fabrizio.adani@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Adani
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels
keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Arundo donax (Giant cane); Electric energy cost; Energy crop; Renewable energy