• Energy Research
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Wood ash recycling to forests is beneficial because it regains nutrients and prevents acidification, but wood ash application is restricted due to its cadmium (Cd) content. We question if Cd in wood ash represents a problem, since decreases in Cd bioavailability due to ash-induced pH changes may counteract increased total Cd concentration. We studied effects of wood ash (0, 3, 9 and 30 t ha-1) and lime (pH increase equivalent to the wood ash treatments) on growth and Cd uptake in Deschampsia flexuosa. After four months, we measured plant biomass and Cd accumulation, and extracted Cd from the soil using three different methods; HNO3 (total), EDTA (chelator-based) and NH4NO3 (salt-based). Wood ash and lime strongly stimulated plant growth. Cd concentration in the plant tissue decreased with wood ash and lime addition, and correlated positively with the NH4NO3 extractable fraction of Cd in the soil. In contrast, HNO3 and EDTA extracted more Cd with increased wood ash application. We conclude that wood ash amendment increases soil pH, total Cd concentration, nutrient levels and stimulates plant growth. However, it does not increase Cd accumulation in D. flexuosa, as pH-driven decreases in Cd bioavailability leads to reduced plant Cd uptake. Finally, soil bioavailable Cd is best determined using NH4NO3-extraction.

Abstract Fodder for feeding pork and poultry requires a large amount of cultivated and processed agricultural crops, which are often related to greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change (LUC). Given the rapid growth in meat production in Brazil for domestic consumption and international export, the link between LUC emissions and consumption of pork and poultry meat is central to evaluating the role of Brazilian meat production and the implications for international climate policies. In this paper, we first estimate LUC emissions from soybean production destined to feed pork and poultry in Brazil during the period 2008–2012. Second, we allocate such emissions to domestic and international consumption of pork and poultry meat. Concerning international consumption, Brazilian export of meat to 189 countries is evaluated. Although the majority of the LUC emissions from soybean production are tied to the domestic consumption, 17% and 39% of the emissions embodied in Brazilian pork and poultry, respectively, are exported to other countries. The most prominent destinations of Brazilian pork and poultry in terms of embodied LUC emissions are Eastern Europe, Asia and South America. In the case of pork, the fluxes of emissions from Brazil to Ukraine (1.28 Mt CO2-eq) and Russia (1.18 Mt CO2-eq) are particularly large. In the case of poultry, the largest transfers of embodied emissions are from Brazil to developing countries and especially the Middle East. These results are relevant to environmental policies and international agreements aimed at achieving the sustainability of Brazil's meat sector.

Abstract Public attitudes anywhere in Europe show moderate to strong support for the implementation of renewable energy. Nevertheless, planning wind power developments appears to be a complicated matter in most countries. The problems that have to be dealt with during decision making processes on the siting of wind turbines are usually referred to as mere ‘communication problems’. However, public attitudes towards wind power are fundamentally different from attitudes towards wind farms. This ‘gap’ causes misunderstandings about the nature of public support for renewables. In particular where planners easily assume support for renewables can be generated by information campaigns emphasising the environmental benefits, whereas opposition to renewable energy schemes can be explained by a selfish ‘not in my backyard’ attitude. Both explanations used by planners, authorities and, unfortunately, by many scholars, are falsified. Furthermore, policies that still take this ‘common knowledge’ for granted can have negative consequences for the implementation rates of renewables. Visual evaluation of the impact of wind power on landscape values is by far the dominant factor in explaining why some are opposed to wind power and others are supporting it. Moreover, feelings about equity and fairness appear the determinants of ‘backyard’ motives, instead of selfishness.

Abstract Solar energy has contributed significantly to the energy transition towards a low carbon society. Public offices – including universities – are being called to participate in the solar energy transition, as the availability of their rooftops represents an opportunity. The present study aimed at evaluating the economic feasibility of a photovoltaic (PV) plant at the University of L’Aquila, approximately 10 years after an earthquake devastated the region. The reconstruction process is ongoing, and a solar PV plant could potentially move the city in a sustainable direction. The development of sustainability models requires the economic verification of relevant projects and a complete list of indicators for decision-makers. The present work found that a 210 kW PV plant at the University of L’Aquila would reduce emissions by 184.9 t CO2eq/year and generate 1500 € profits for each kW installed; and a 115 kW PV plant would reduce emissions by 101.5 t CO2eq/year and generate profits of 1370 € for each kW installed. The analysis of alternative scenarios gave solidity to the results, confirming the pivotal role of the share of self-consumed energy. Level of insolation and plant size were also found to significantly influence economic performance. Finally, the adoption of a bonus to encourage the production and self-consumption of energy may increase investors’ attention towards environmental issues.

