Use of citrus pulp for biogas production: A GIS analysis of citrus-growing areas and processing industries in South Italy

Arcidiacono

Chinnici

et al. 2017

Self Cite

Recently, to obtain biogas from biomass, an innovative system based on both sustainable intensification of crop rotation and use of by‐products was developed. This system derives from BIOGASDONERIGHT concept, which was put forward with the aim of making more sustainable biogas production. Among the by‐products that could be considered for the anaerobic digestion within this new concept, olive pomace (OP) has been the object of research studies aimed at evaluating its possible reuse for energy purpose in terms of economic sustainability. This possibility is of relevant importance to reduce the environmental burden caused by disposal processes of the residues of olive oil industries. However, to the authors’ knowledge, the amount of processed olives in olive‐producing areas, as well as the correct planning of OP use for energy purposes, has not yet been the object of research activities. Therefore, the aim of this research study was to compute the availability of OP, the main waste from the olive oil industry to be disposed of, by following a methodology which included a geographic information system (GIS) based model that allowed the computation of indicators suitable to describe OP potential production within geographical areas. In the first phase of the study, the spatial distribution of the olive‐producing areas in Sicily, a geographical area of the Mediterranean Basin highly representative of olive oil production, was analyzed. Then, a GIS‐based model, previously defined and applied to evaluate the amount of citrus pulp production, was applied to this case study to estimate OP potential production by the computation of a suitable index. The model required information about olive oil industries, which was gathered by performing specific surveys, and included the computation of indicators regarding olive‐producing areas, the amount of olive oil produced, and the amount of OP obtained. In the second phase of this study, the quantification of OP that can be available for biogas production was carried out at a provincial level in an area described by the highest potential of OP production. The total amount of OP available for biogas production corresponded theoretically to 1.9 million Nm3 biogas. This result proved that OP has a high potential to be converted into a resource for renewable energy production, such as biogas. Therefore, it constituted a potential solution to issues related to the environmental burden of OP disposal. Furthermore, the GIS‐based model applied in this case study, by giving the potential production of OP, could contribute to build an information base aimed at improving the sustainability of biogas sector. In this context, by considering the availability and distribution of other agricultural biomasses, the results of this study could be useful for applications in geographical areas where biogas sector is still developing. In fact, the obtained results could help identifying the best location of new biogas plants in terms of optimization of the logistics of biomasses supply. © 2017...

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of olive pomace availability for biogas production by using a GIS‐based model

Arcidiacono

Chinnici

et al. 2017

Self Cite

“…Several research approaches from the literature reported above were used by Valenti to provide a modeling platform by developing a hypothetical regional biogas power generation system based on multiple biomass feedstocks (food wastes and agricultural residues). In this regard, a first GIS modeling approach was used to develop spatial indices suitable to assess citrus pulp and olive pomace availability in Sicily, which is the largest agricultural area in Italy with more than 6 million tons per year of agricultural commodities . The most productive areas of these two types of by‐products were also analysed and a second GIS modeling approach was combined with techno‐economic assessment and economic sensitivity analyses to facilitate the development of a biogas industry in Sicily .…”

Section: State Of the Artmentioning

confidence: 99%

A GIS‐based spatial index of feedstock‐mixture availability for anaerobic co‐digestion of Mediterranean by‐products and agricultural residues

Liao

Porto

2018

Self Cite

Biogas obtained from the anaerobic digestion of biomasses has increasingly been considered a feasible alternative to energy production from fossil fuel because of the possible advantages derived from both the reduction of the environmental burden and the reuse of by‐products and agricultural residues. Italy is the third largest biogas producer in the world after China and Germany, but the biogas sector in southern Italy, especially in Sicily, is still developing. The objective of this study was to contribute to the sustainable development of the biogas sector in Sicily by developing a method for the localization of geographical areas suitable for biogas production. First, a feedstock mixture found in previous research studies (which investigated several mixes of main agricultural residues and by‐products available in Sicily for the enhancement of biogas production in terms of methane content) was used to evaluate each feedstock territorial distribution in a study area. Then a GIS‐based model for the computation of a spatial index of feedstock‐mixture availability, ifm_a , was developed. The computed spatial index was applied on a GIS map to investigate the availability of the feedstock mixture in the area under study. The results of the territorial analyses obtained by applying the index showed the geographical areas suitable for the development of new biogas plants. The results of this study could be helpful in reducing the significant transport costs of each feedstock as well as the environmental impact of biogas production. In this regard, the results are in line with the policy priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to valorize by‐products and agricultural residues through their reuse. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

“…In these systems, anaerobic digestion (AD) technology can convert organic wastes (e.g. olive pomace, citrus pulp, poultry and cattle manure and cheese whey) into useful resources, by increasing the economic benefits and reducing waste disposal costs . For example, in Sicily both citrus pulp wastes and poultry manures are not well‐managed and generate considerable pollution .…”

Section: Potential Benefits Of Applying Biogasdoneright® Principles Imentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 Th e employment in Sicilian agriculture (1 434 000 units in 2012) was 7.5% of the total, in line with economic benefi ts and reducing waste disposal costs. 11,12 For example, in Sicily both citrus pulp wastes and poultry manures are not well-managed and generate considerable pollution. [13][14][15] Both are good candidates for the anaerobic digestion process.…”

Section: Background Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sequential crops for food, energy, and economic development in rural areas: the case of Sicily

Selvaggi

Pappalardo

et al. 2017

Self Cite

In this paper, we apply the principles of Biogasdoneright ® to agriculture in Sicily (Italy), or more generally to Mediterranean agriculture. We propose new potential crop rotation schemes using Sorghum spp. drip irrigated second harvest and Italian sainfoin (Hedysarum coronarium L.) between two cycles of durum wheat to produce biogas and perhaps biomethane subsequently under the Biogasdoneright system. The Biogasdoneright system is a new model for sustainable biogas production based on sequential cropping and integration with food production. In Sicily, as in other Mediterranean countries, sequential crops and some perennial crops such as Opuntia spp. might be cultivated in environmentally critical areas prone to erosion, desertifi cation, and fi res. Therefore, biogas produced according to the crop rotation schemes as illustrated in this paper avoids competition with food and feed crops, while offering to the Sicilian agricultural sector many agronomic, economic, environmental, and social benefi ts.