A preliminary analysis of the biomass energy production potential in Africa in 2025 considering projected land needs for food production

This paper provides a preliminary examination of present and projected land use in Africa to estimate the potential availability of land in 2025 for use in producing biomass energy. Fifty countries are included in the analysis. Future cropland requirements are projected on the basis of average African cereal crop yield improvements since 1972, and minimum nutritional requirements are assumed to be met in 2025 without increasing imports above present absolute levels. Cropland, natural forests and other wilderness areas are excluded from consideration for biomass energy use. Woody biomass energy yields are estimated on the basis of nationally averaged precipitation, using a yield-precipitation correlation for commercial eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. The total African bioenergy production potential in 2025 is estimated to be about 18 EJ per year for a set of baseline assumptions that includes planting only 10% of the available non-crop, non-forest, non-wilderness area with biomass energy crops. A preliminary cost assessment suggests that much of this biomass could be produced for $1–2 GJ⁻¹. A number of uncertainties in the modelling assumptions are examined through a sensitivity analysis. Despite limitations in the model used here, one robust conclusion is that Africa as a whole has a significant biophysical potential for producing biomass energy. This result suggests that more detailed country and sub-country level assessments would be worthwhile to understand better the practical prospects for future biomass energy production in Africa.     

Harvesting small trees and forest residues

Eight countries collaborated and shared technical information on the harvesting of small trees and forest residues in a three year program. Proceedings and reports from workshops and reviews are summarized in a review of activities and harvesting systems of the participating countries. Four databases were developed for harvesting and transportation of these materials.     

Anaerobic digestion of alkaline black liquor using an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

The anaerobic digestion of alkaline black liquor from a cereal straw pulping mill was studied in batch (serum bottles) and continuous systems (up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor—UASB). The batch digestion studies confirmed that lignin and related compounds (LRC) in the alkaline black liquor were the main inhibitory substances and could not be decomposed by anaerobic bacteria. At organic loading rates of 5–10 kg COD m^?3 day^?1, the UASB reactor achieved 50–60% COD removal efficiencies. Gas production was 2–3 dm³ per dm³ of alkaline black liquor. Two different sludge types were examined in the reactor: granular and cluster-like sludges. Sludge in a cluster, which involved many small granules and flocs, tended to form larger aggregates and possessed good settling ability.     

农业电子商务发展的现状与对策研究

该文在介绍国外农业电子商务发展的背案下,对我国农业电子商务发展的现状作了实例的分析和对策研究。     

Application and Demonstration of a Series of Rare Earth Drought Resistant Materials in Western Area of China

The application and effects for a series of rare earth (RE) drought resistant materials used in arid, salina,hungriness, wind defending and sand fixing matter, withdraw farming and return to grass and forest in western of China were reported.The important discussion was technological innovation within two years: such as seed clothing agent,RE liquid field film, RE grass and woods transplant living agent, and RE complex pesticide development and application.     

确保粮食安全和环境可持续发展的水土资源利用

主要讨论灌溉农业所面临的挑战.随着人均可用水量的不断下降,灌溉农业必须提高水资源利用效率,同时进一步采用有利于环境的经营和管理方式.灌溉界面临的压力是如何通过提高作物产量和用水效率来实现生产率的最大化.今后的发展方向是以更加高效率、有成效的方式利用水资源,而实现从"提高每滴水的粮食产量"向"少用水,多产粮"的转变,则有助于该目标的实现.为了尽可能减小外在因素的影响,将来的努力方向是在全面性和整体性上下工夫.     

Modeling tree root diameter and biomass by ground-penetrating radar

Roots play a key role in ecosystem functioning as they transfer water and nutrients from soil to plants.Traditional methods for measuring roots are labor-intensive and destructive in nature,which limits quantitative and repeatable assessments in longterm research.Ground-penetrating radar(GPR) provides a non-destructive method to measure plant roots.Based on the superiority of GPR with 2 GHz frequency,we developed a new,practical method to estimate root biomass.First,average root matter density was measured ...     

秸秆直燃生物质电厂动态发电成本分析

结合火电厂成本研究方法,以月为单位建立生物质发电动态成本分析模型,根据机组容量与负荷特性分摊年固定成本,以生物质发电系统为研究对象计算不同秸秆价所对应发电成本的最大值和最小值,并对发电成本进行了敏感性分析.结果表明:燃料费的变化对生物质电厂发电成本的影响最大,折旧费和厂用电费的影响其次,燃料价格降低10%和20%时,发电成本分别降低5.09%和10.17%.     

基于虚拟植物生长模型的分布式农业专家系统研究

针对传统农业专家系统存在着缺少动态预测功能及机理性解释的不足和利用率低的缺点,设计了一种虚拟植物生长模型﹑农业专家系统和分布式虚拟现实技术的集成框架。虚拟植物生长模型和农业专家系统的有机集成,可以帮助推理机获得推理决策所必需的数据和降低系统决策的风险性。此外,利用多用户分布式虚拟环境使得基于虚拟植物农业专家系统为用户提供内容更丰富、视觉更直观、方便快捷的服务。