Biomasa je obnovljivi izvor energije, koji bilježi rast upotrebe prije svega zbog ekoloških utjecaja. Nije je potrebno dodatno preraditi kako bi se koristila kao izvor za proizvodnju električne energije. Dakle, koristi se u svome prirodnom obliku. U radu će se pojasniti sam pojam biomase i način iskoristivosti iste za proizvodnju električne energije. Između ostalog, korištenje biomase za proizvodnju električne energije donosi niz prednosti u ekonomskom statusu države, regija i gradova, otvaranjem novih radnih mjesta u poljoprivredi, šumarstvu i pogonima za proizvodnju električne energije (kogeneracijskim elektranama). Biomass is a renewable energy source, which records an increase in use due to environmental impacts. No further processing is required to be used as a source for elektricity generation. So it is used in its natural form. The paper will explain the concept of biomass and the way it can be used for electricity production. Among other things, the use of biomass for electricity production brings a number of advantages in the economic status of the state, regions and cities, by creating new jobs in agriculture, forestry and electricity generation plants (cogeneration power plants).

To mitigate the climate change-induced water shortage and realize the sustainable development of agriculture, drip irrigation, a more efficient water-saving irrigation method, has been intensively implemented in most arid agricultural regions in the world. However, compared to traditional border irrigation, how drip irrigation affects the biophysical conditions in the cropland and how crops physiologically respond to changes in biophysical conditions in terms of water, heat and carbon exchange remain largely unknown. In view of the above situation, to reveal the mechanism of drip irrigation in improving spring wheat water productivity, paired field experiments based on drip irrigation and border irrigation were conducted to extensively monitor water and heat fluxes at a typical spring wheat field (Triticum aestivum L.) in Northwest China during 2017–2020. The results showed that drip irrigation improved yield by 10.3 % and crop water productivity (i.e., yield-to-evapotranspiration-ratio) by 15.6 %, but reduced LAI by 16.9 % in contrast with border irrigation. Under drip irrigation, the lateral development of spring wheat roots was promoted by higher soil temperature combined with frequent dry-wet alternation in the shallow soil layer (0–20 cm), which was the basis for efficient absorption of water and fertilizer, as well as efficient formation of photosynthate. Meanwhile, drip irrigation increased net radiation and decreased latent heat flux by inhibiting leaf growth, thereby increased sensible heat, causing a higher soil temperature (+1.10 ℃) and canopy temperature (+1.11 ℃). Further analysis proved that soil temperature was the key factor affecting yield formation. Based on the above conditions, the decrease in leaf distribution coefficient (−0.030) led to the decrease in evapotranspiration (−5.7 %) and the increase in ear distribution coefficient (+0.029). Therefore, drip irrigation emphasized the role of soil moisture in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, enhanced crop activity by increasing field temperature, especially soil temperature, and finally improved yield and water productivity via carbon reallocation. The study revealed the mechanism of drip irrigation for improving spring wheat yield, and would contribute to improving Earth system models in representing agricultural cropland ecosystems with drip irrigation and predicting the subsequent biophysical and biogeochemical feedbacks to climate change.

AbstractClimate change alters surface water availability (WA; precipitation minus evapotranspiration, P − ET) and consequently impacts agricultural production and societal water needs, leading to increasing concerns on the sustainability of water use. Although the direct effects of climate change on WA have long been recognized and assessed, indirect climate effects occurring through adjustments in terrestrial vegetation are more subtle and not yet fully quantified. To address this knowledge gap, here we investigate the interplay between climate‐induced changes in leaf area index (LAI) and ET and quantify its ultimate effect on WA during the period 1982–2016 at the global scale, using an ensemble of data‐driven products and land surface models. We show that ~44% of the global vegetated land has experienced a significant increase in growing season‐averaged LAI and climate change explains 33.5% of this greening signal. Such climate‐induced greening has enhanced ET of 0.051 ± 0.067 mm year−2 (mean ± SD), further amplifying the ongoing increase in ET directly driven by variations in climatic factors over 36.8% of the globe, and thus exacerbating the decline in WA prominently in drylands. These findings highlight the indirect impact of positive feedbacks in the land–climate system on the decline of WA, and call for an in‐depth evaluation of these phenomena in the design of local mitigation and adaptation plans.