Abstract
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) is one of China's strategic energy bases for the 21st century. While bioenergy in IMAR may play an important role in securing future energy supply, little research has been done so far, particularly for crop stalk resources as a potential source of bioenergy in this region. In this study we systematically analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of crop stalk resources, evaluated the bioenergy potential of crop stalk resources, and explored possible pathways of developing stalk-based energy strategies in Inner Mongolia. Our results show that the total crop stalk yield in IMAR increased consistently from 1980 to 2008, with an average annual increase of 16.3%. Between 2004 and 2008, 26.14. million tons of crop stalks were produced each year in IMAR, 8.82. million tons of which could be used for biofuel production. Grain crops contributed most to the total amount of stalks for energy production, of which corn stalks were the largest contributor, accounting for 62% of the total crop stalk yield. Based on the current trend, crop stalk yields may continue to increase in the future. Geographically, the abundance of biofuelable crop stalk resources, either on a per capita or per unit of area basis, had a spatial pattern of "high on East and West and low in the middle" Our findings suggest that IMAR has the potential for developing stalk-based bioenergy to improve its current overwhelmingly coal-dominated energy structure. However, more detailed and comprehensive studies are needed to figure out how exactly such bioenergy development should be carried out in a way that would promote the regional sustainability of Inner Mongolia - i.e., simultaneously providing social, economic, and ecological benefits.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 305-318 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Applied Energy |
| Volume | 93 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2012 |
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Keywords
- Bioenergy
- Crop residues
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR)
- Multifunctional production
- Resource evaluation
- Sustainable development
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Energy(all)
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Fuel Technology
- Nuclear Energy and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Cite this
Quantitative assessment of bioenergy from crop stalk resources in Inner Mongolia, China. / Liu, Jin; Wu, Jianguo; Liu, Fengqiao; Han, Xingguo.
In: Applied Energy, Vol. 93, 05.2012, p. 305-318.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantitative assessment of bioenergy from crop stalk resources in Inner Mongolia, China
AU - Liu, Jin
AU - Wu, Jianguo
AU - Liu, Fengqiao
AU - Han, Xingguo
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) is one of China's strategic energy bases for the 21st century. While bioenergy in IMAR may play an important role in securing future energy supply, little research has been done so far, particularly for crop stalk resources as a potential source of bioenergy in this region. In this study we systematically analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of crop stalk resources, evaluated the bioenergy potential of crop stalk resources, and explored possible pathways of developing stalk-based energy strategies in Inner Mongolia. Our results show that the total crop stalk yield in IMAR increased consistently from 1980 to 2008, with an average annual increase of 16.3%. Between 2004 and 2008, 26.14. million tons of crop stalks were produced each year in IMAR, 8.82. million tons of which could be used for biofuel production. Grain crops contributed most to the total amount of stalks for energy production, of which corn stalks were the largest contributor, accounting for 62% of the total crop stalk yield. Based on the current trend, crop stalk yields may continue to increase in the future. Geographically, the abundance of biofuelable crop stalk resources, either on a per capita or per unit of area basis, had a spatial pattern of "high on East and West and low in the middle" Our findings suggest that IMAR has the potential for developing stalk-based bioenergy to improve its current overwhelmingly coal-dominated energy structure. However, more detailed and comprehensive studies are needed to figure out how exactly such bioenergy development should be carried out in a way that would promote the regional sustainability of Inner Mongolia - i.e., simultaneously providing social, economic, and ecological benefits.
AB - Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) is one of China's strategic energy bases for the 21st century. While bioenergy in IMAR may play an important role in securing future energy supply, little research has been done so far, particularly for crop stalk resources as a potential source of bioenergy in this region. In this study we systematically analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of crop stalk resources, evaluated the bioenergy potential of crop stalk resources, and explored possible pathways of developing stalk-based energy strategies in Inner Mongolia. Our results show that the total crop stalk yield in IMAR increased consistently from 1980 to 2008, with an average annual increase of 16.3%. Between 2004 and 2008, 26.14. million tons of crop stalks were produced each year in IMAR, 8.82. million tons of which could be used for biofuel production. Grain crops contributed most to the total amount of stalks for energy production, of which corn stalks were the largest contributor, accounting for 62% of the total crop stalk yield. Based on the current trend, crop stalk yields may continue to increase in the future. Geographically, the abundance of biofuelable crop stalk resources, either on a per capita or per unit of area basis, had a spatial pattern of "high on East and West and low in the middle" Our findings suggest that IMAR has the potential for developing stalk-based bioenergy to improve its current overwhelmingly coal-dominated energy structure. However, more detailed and comprehensive studies are needed to figure out how exactly such bioenergy development should be carried out in a way that would promote the regional sustainability of Inner Mongolia - i.e., simultaneously providing social, economic, and ecological benefits.
KW - Bioenergy
KW - Crop residues
KW - Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR)
KW - Multifunctional production
KW - Resource evaluation
KW - Sustainable development
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84857995092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84857995092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.12.059
DO - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.12.059
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84857995092
VL - 93
SP - 305
EP - 318
JO - Applied Energy
JF - Applied Energy
SN - 0306-2619
ER -