ANALYZE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WILLOWS CULTURE AS BIOMASS RESSOURCES IN BANAT REGION Prof.dr.eng.ec.

Dumitru TUCU1, Wilhelm HOLLERBACH2

1

POLITECHNICA University of Timisoara, 2S.C. REBINA GROUP S.R.L. Timisoara SUMMARY

This paper presents one analyze of opportunities for short rotation coppice (SRC) culture in Banat region, in order to ensure a coherent approach between energy and environment policies and to avoid the additional costs to business and the environmental incoherence that would be associated with an inconsistent approach. For these reasons, it was necessary to provide sustainability criteria ensuring that energy, biofuels and bioliquids can qualify for the incentives only when it can be guaranteed that they do not originate in biodiverse areas or, in the case of areas designated for nature protection purposes or for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species, the relevant competent authority demonstrates that the production of the raw material does not interfere with those purposes. There were considered agricultural criteria, economical criteria, social criteria, soil and clime conditions. A lot of species were considered, the most important criteria for analyze was the risk of production. The results of researches was used in decision for develop an important SRC culture in optimum area. Those criteria also have an important part to play in promoting the security of energy supply, promoting technological development and innovation and providing opportunities for employment and regional development, especially in rural and isolated areas. Also, production of energy from renewable sources often depends on local or regional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The final conclusion was that willow is the opportune culture for Banat region and creates conditions for cross-border cooperation programs. Key words: Short rotation coppice (SRC), optimization, biomass, willow salix viminalis, agriculture, opportunities

INTRODUCTION Energy demand is complex and supposes a lot of conditions, risks, costs, disparities, constraints etc. Nowadays energy demand increase and imposes special solutions to avoid environmental influences and insures low general costs (economic, social etc.). For European Union, according to Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 23th, 2009, the strategy will be considered more criteria focused on the control

of European energy consumption and the increase of the use of energy from renewable sources (the target of 20% share of renewable energy by 2020), together with energy savings and increasing of energy efficiency, as important parts of the complex package of measures needed to reduce GHG emissions. In the same time same the ensuring of the energetic security, promoting technological development and innovation and providing opportunities for employment and regional development (especially in rural and isolated areas) is also most important (Directive EU, 2009). According to the same document it is necessary that increasing demand for biofuels and bioliquids do not have the effect of encouraging the destruction of biodiverse lands. For these reasons will be promote that agricultural cultures which not originate in biodiverse areas or, in the cases of environmental protected areas, the promoters must demonstrate that the production of such raw material does not interfere with those purposes (Directive EU, 2009). Based on such considerations and others technical and optimal, the paper analyzes the opportunity for Salix cultivation in Romania, Banat region, by identifying the optimum areas. The decision has considered all criteria (technical, economical, social, environmental etc.), by developing a specifically analysis. 2. METHODS 2.1 Opportunities and conditions The principal opportunities for SRC in Europe are: - arable land in European Countries (EC) is 101 million Ha - all EC Countries have to fulfill the same directives (both general and specific national) like: Biomass Action Plan,Green Growth (this plan establish only for Denmark 50000 100000 ha with perennial crops in 2020) etc. - the biomass production is therefore needed - the farmers need new solutions for efficiency in condition of European Accords in Agriculture - the farmers could be part of the solution, not part of the problem As European country Romania needs to consider these aspects and develops a national plan in this area. Also, in specific regions as the west of the country, such systems must be integrated at regional cross-border level, according with the similarly agricultural potential. Actually, if we refer only at Salix, more than 50 000 ha are cultivated in Sweden, Hungary already proposed by its national energetic plan to create more 36 000 ha plantation till 2013 using only uncultivated land (Hollerbach et all, 2009). 2.2 Plant species analysis The first decision was establishing of most adequate species for Banat region, in conditions of optimize upon the aggregated criteria. There were considered for analyze next species: Salix Viminalis Energo, Robinia Pseudoacacia, Paulownia Tomentosa, Rubus sp. and Hamamelis Virgiliana. Less interests were considered also Ailanthus Altissima, Elaeagnus Angustifolia, Juglans Nigra, Lycium Barbarum, Prunus Spinosa (porumbarul), Acer Platanoides, Ononis Spinosa and Gleditsia Triacanthos.

