General Description
The POPFULL project involves both an experimental approach at a representative field site in Lochristi, East Flanders (Belgium) and a modelling part. For the experimental approach a short-rotation coppice culture (
SRC, 18.4 ha) of poplar (
Populus) and willow (
Salix) is being monitored during the course of 2+2 years. The harvested materials will be transformed into bio-energy using two alternative techniques, i.e. a small-scale gasification and co-combustion in an electricity plant.
Objectives
The objectives of the POPFULL project are: (i) to make a full balance of the most important greenhouse gases (CO
2, CH
4, N
2O, H
2O and O
3), (ii) to make a full energy and economic accounting; and (iii) to perform a full life cycle analysis (
LCA) of the global warming contribution of
SRC. The overall energy efficiency of the system will be assessed.
Methodology
Eddy covariance techniques will be used to monitor net fluxes of all greenhouse gases, in combination with common assessments of biomass pools (incl. soil) and fluxes. For the energy accounting we use life cycle analysis (
LCA) and energy efficiency assessments over the entire life cycle of the
SRC plantation until the production of electricity and heat. A significant process based modeling component will integrate the collected knowledge on the greenhouse gas and energy balances toward predictions and simulations of the net reduction of fossil greenhouse gas emissions (avoided emissions) of
SRC over different rotation cycles.
Attachments
Funding
