Energy balance of cardoon (cynara cardunculus L.) cultivation and pyrolysis

Abstract

Cynara cardunculus L. is a promising energy crop for energy production. The Biomass Research Centre realized experimental fields to test in Umbria region (Italy) the cultivation of a Spanish variety of cardoon. Biomass yield was 6.7 t d.m./ha, equal to about 103 GJ/ha of energy. The energy spent to cultivate cardoon, transport it and convert it into energy is estimated to be 9.3 GJ/ha. Energy required to pyrolyze Cardoon resulted to be 1.7 MJ/kg. The net energy yield per hectare of cultivated surface, is 60.8 GJ/ha, this means that about 59 % of the energy contained in the original cardoon biomass could be converted into heat, electricity and biochar. Energy Return On Investment is 6.5. These results have never been presented for cardoon, which has proven to be an efficient energy crop to produce bioenergy and biochar.