After a SWOT analyze and economicity was decided the option for biomass specie which will be cultivated.. 2.3 Location analyzing and description The most important influence for willow culture is the soil both in productivity and life time of the culture in production (Tahvanainen L., 1999). First step was the analyzing of soil map, by using of data base compilation as part of Soil profile Database (PROFISOL- Romanian Soil Data Base System) for typical soil survey activities which have carried out soil in three fields: general soil resource inventory, agricultural land and forest land (Florea N., 1999, Munteanu D., 2007). Depending on soil, climate and specifically conditions, chemical compounds etc. (expressed by groundwater and surface water gleying, salinity/sodicity, topsoil texture, soil pollution, slope, landslides, groundwater depth, liability to inundation, total porosity, CaCO3, soil reaction, physiologically useful volume, humus reserve, excess of moisture etc.) together with economical criteria (land concession price, grouping of areas for insuring minimum 150 ha, price of local workforce etc.) and accessibility criteria was located the optimum area. 2.4. Optimization of cultivating technology and future use For establishing the cultivating technology firstly must consider that biomass production depends on several factors, the most important of which are: site conditions, and presence of pollutants (Heller M.C., 2004, Mleczeka M., 2010, Noronha-Sannervik A., 2003, Souch C.A., 2003, Volk T.A., 2004). Even the significance of biomass is the most important thing and the demand for Salix materials as an energy source is increasing, the use of such biomass has some limitations connected with the way of exploiting it (Helby P., 2006, Hoffmann D. 2005, Mleczeka M., 2010, Tharakan P.J., 2003). An important advantage was found at some willow species which are efficient in absorbing: heavy metal ions, organic compounds (PAH, PCB, TPH) and even selected explosives (Mleczeka M., 2010, Volk T.A., 2006). There was determined at different Salix clones wide differences in metal accumulation dependent on structure as well as amounts of metals available in the soil (Mleczeka M., 2010). Also, environmental studies show that phytoremediation by selected Salix clones can be a useful tool in technical replenishment methods in soil remediation (Dos Santos Utmazian M.N., 2007). Based on analyze conditions and economical criteria was established cultivating technology and agricultural machineries which are necessary. Important part was allowed to use of fertilization as important part for cultures start-up. Also, for future use, an important application of willows is in sewage sludge treatment (Labrecque M., 1997, Kocika Agnieszka, 2007). Final step was the economical analyzing by the help of the business plan realized considering all conditions and criteria presented. For the most interesting culture there was elaborated an economic model for costs calculation per hectare, for the first seven years of the culture.

Also in different scenarios were considered threads and weaknesses and principal problems against extending the plantation. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 SWOT analysis It is presented an example of SOWT analysis for willow. Particularly for Banat region could be presented some opportunities as follows (Hollerbach et all, 2009): - Willow can grow (recommended) on permanent wetlands or periodical, evapotranspiration has a capacity of 15-20 l water/day; this advantage gives an undisputed place as the plant used to make thousands of hectares of land; - The annual reception capacity of 20-30 tons / ha of sludge from the waste water treatment; - Cultivation of willow creates new jobs for unskilled people and for unused machines, because harvesting is done during the break crop after the fall leaves (used as fertilizer), in the months from November to March, a period when agricultural machinery is not used for anything else; - Willow can be a reliable alternative energy sources (heating) for localities, being used as biomass (hash) briquettes or pellets; the pelleting equipment units - briquetting of different capacity transform minced willow in briquettes or pellets, and these products are used for heating localities (at least the schools, clinics, kindergartens etc.); - Willow Salix Viminalis Energo - is highly resistant to different weather conditions; - Results after 3 years of experience in Hungary (neighbored country in cross-border area), show that willow performed extremely well on sandy soil and heat much higher, resulting in a higher yield by 45% (in Hungary cca.60t/ha front of 40-45 t / ha in Sweden). In the same time, the expanding the plantation encounter next problems: a. Lack of information about the existence and benefits of these varieties b. Lack of regulation in achieving plantations. The lack of regulation in achieving plantations includes special steps for Romania: - clarification to areas include - plant species of agricultural or forest (because energy willow is planted with a duration of spring - fall so in a crop year were cases in which falling in the category of agricultural plants and modest annual grants-in, like agricultural production; in recent years the EU has decided that to be subsidized energy plants separately, and was left to each member country in part to determine how employment); - which is subject to the regulation of agricultural plants or the forest (in all countries where energy willow plantations have a significant scale - are classified in category "special" timber species, forest regulations in so far as plantation, but special collection on them (do not require permits for harvesting))? - determining how the grant operates economical (the grant was initially set at 200 EUR/ha - (in Sweden and Hungary) in each year after harvest; it means that a plantation is 25-30 years of life, but in the first year of life production is negligible, about 10t/ha (in this period grows roots) and in subsequent years is the annual production of 40-45 t/ha (after the Swedish records and 50-60 t/ha in Hungary); this crop provides a considerable income growers (cca.1.400 EUR/ha) and no annual subsidy, but to date further development has been slow due to large costs of

