Using aquatic plant biomass from de-weeding in biogas processes—an economically viable option?

Herbes, Carsten; Brummer, Vasco; Roth, Sandra; Röhl, Markus

doi:10.1186/s13705-018-0163-2

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…this potential could be exploited to a larger extent. This applies especially to standing water bodies with mass occurrences of aquatic plants, which are deweeded only partly due to financial reasons [22,23,27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The costs of mowing and harvesting are quite high [26] Legal status of substrates from de-weeding operations is not clear, especially whether they are renewable resources [27] In semi-natural or natural water bodies, conflicts with nature conservation can occur…”

Section: Inhibitory Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of the substrates can endanger the approval of biogas plant [27] Cost efficiency also depends on the development of new machines for mowing and harvesting [26] Röhl et al Energy, Sustainability and Society (2019) 9:21…”

Section: Based On Our Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogas production from submerged macrophytes—a case study of regional biomass potentials in Germany

Röhl

Roth

Schütz³

et al. 2019

Energ Sustain Soc

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Background: Utilization of energy crops for biogas production has been controversially discussed in Germany due to negative environmental effects and the "food vs. fuel" debate. This led to a search for alternative substrates focusing on material from landscape management measures. Aquatic biomass is harvested during water body management, yet it has not been considered for energy generation. Methods: The information where and which amount of biomass is collected by aquatic de-weeding operations in rivers and lakes was gathered via a nationwide survey. In addition to that, the amount of aquatic plant biomass potentially available in water bodies was estimated exemplarily for the flowing waters of Baden-Württemberg-by using data from the European Water Framework Directive surveys. Results: The survey revealed 172 locations of de-weeding operations in flowing waters and 93 in standing waters. These locations are concentrated in lowland rivers of the North German Plain as well as the Upper Rhine Plain. Standing water de-weeding operations were reported mainly from the foothills of the Alps. The overall amount of biomass harvested per year is 36,244 t of fresh biomass. Taking into account missing data, a maximum of 100,000 t of fresh biomass per year can be estimated for Germany. The case study on plant biomass de-weeded from waters in Germany revealed that only a small part of the total aquatic plant biomass is actually harvested. Conclusions: The amount of biomass harvested and removed from water bodies in Germany is considerably lower than the harvest of other substrates from landscape management measures such as mowing of meadows or trimming of trees and hedges. However, larger amounts are accumulating locally, concentrated in some regions or at specific water bodies, e.g., reservoirs, for which regional value chains could be established. In order to make the exploitation of these local potentials economically viable, changes regarding the economic and technological framework are required.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Inhibitory Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogas production from submerged macrophytes—a case study of regional biomass potentials in Germany

Röhl

Roth

Schütz³

et al. 2019

Energ Sustain Soc

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“…Unutilized CO 2 of the biogas can be used as a carbon source for biofixation by algae, and digestate can be applied as nutrient source [108,111,112]. Macroalgae and aquatic plants can occur as waste biomass in natural water bodies during eutrophication or during weed control measures in waterways [113,114], however, this resource is locally restricted and rather limited. Thus, cultivation of aquatic plants or algae would be necessary to supply significant amounts.…”

Section: Aquatic Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Future Agricultural Biogas Plant in Germany: A Vision

et al. 2019

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After nearly two decades of subsidized and energy crop-oriented development, agricultural biogas production in Germany is standing at a crossroads. Fundamental challenges need to be met. In this article we sketch a vision of a future agricultural biogas plant that is an integral part of the circular bioeconomy and works mainly on the base of residues. It is flexible with regard to feedstocks, digester operation, microbial communities and biogas output. It is modular in design and its operation is knowledge-based, information-driven and largely automated. It will be competitive with fossil energies and other renewable energies, profitable for farmers and plant operators and favorable for the national economy. In this paper we discuss the required contribution of research to achieve these aims.

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“…The cost of controlling individual species of invasive aquatic plants in Europe amounts to several million euros per annum [10]. Herbes et al (2018) [12] estimated total cost of € 31.68 per tonne of fresh mass for an overgrown lake that contains mainly Elodea nuttallii. The authors presumed the use of one small weed-cutting boat with front-mounted machinery (Berky 6410) that alternates between using the cutting and collecting tools.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crop Characteristics of Aquatic Macrophytes for Use as a Substrate in Anaerobic Digestion Plants—A Study from Germany

et al. 2018

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Several thousand metric tonnes of aquatic biomass are removed from water bodies every year, so that these waters can continue to be used for ship and boat traffic and for leisure activities. The mowed material is generally disposed off without any further use. Therefore, the crop properties of samples from 39 weed control measures all over Germany were examined to assess the suitability of aquatic plant biomass as a substrate for anaerobic digestion systems. Analysis of the crop samples consisted of the identification of plant species and the evaluation of sediment contents and concentrations of macroelements. The methane yield was determined for selected aquatic plants. Analysis revealed a carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N) of between 10 and 20 in 74% of samples. The concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous in the samples were comparable to grass silages. With regard to heavy metal concentrations, the threshold values for biowaste for nickel, zinc, and cadmium were exceeded in three samples. There were no significant seasonal differences in substrate characteristics and qualities. The specific methane yields of individual aquatic plants were between 142 and 372 LCH4/kg volatile solids (VS). The results of this study showed that aquatic macrophytes can be used as substrates in anaerobic digestion plants without any restrictions.

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Using aquatic plant biomass from de-weeding in biogas processes—an economically viable option?

Cited by 12 publications

References 52 publications

Biogas production from submerged macrophytes—a case study of regional biomass potentials in Germany

Biogas production from submerged macrophytes—a case study of regional biomass potentials in Germany

The Future Agricultural Biogas Plant in Germany: A Vision

Crop Characteristics of Aquatic Macrophytes for Use as a Substrate in Anaerobic Digestion Plants—A Study from Germany

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