Biomass of invasive plant species as a potential feedstock for bioenergy production

Abstract

Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the most important drivers of species loss. A series of recent (inter)national policies and guidelines however did not prevent new introductions and further spread of non‐indigenous species. But instead of considering invasive plant species as a burden, the biomass production of IAS can be considered and used as an ecosystem service. To assess the possibilities for bioenergy production of four invasive alien plant species in Europe, Fallopia japonica, Heracleum mantegazzianum, Impatiens glandulifera and Solidago gigantea, we determined their biomass production, gross calorific value and biogas yield. The viability of the propagules after digestion was also tested to assess the dispersal risk related to the bioenergy chain. Fallopia japonica and S. gigantea achieved a high annual biomass yield of 8.6 ton DM per hectare. Impatiens glandulifera and H. mantegazzianum had a lower biomass production (5.8 and 6.0 ton DM ha−1). Without extra inputs or agronomic optimization of the crops, the anaerobic digestion of the studied invasive plant species achieved comparable energy outputs per hectare (28–88 GJ ha−1) as some of the current bioenergy systems. All propagules lost their viability after digestion. The risk of further invasion is thus minimized during the digestion process. However, caution during harvest and transport is required to prevent the spread of new propagules. The energetic valorization of the biomass of IAS can create an economic incentive for habitat restoration of invaded sites and offers the opportunity to reconcile the restoration of the invaded habitats with renewable energy goals. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Invasive alien plant species: Their impact on environment, ecosystem services and human health

“…for the bioenergy production may serve the twin purposes of sustainable renewable energy and alien weed management (Gizínska-Górna et al, 2016;Kriticos and Brunel, 2016;Rai et al, 2018;Stabenau et al, 2018). Other IAPS like Fallopia japonica, Solidago gigantean, Impatiens glandulifera and Heracleum mantegazzianum produce huge biomass with high calorific value, providing a great opportunity for bioenergy production (Van Meerbeek et al, 2015;Van Meerbeek et al, 2019). Utilization of IAPS biomass with an effective strategy for lingo-cellulose digestion can be a potential option for bio-energy, assisting in the climate change mitigation (Van Meerbeek et al, 2019).…”

Plant litter chemistry alters the content and composition of organic carbon associated with soil mineral and aggregate fractions in invaded ecosystems

“…These altered plant chemistries may influence both the composition and abundance of soil heterotrophs by modulating multi‐trophic interactions (Austin & Ballare, ; Belnap, Phillips, Sherrod, & Moldenke, ; Callaway, Thelen, Rodriguez, & Holben, ; Wardle, Yeates, Barker, & Bonner, ). Additionally, because of the efficient resource acquisition and use (Funk & Vitousek, ; Tharayil et al., ), many exotic plants produce higher amounts of biomass (Van Meerbeek et al., ) than do the native species they displace. Therefore, many invasive plants add disproportionate quantities of chemically distinct litter to their introduced ecosystems and thus may potentially influence SOM formation.…”

Assessment of holocellulose for the production of bioethanol by conserving Pinus radiata cones as renewable feedstock

“…Towards the realization of the objective of practical biorefinery, enormous efforts are being made for converting biomass to biofuels (Baeyens et al, 2015;Fan et al, 2014;Horvath et al, 2008;Kang et al, 2014aKang et al, , 2014bKang et al, , 2014cKim et al, 2003;Meerbeek et al, 2015;Pulidindi et al, 2014a, b;Victor et al, 2014). The hypothesis tested in the current work is e Can pine cones from Pinus radiata be a renewable feedstock for fuel ethanol production?…”