plantation (about 2000 EUR/ha); in 2006 - most states went to subsidies by 50% the cost of plantation, giving the annual subsidy; following this measure, in Hungary in autumn 2006 requests for cuttings and registration of land for plantation increased by over 50% and in Sweden is considered the most viable solution for achieving the EU requirements, as each member country to cover 12% of unconventional sources of energy consumption); - terms for the grant, if grant conditions are clearly, and apply a standard method - coverage of various national programs of the cultivation, and processing biomass (currently, Romania has bought both companies licensed in Sweden and in Hungary, there are steps initiated for approval of nurseries, but without some national programs competing to expand their plantations throughout the country and no national programs to spur the development of regional investment from use of biomass plantations (briquetting plant, pelleting) can not extend Salix crops). 3.2 Plant options More than 200 variants (species) of willow from Sweden were selected firstly, final option was for varieties that has a very large increase (3-3.5 cm / day) a high content of salicylic acid which gives the properties a number of very favorable - high calorific value (greater than beech or oak), resistance to weathering, resistance to degradation during storage in the form of mince (raw material for pelleting for briquetting). Strain, may be knots, bark with cracks, reaching a height more than 3-4 meters, but some of elected species can reach up to 10-15 meters. 3.3 Location analyzing and description The above lead us to conclude that in Romania there are all the right conditions to grow them (the whites of rivers, floodplains unused). By extending the energy willow plantations, besides being a source of renewable energy put into use unused land, it avoids (or reduces considerably) destroying of the forest generated by the increasing demand for cheaper fuel. In figure 1 is presented the soil repartition in Romania based on reliability classes (Cernescu N., 1989), one of the bases in area establishing. Final decision was for adopted for 150 ha polder area in Ghilad, near Timis river, position marked by black circle in figure 1. 3.4 Analysis of economical needs Based on agro technical activities, in table no. 1 are presented principal costs per hectare, per each activity and year of culture. Year0 was the year before founding of the culture, because such areas were usually not cultivated before and needs special tillage. All costs were calculated based on condition of minimum grouped 40 ha land surface, in conditions of local workforce prices in Ghilad, and fuel prices in 2009 year, in conditions of external use of mechanization equipment, considering also, subvention given from agricultural activities in Romania.

Figure 1 The soil repartition in Romania based on reliability classes (Cernescu N., 1989) Table no.1 Estimated costs for 1 ha willow culture for firstly six years No. Agrotechnics Costs Year0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Year6 works [EUR/ha] [EUR] [EUR] [EUR] [EUR] [EUR] [EUR] [EUR] I. Soil preparation 1. Tilling 76,00 76,00 2. Herbicide 50,00 50,00 3. Cultivation 20,00 20,00 4. Herbicide 50,00 50,00 5. Cultivation 20,00 20,00 II. Plantation 6. Cutting pl. 1200,00 1200,00 7. Plantation 120,00 120,00 III. Maintenance 8. Herbicide 50,00 50,00 9. Cultivation 180,00 30,00 30,00 30,00 30,00 30,00 30,00 10. Fertilization 225,00 135,00 45,00 45,00 11. Harvesting 400,00 80,00 80,00 80,00 80,00 80,00 12. Transport 100,00 20,00 20,00 20,00 20,00 20,00 2491,00 216,00 1535,00 175,00 175,00 130,00 130,00 130,00 TOTAL The costs could be seriously improved if there is considered the possibility of investments by the help of European grants.

