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Abstract: The combination of biomass production with other land use functions in multiple land use systems can reduce biomass production costs if these land use functions generate an economic benefit. Aim of this study is to find and apply methods for the quantification of the economic value of the phytoremediation function (cleaning of the soil by plants). For the purpose the combination of biomass production from willow and the phytoremediation function in a cadmium-contaminated case study area in the Rhine valley (near Freiburg, Germany) was analyzed. Farmers in this area will either have to set the land aside or switch from the high value vegetable production to the production of cereals that generate a lower gross margin. An alternative is the production of heavy metal accumulating willow varieties, which would clean the soil to the cadmium threshold value at which the area can be taken into vegetable production again within a period of six years. Three methods were chosen and applied to quantify the economic value of the phytoremediation function to the farmers: willingness-to-pay, substitution costs, and hedonic pricing. The economic value of the phytoremediation function to farmers as assessed by the substitution cost and hedonic price analysis delivers similar results and is about 14,600 and 14,850€ha−1, respectively, over a period of 20 years. Farmers, however, are only willing to pay 0–1500€ha−1, mainly because they consider remediation as the government’s duty. The study shows that the phytoremediation function generates an economic benefit for the farmers, but the amount considered strongly depends on the potential income from the cleaned area, the period of crop production after cleaning the soil and the time needed for cleaning the soil. The application of different methods to assess the economic benefit generates different results; here the use of hedonic price analysis is recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is expected that international biomass trade will significantly increase in the coming years because of the possibly lower costs of imported biomass, the better supply security through diversification and the support by energy and climate policies of various countries. Concerns about potential negative effects of large-scale biomass production and export, like deforestation or the competition between food and biomass production, have led to the demand for sustainability criteria and certification systems that can control biomass trade. Because neither such criteria and indicator sets nor certification systems for sustainable biomass trade are yet available, the objective of this study is to generate information that can help to develop them. For these purposes, existing certification systems, sets of sustainability criteria or guidelines on environmental or social sound management of resources are analyzed with the purpose to learn about the requirements, contents and organizational set ups of a certification system for sustainable biomass trade. First, an inventory of existing systems was made; second, their structures were analyzed. Key finding from the analysis of internationally applied certification systems was that they are generally led by an international panel that represents all countries and stakeholders involved in the biomass production and trade activities. In third and fourth steps different approaches to formulate standards were described and a list of more than 100 social, economic, ecological and general criteria for sustainable biomass trade was extracted from the reviewed systems. Fifth, methods to formulate indicators, that make sustainability criteria measurable, and verifiers that are used to control the performance of indicators are described. It is recommended to further develop the criteria and indicator (C&I) sets for sustainable biomass trade by involvement of the relevant stakeholders (e.g. biomass producer and consumer) and the analysis of local conditions (e.g. local production potentials and limits, and preferences of local people). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Miscanthus, a perennial rhizomatous C4 grass, is a potential biomass crop in Europe, mainly because of its high yield potential and low demand for inputs. However, until recently only a single clone, M.× giganteus, was available for the extensive field trials performed across Europe and this showed poor overwintering in the first year after planting at some locations in Northern Europe. Therefore, field trials with five Miscanthus genotypes, including two acquisitions of Miscanthus× giganteus, one of M. sacchariflorus and two hybrids of M. sinensis were planted in early summer 1997 at four sites, in Sweden, Denmark, England and Germany. The field trials showed that better overwintering of newly established plants at a site was not apparently connected with size or early senescence. An artificial freezing test with rhizomes removed from the field in January 1998 showed that the lethal temperature at which 50% were killed (LT50) for M.× giganteus and M. sacchariflorus genotypes was −3.4 °C. However, LT50 in one of the M. sinensis hybrid genotypes tested was −6.5 °C and this genotype had the highest survival rates in the field in Sweden and Denmark. Although the carbohydrate content of rhizomes, osmotic potential of cell sap and mineral composition were not found to explain differences in frost tolerance adequately, moisture contents correlated with frost hardiness (LT50) in most cases. The results obtained form a basis for identifying suitable Miscanthus genotypes for biomass production in the differing climatic regions of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of perennial crops has emerged as a very viable option for biomass-based energy production mainly due to their comparative ecological advantages over annual energy crops. This study is based on data collected from a field trial between 2002 and 2012 and was carried out with the main objective of evaluating the yield and quality performance of miscanthus and switchgrass using different harvest dates and N fertilization regimes (0 kg, 40 kg, 80 kg). Over the whole plantation period (including three years of establishment period), the mean yield of miscanthus was 16.2 t DM ha −1 a −1 , while switchgrass yielded 10.2 t DM ha −1 a −1 . In miscanthus, each increase in fertilizer level increased the N content in the harvested biomass, whereas in switchgrass, no significant difference was recorded for 0 kg and 40 kg N levels. The effect of N fertilization on ash was significant but independent of the crop. Both miscanthus and switchgrass biomass samples from the late harvests had a significantly lower N content than those from the early harvests. A Life Cycle Assessment covering the conducted field work and inputs of this trial showed relatively low energy input and emissions connected to the cropping of miscanthus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]