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Projects: Summary of Projects by Region Projects in Region Scotland involving University of Edinburgh : NE/F015682/1
Reference Number	NE/F015682/1
Title	The present and future greenhouse gas budget of energy crops in the UK
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of other biomass-derived fuels (incl. Production from wastes)) 100%;
Research Types	Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields	BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (Biological Sciences) 75%; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences) 25%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 75%; Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions) 25%;
Principal Investigator	Professor E (Elizabeth ) Baggs No email address given Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Scienc University of Edinburgh
Award Type	R&D
Funding Source	NERC
Start Date	01 August 2008
End Date	31 July 2011
Duration	36 months
Total Grant Value	£177,778
Industrial Sectors	Transport Systems and Vehicles
Region	Scotland
Programme
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Professor E (Elizabeth ) Baggs , Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Scienc, University of Edinburgh (99.999%)
	Other Investigator	Professor P (Peter ) Smith , School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen (0.001%)
Web Site
Objectives	Overall aim: To enhance our understanding of the impact of bioenergy crops (C3, C4) on CO2, NO, N2O and CH4 emissions from soils, compared to conventional cropping, and to predict the impact of bioenergy cropping on future greenhouse gas budgets. Objectives: 1. To quantify CO2, NO, N2O and CH4 fluxes from a sandy clay soil cropped with the perennial bioenergy crops Miscanthus gigantus and SRC willow and to compare emissions to those from adjacent conventional crops. 2. To quantify under controlled conditions the relationship between GHG, NO fluxes and soil properties for a range of bioenergy and conventional crops. 3. To quantify and compare the respective contributions of nitrification and denitrification to N2O production and to quantify CH4 oxidation rates using stable isotope appro aches. 4. To relate GHG emissions from C4 and C3 bioenergy crops to the diversity ofdenitrifier, ammonia oxidiser and methanotroph populations, and to expression of key functional genes. 5. To parameterise the JULES model to simulate the water, energy, carbon and GHG balance of C4 and C3 bioenergy crops. 6. To simulate GHG emissions of the UK for present and future climates and a variety ofb io energy crop scenarios.
Abstract	Bioenergy is a key component of the UK Government's plans for tackling climate change. One of the major causes of increased atmospheric CO2 levels is the burning of fossil fuels releasing carbon that has been stored for centuries back into the atmosphere. In order to cut our use of fossil fuels we can grow crops for energy. Bioenergy (or 'biomass') crops are 'carbon neutral';when burned to generate electricity they only release the same amountof CO2 back into the atmosphere as they fixed. Thus no 'extra' CO2 is released into the atmosphere. Miscanthus and short rotation coppice (SRC) willow are the dominant bioenergy crops grown in the UK. They differ from more traditional current arable crops in terms of their physiology, nutrient requirements and management. The impact of such differences on biogeochemical cycling and soil microbiology, particularly in relation to the productionand oxidation of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), is unknown. It is essential to determine this in order to underpin future management of bioenergy cropping systems and to accurately project future greenhouse gas inventories. In this project we will measure emissions of CO2,CH4 and N2O from Miscanthus and SRC willow, and compare these to emissions from adjacently growing conventional crops. We will further investigate the processes producing N2O and quantify CH4 oxidation rates using stable isotope techniques under a range of controlled environment and managment conditions, and using molecular techniques will link these emissions to any differences or changes in themicrobial population responsible. This information will be used to develop the JULES community model of CEH, parameterising water, energy, carbon and greenhouse gas balances for these bioenergy crops, and to simulate greenhouse gas emissions for UK land if converted to growing Miscanthus and SRC willow under present and future climates.
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Added to Database	05/09/08