Field-to-wire: the environmental sustainability of bioenergy generation from the biomass of agricultural residues

Abstract

Agricultural residues offer a promising alternative for renewable energy production. This study explored the energy potential and environmental impacts of using residual biomass from wheat, barley, oats, olive trees, grapevines, and artichokes to generate bioenergy. A comprehensive “field-to-wire” approach was adopted utilizing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the entire supply chain from the field-level collection of agricultural residues to energy generation and grid integration.

Agricultural residues present a significant bioenergy potential of 3,900 terajoules (TJ) in the investigated area. Despite the sustainability benefits of bioenergy, this study underscores that field operations represent significant environmental burdens and contribute up to 50 % of the total energy demand and emissions. In areas where transportation distances are high, such as for grapevines, the logistics of biomass delivery can represent 40 % of the total impact of the supply chain. This study also assesses key sustainability metrics and reports an Energy Payback Time of 2.7 years, a Carbon Payback Time of 6.38 years, and an EROI of 7.40, which are all well above the sustainability threshold. These findings highlight the important role that agricultural residues can play in advancing renewable energy goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and contributing to rural revitalization. However, optimizing field operations, transportation logistics, and residue collection methods is essential for maximizing the efficiency and sustainability of bioenergy systems.