CONCLUSIONS As result from international practice, and analysis of local conditions, for Banat region, Salix Viminalis Energo is the most suitable species of economically, the other SRC being the additional species that should be planted in areas that are restricted (and stuffing). REFERENCES Journal article 1. Dos Santos Utmazian M.N., Wieshammer G., Vega R. and Wenzel W.W., (2007). Hydroponic screening for metal resistance and accumulation of cadmium and zinc in twenty clones of willows and poplars, Environ Pollut 148, pp. 155165. 2. Florea N., Untaru G., Vespremeanu R. (1999). Microzonarea pedo-geoclimatic actualizat a teritoriului Romniei. St. Solului, vol. 33, nr.1, pag. 86 - 104. 3. Helby P., Rosenqvist H. and Roos A., (2006). Retreat from Salix Swedish experience with energy crops in the 1990s, Biomass Bioenerg 30, pp. 422427. 4. Heller M.C., Keoleian G.A., Mann M.K. and Volk T.A., (2004). Life cycle energy and environmental benefits of generating electricity from willow biomass, Renew Energ 29, pp. 10231042. 5. Hoffmann D. and Weih M., (2005). Limitations and improvement of the potential utilization of woody biomass for energy derived from short rotation woody crops in Sweden and Germany, Biomass Bioenerg 28, pp. 267279. 6. Kocika Agnieszka, Truchana Monika and Rozen Anna, (2007). Application of willows (Salix viminalis) and earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in sewage sludge treatment, European Journal of Soil Biology, Volume 43, Supplement 1, November 2007, Pages S327-S331 7. Labrecque M., Teodorescu T.I., Daigle Stphane, (1997). Biomass productivity and wood energy of Salix species after 2 years growth in SRIC fertilized with wastewater sludge, Biomass and Bioenergy, Volume 12, Issue 6, Pages 409-417 8. Mleczeka M., Rutkowskib P., Rissmanna Iwona, Kaczmarekc Z., Golinskia P., Szentnera Kinga, Katarzyna Strayskab and Agnieszka Stachowiakb, (2010). Biomass productivity and phytoremediation potential of Salix alba and Salix viminalis, Biomass and Bioenergy, Volume 34, Issue 9, Pages 1410-1418 9. Noronha-Sannervik A. and Kowalik P., (2003). Annual variations in the solar energy conversion efficiency in a willow coppice stand, Biomass Bioenerg 25, pp. 227233.

10. Souch C.A., Martin P.J., Stephens W. and Spoor G., (2004). Effects of soil compaction and mechanical damage at harvest on growth and biomass production of short rotation coppice willow, Plant Soil 263, pp. 173182. 11. Tahvanainen L., Rytknen V-M., (1999). Biomass production of Salix viminalis in southern Finland and the effect of soil properties and climate conditions on its production and survival Biomass and Bioenergy, Volume 16, Issue 2, , Pages 103-117 12. Tharakan P.J., Volk T.A., Abrahamson L.P. and White E.H., (2003). Energy feedstock characteristics of willow and hybrid poplar clones at harvest age, Biomass Bioenerg 25, pp. 571580. 13. Volk T.A., Ballard B., Robinson D.J. and Abrahamson L.P., (2004). Effect of cutting storage conditions during planting operations on the survival and biomass production of four willow (Salix L.) clones, New For 28, pp. 6378. 14. Volk T.A., Abrahamson L.P., Nowak C.A., Smart L.B., Tharakan P.J. and White E.H., (2006). The development of short-rotation willow in the northeastern United States for bioenergy and bioproducts, agroforestry and phytoremediation, Biomass Bioenerg 30, pp. 715 727 Congress article 15. Munteanu, D., Florea N. et all., (2007). Status of Soil Mapping, Monitoring, and Database Compilation in Romania at the beginning of the 21st century, European Soil Bureu Researche Report No.9 16. Hollerbach W., Tucu D., (2009). Analyze of opportunities for optimum culture for biomass ressources in Banat region, Integrated Systems for Agri-Food Production, Nyregyhaza, Hungary, pag 41-45 Book and chapter from book 17. Cernescu N., et al. (1989). Harta Solurilor, Republica Socialista Romania (Atlas Geologic FOIA No11). (Soil Map of Romania, (Atlas Geologic FOIA No. 11)) 18. Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 april 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC, Council of the European Union, 8/9 March 2007, note 7224/1/07.