GHG and NH3 Emissions vs. Energy Efficiency of Maize Production Technology: Evidence from Polish Farms; a Further Study

Abstract

The paper determines the effect of selected cultivation technologies, including production chain energy inputs (growing, harvest, heap forming) on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to the atmosphere. The data for the study was collected from 13 actually operating family farms ranging in size from 2 to 13 ha, located in the Podlaskie voivodship (Poland). GHG and ammonia (NH3) emissions from natural and mineral fertilisation as well as GHGs from energy carriers in a form of fuels (ON) were estimated. The average GHG emissions from the sources analysed were 1848.030 kg·CO2eq·ha−1 and 29.492 kg·CO2eq·t−1 of the green forage yield. The average NH3 emissions per hectare were 15,261.808 kg NH3 and 248.871 kg NH3·t−1 of yield. The strongest impact on the environment, due to the GHG emissions to the atmosphere, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect, is due nitrogen fertilisation, both mineral and natural. On average, in the technologies under study, 61% of the total GHG emissions came from fertilisation. The GHG emissions were correlated with the energy efficiency, calculated at the previous research stage, of the production technologies applied. There is a negative correlation (r = −0.80) between the features studied, which means that the higher the energy efficiency of the silage maize plantations, the lower the air pollution emissions in a form of the GHGs from the sources under study. It is so important to prevent environmental degradation to continue, conduct in-depth, interdisciplinary research on reducing the energy consumption of crop production technologies and striving to increase energy efficiency.

Dispersed Power Production in Terms of the Potential of Briquettes Made from Straw and Willow as Renewable Sources of Energy

“…The attainable temperature in the firebed can reach up to 900 • C. Importantly, the flame in the combustion process should be dark yellow in colour, as this allows the temperature to be controlled and limits slagging. During combustion, straw briquette fuel emits an inconsiderable amount of greenhouse gases and CO 2 [39], unlike traditional coal, where particulate matter can fall within 20-30 metres from the firebed.…”

Accelerated Bioconversion of Chemically Solubilized Lignite Solution to Methane by Methanogenic Consortium: Experimental Results and Their Application to the Subsurface Cultivation and Gasification Method

“…Dang et al, (2017) reported that the lag period for methane production was significantly reduced in reactors with granular activated carbon (GAC) and the cumulative methane production was 18 times higher than that of the control [ 71 ]. Konieczna et al, (2021) studied the relationship between energy efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere from the silage maize plantation technologies [ 72 ]. They reported that the higher the energy efficiency of silage maize plantations, the lower the air pollution emissions in the form of GHG.…”

Assessment of Cumulative Energy Needs for Chosen Technologies of Cattle Feeding in Barns with Conventional (CFS) and Automated Feeding Systems (AFS)

“…(2) in spare parts and materials used for repairs; (3) in a direct energy carrier (fuel and Energies 2021, 14, 8584 6 of 15 electrical energy); (4) in consumables and raw materials; as well as in human labor [9,10,20]. Energy intensities accumulated for the practices undergoing study have been calculated from the following formula:…”

“…However, in animal production, adequate natural fertilizer management, through the use of the fertilizer for biogas and energy production, is one of the ways of ensuring sustainable production [8]. Increasing agricultural production in the European Union countries comes with the growing energy and fuel demands of agricultural machinery and tractors, which result in an increase in CO 2 emissions [1, 9,10]. According to Wójcicki [11], converted into energy units, the value of the final agricultural production in Poland was 900 m GJ of cumulative energy, or 435 m GJ when the energy value was considered.…”