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Research article2015Peer reviewed

How Much Yield Should We Expect from Fast-Growing Plantations for Energy? Divergences Between Experiments and Commercial Willow Plantations

Mola Yudego, Blas; Díaz-Yáñez, Olalla; Dimitriou, Ioannis

Abstract

How representative are yields from experimental plots compared to large-scale commercial implementation? This study analyses the yields of fast-growing willow plantations for energy reported in experimental trials in Sweden during the period 1980-2012 compared with those from commercial willow plantations for the period 1986-2006. The study reviews 16 academic publications, which include 466 records from experimental plots, and records from 2073 commercial plantations across the country. The average yield recorded from experiments was 7.7 odt ha(-1) year(-1), compared to commercial plantations' yields 2.6 and 4.2 odt ha(-1) year(-1) for the first and second rotations, respectively. The measured area of the experimental plots seems to have an effect in the overestimation of the average yields, which can be attributed to extrapolation errors. In addition, to explain the broad differences between yield estimates, we identify the following as potential factors: near-optimal management practices and choice of land age differences and rotation lengths, edge effects, measurement methods, harvesting losses, increased mortality, and increased probability of hazard. The results can help to rationalize the expectations derived from experiments and to a more realistic planning of future plantation schemes.

Keywords

Biomass; Bioenergy; Short rotation forestry; Energy crops

Published in

BioEnergy Research
2015, Volume: 8, number: 4, pages: 1769-1777

      SLU Authors

      • Sustainable Development Goals

      SDG7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

      UKÄ Subject classification

      Renewable Bioenergy Research
      Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-015-9630-1

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/71868