Utilization of Crop Residue for Power Generation: the Case of Ukraine
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sustainability Article Utilization of Crop Residue for Power Generation: The Case of Ukraine Yongzhong Jiang 1,2, Valerii Havrysh 3 , Oleksandr Klymchuk 4, Vitalii Nitsenko 5, Tomas Balezentis 6,* and Dalia Streimikiene 6 1 College of Management Science, Chengdu University of Technology, 1 ErXianQiaoDongSan Rd, Chengdu 610059, China; [email protected] 2 Department of Economics, University of Kansas, 1460 Jayhawk Blvd., 415 Snow Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA 3 Department of Tractors and Agricultural Machinery, Operating and Maintenance, Mykolayiv National Agrarian University, Mykolayiv 54020, Ukraine; [email protected] 4 Department of Administrative Management and Alternative Sources of Energy, Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, Vinnytsia 21000, Ukraine; [email protected] 5 Department of Accounting and Taxation, Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Higher education institution, Private Joint-Stock Company, Kyiv 03039, Ukraine; [email protected] 6 Division of Farm and Enterprise Economics, Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics, Vilnius 01113, Lithuania; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 26 October 2019; Accepted: 4 December 2019; Published: 8 December 2019 Abstract: Renewable energy is expected to play a significant role in power generation. The European Union, the USA, China, and others, are striving to limit the use of energy crop for energy production and to increase the use of crop residue both on the field and for energy generation processes. Therefore, crop residue may become a major energy source, with Ukraine following this course. Currently in Ukraine, renewable power generation does not exceed 10% of total electricity production. Despite a highly developed agriculture sector, there are only a small number of biomass power plants which burn crop residues. To identify possibilities for renewable power generation, the quantity of crop residues, their energy potential, and potential electricity generation were appraised. Cluster analysis was used to identify regions with the highest electricity consumption and crop residue energy potential. The major crops (wheat, barley, rapeseed, sunflower, and soybean) were considered in this study. A national production of crop residue for energy production of 48.66 million tons was estimated for 2018. The availability of crop residues was analyzed taking into account the harvest, residue-to-crop ratio, and residue removal rate. The crop residue energy potential of Ukraine has been estimated at 774.46 PJ. Power generation technologies have been analyzed. This study clearly shows that crop residue may generate between 27 and 108 billion kWh of power. We have selected preferable regions for setting up crop residue power plants. The results may be useful for the development of energy policy and helpful for investors in considering power generation projects. Keywords: cluster analysis; energy potential; biomass availability; electricity consumption; residue-to-crop ratio 1. Introduction Ukrainian power plants annually generate more than 150 billion kWh. Approximately 37.8% of electricity is produced from fossil fuels (coal and natural gas) [1]. In 2018, Ukrainian thermal power plants consumed 26.22 million tons of coal [2]. To reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions Sustainability 2019, 11, 7004; doi:10.3390/su11247004 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2019, 11, 7004 2 of 21 Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 21 andimprove improve energy energy security, security, renewable renewable power power generation generation needs needs to to be developed.developed. UkraineUkraine currently currently operatesoperates 10 10 biomass biomass and and 33 33 biogas biogas power power plants plants [1 [1].]. SinceSince 2011, 2011, Ukraine Ukraine has has been been a a member member of of the the Energy Energy Community Community [ 3[3].]. Therefore, Therefore, the the country country is is obligedobliged to to implement implement European European Union Union directives directives concerning concerning renewable renewable energy, includingenergy, including for biomass for utilization.biomass utilization. Despite the Despite fact that the Ukraine’sfact that Ukraine’s electricity electricity consumption consumption is decreasing, is decreasing, renewable renewable power generationpower generation is almost is stable almost (Figure stable1). (Figure Its share 1). of Its the share country’s of the power country’s generation power ranged generation from 5.49%ranged infrom 2009 5.49% to 9.54% in 2009 in 2018. to 9.54% in 2018. Figure 1. Electricity consumption and renewable power generation (adapted from references [1,4–6]). Figure 1. Electricity consumption and renewable power generation (adapted from references [1,4– Large6]). scale biofuel production from edible crops (corn, rapeseed, soybean, sugar beet) may have a negative impact on food supply and its prices, soil erosion, and biodiversity [7]. Indeed, agricultural crop residueLarge scale may bebiofuel an environmentally production from and edible food friendly crops (corn, source rapeseed, of renewable soybean, energy sugar [8]. 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ThereMost are earliera number studies of studies were discussing focused on the energy agricultural potential, crop conversion residue energy technologies, potential oravailable existing in problemsthe world, (environmental, including at financial,separate andcountry political) and ofregional bioenergy levels. [10 ,11Bioenergy]. Gao et is al. in studied the spotlight the spatial for distributionresearchers. and total biomass potential for energy production in China [12]. Bentsen et al. provided estimatesMost of earlier agricultural studies residue were production focused on on energy a global potential, scale. Its geographicconversion variationtechnologies, in 227 or countries existing wasproblems revealed (environmental, [13]. Ren et al. financial, reviewed and wheat political) straw utilizationof bioenergy issues [10,11]. on aGao global et al. scale studied and a the national spatial leveldistribution (China). and They total analyzed biomass utilization potential technologies for energy and production their commercialization, in China [12]. Bentsen benefits, et and al. provided barriers. Theirestimates study of revealed agricultural that straw residue utilization production technologies on a global are currently scale. 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In additionfuels saving to agricultural and reducing waste, hazardous agrifood emissions, industry wasteespecially was the greenhouse subject of gases research [14]. for Some the production studies assessed of energy the resourcesbioenergy [ 18potential,19]. at local levels [15]. TheThere utilization are a number of biomass of studies residue devoted for power to the analysisgeneration of power was generationstudied in fromsome solid countries. biomass The in Ukraine.availability State-of-the-art of biomass of and electricity its potential production disadvantages and choosing were steam revealed turbines [16,17]. for combustion In addition based to biomassagricultural combined waste, heat agrifood and power industry (CHP) waste plants was were the subject carried of out research by Geletukha for the production et al. [20]. However, of energy aresources combustion [18,19]. based technology is only one of the main existing technologies. Fedorchenko [21] and MelnychenkoThere are [22 a ]number used cluster of studies analysis devoted to evaluate to the analysis the energy of power potential generation in the regions from solid of Ukraine. biomass Inin addition, Ukraine. Fedorchenko State‐of‐the‐ [art21] of focused electricity on energy production crops (corn and andchoosing rapeseed) steam for turbines biofuel productionfor combustion and Melnychenkobased biomass [22 combined] analyzed heat