University of Groningen Quantifying and mapping bioenergy potentials in China Zhang, Bingquan

University of Groningen

Quantifying and mapping bioenergy potentials in China

Zhang, Bingquan

DOI:

10.33612/diss.168012388

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Publication date: 2021

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Zhang, B. (2021). Quantifying and mapping bioenergy potentials in China: Spatiotemporal analysis of technical, economic and sustainable biomass supply potentials for optimal biofuel supply chains in China. University of Groningen. https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.168012388

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Quantifying and mapping bioenergy potentials in China

Spatiotemporal analysis of technical, economic, and sustainable

biomass supply potentials for optimal biofuel supply chains in China

The work described in this thesis was performed at Integrated Research on

Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), Energy and Sustainability Research

Institute Groningen (ESRIG), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of

Groningen, The Netherlands. The work was financially supported by the China

Scholarship Council and partly by the University of Groningen.

Printing of this thesis was financially supported by the University of Groningen

and the Graduate School of Science and Engineering.

Layout Bingquan

Zhang

Cover design

Jingyao Li

Print

Gildeprint BV, Enschede, The Netherlands

© Copyright 2021 Bingquan Zhang, Groningen, The Netherlands

All right reserved. No part of the thesis may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written

permission of the author.

Quantifying and mapping bioenergy potentials

in China

Spatiotemporal analysis of technical, economic, and sustainable

biomass supply potentials for optimal biofuel supply chains in China

PhD thesis

to obtain the degree of PhD at the

University of Groningen

on the authority of the

Rector Magnificus Prof. C. Wijmenga

and in accordance with

the decision by the College of Deans.

This thesis will be defended in public on

Friday 30 April 2021 at 14.30 hours

by

Bingquan Zhang

born on 28 February 1992

Supervisor

Co-supervisor

Assessment Committee

Prof. A.P.C. Faaij

Prof. T. Lin

Prof. H.C. Moll

Prof. H.M. Junginger

Prof. M. Khanna

I

Table of contents

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 The need for biofuel in China ... 2

1.2 Cautious production of biofuel in China ... 3

1.3 Gaps in knowledge ... 6

1.3.1 Energy crops from marginal land ... 7

1.3.2 Agricultural residues and soil organic carbon ... 8

1.3.3 Biofuel supply chain ... 9

1.4 Objective, research questions, and thesis outline ... 10

References Chapter 1 ... 14

Chapter 2 Modelled spatial assessment of biomass productivity and

technical potential of Miscanthus× giganteus, Panicum virgatum L. and

Jatropha on marginal land in China — Yield assessment of energy crops in

China

2.1 Introduction ... 23

2.2 Materials and Methods ... 25

2.2.1 Identification of marginal land technically available for energy crop production ... 25

2.2.2 Species selection ... 27

2.2.3 Model description and selection ... 28

2.2.4 Technical potential of energy crop production on marginal land ... 31

2.3 Data Input ... 33

2.3.1 Spatial data for the identification of marginal land ... 33

2.3.2 Yield of energy crop cultivation on marginal land. ... 33

2.4 Results ... 34

2.4.1 Marginal land technically available for energy crop production ... 34

2.4.2 Yields of energy crop cultivation on marginal land... 36

2.4.3 Technical potential of energy crop plantation on marginal land ... 41

2.5 Discussion ... 45

II

2.5.2 Identification of marginal land technically available for biomass production 45

2.5.3 Yields and technical potential estimation by models ... 46

2.6 Acknowledgements ... 49

References Chapter 2 ... 50

Appendix A2. Supplementary data ... 54

Chapter 3 Spatiotemporal assessment of farm-gate production costs and

economic potential of Miscanthus × giganteus, Panicum virgatum L., and

Jatropha grown on marginal land in China — Economic assessment of energy

crops in China

3.1 Introduction ... 71

3.2 Materials and Methods ... 74

3.2.1 Essential background information for this study ... 74

3.2.2 Calculation of the farm-gate production cost ... 75

3.2.3 Economic potential of energy crop production on marginal land ... 81

3.2.4 Sensitivity analysis ... 82

3.2.5 Data for the yield and the technical potential of energy crop ... 82

3.3 Results ... 82

3.3.1 Farm-gate production cost of energy crop from marginal land ... 82

3.3.2 Economic potential of energy crop production on marginal land ... 87

3.3.3 Sensitivity analysis ... 90

3.4 Discussion ... 93

3.5 Acknowledgements ... 97

References Chapter 3 ... 98

Chapter 4 Spatially explicit analyses of sustainable agricultural residue

potential for bioenergy in China under various soil and land management

scenarios

4.1 Introduction ... 103

4.2 Methodology ... 108

III

4.2.2 Estimation of the residue amount required for maintaining soil health ... 110

4.2.3 Estimation of the sustainable potential of residues ... 111

4.2.4 Scenarios ... 112

4.2.5 Calculation of on-farm costs for residues collection ... 115

4.2.6 Estimation of the economic potential of agricultural residues... 119

4.3 Results and discussion ... 120

4.3.1 Sustainable agricultural residue potential ... 120

4.3.2 On-farm costs for residue collection ... 124

4.3.3 Economic potential of agricultural residues ... 126

4.3.4 Competing use of agricultural residues ... 127

4.3.5 Uncertainties in biomass supply ... 128

4.3.6 Practical implications of this study ... 129

4.4 Conclusions ... 130

4.5 Acknowledgements ... 131

References Chapter 4 ... 132

Appendix A4. Supplementary data ... 136

Chapter 5 Economic optimization for dual-feedstock lignocellulosic-based

sustainable biofuel supply chain considering greenhouse gas emission and soil

carbon stock

5.1 Introduction ... 143

5.2 Methodology ... 146

5.2.1 Biomass supply and supply chain configuration ... 146

5.2.2 Modelling framework ... 147

5.2.3 Optimization procedure ... 149

5.3 Case study ... 150

5.3.1 Set up of the case study ... 150

5.3.2 Scenario ... 152

5.3.3 Input data ... 153

5.4 Results and discussion ... 157

IV

5.4.2 Optimal layout under economic optimization ... 158

5.4.3 Economic performance ... 160

5.4.4 GHG emission performance ... 163

5.4.5 Comprehensive performance of scenarios ... 164

5.4.6 Sensitivity analysis ... 165

5.4.7 Uncertainty and future research recommendation ... 167

5.5 Conclusions ... 168

5.6 Acknowledgements ... 169

References Chapter 5 ... 170

Appendix A5. Detailed model description ... 175

Model formulas ... 175

Nomenclature ... 177

Appendix B5. Supplementary data ... 179

Chapter 6 Summary and conclusions

6.2 Objectives and research questions ... 188

6.3 Summary of chapters ... 189

6.4 Main findings and conclusions ... 196

6.4.1 Research question I ... 196

6.4.2 Research question II ... 199

6.4.3 Research question III ... 202

6.5 Recommendations ... 204

References Chapter 6 ... 208

Chapter 7 Samenvatting en conclusive

Appendix

Acknowledgments ... 218

List of publications ... 222