Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.01.030
Document accepted manuscript
Title (Primary) Biogas production and changes in soil carbon input - A regional analysis
Author Witing, F.; Prays, N.; O'Keeffe, S.; Gründling, R.; Gebel, M.; Kurzer, H.-J.; Daniel-Gromke, J.; Franko, U.
Source Titel Geoderma
Year 2018
Department CLE; BIOENERGIE; BOSYS
Volume 320
Page From 105
Page To 114
Language englisch
Keywords Biogas; Carbon flux; Sustainable biogas production; SOC; SOM; Land use change; Landscape scale; Saxony; Bioenergy; Nutrient balance; Assessment of sustainability; Areal efficiency; Area requirements
UFZ wide themes RU1;
Abstract

The inclusion of biogas production into the agricultural system has modified crop management and as a result the soil organic carbon (SOC) cycle of the agricultural landscape. To evaluate the effects for the German federal state of Saxony this study determines: (1) the share of agricultural land required for biogas production, (2) the change in regional carbon input fluxes to soil during the time of the establishment of the biogas production considering also the quality of sources of different fresh organic matter (FOM) for the formation of SOC and (3) the differences in carbon input to SOC between the area influenced by biogas production (here “biogas fingerprint area” (BFA)) and the surrounding arable land.

Based on the location of biogas plants the region was subdivided into biomass providing units (BPUs) where a part of the arable land was considered as affected by biogas production (BFA). We hypothesized that each biogas plant uses a specific substrate mix according to its capacity. The carbon fluxes for each BPU were estimated for the years 2000 (without biogas plants) and 2011 (with biogas plants). For the year 2011, the analysis included the area demand for production of biogas feedstock and digestate recycling.

On average 17.6% of the BPU agricultural land was required to supply the biogas plants and dispose of their digestate. Per kilowatt installed electrical capacity this equates to 2.0 ha, including inter alia 0.4 ha for energy crops. Highest area requirements have been observed for biogas plants with <500 kW installed capacity. Between 2000 and 2011 the total carbon flux into soil increased by 2.1%. When considering the quality of different FOM sources the gain in carbon input was 2.8%. The BFAs showed higher carbon input to soil than the surrounding agricultural land due to high contributions from digestate and crop residues (esp. agricultural grass). This compensated the low carbon input from crop by-products (e.g. straw).

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19937
Witing, F., Prays, N., O'Keeffe, S., Gründling, R., Gebel, M., Kurzer, H.-J., Daniel-Gromke, J., Franko, U. (2018):
Biogas production and changes in soil carbon input - A regional analysis
Geoderma 320 , 105 - 114 10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.01.030