BUCHAREST3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

1ST EUROPEAN SORGHUM CONGRESS

WORKSHOP FROM ENERGY PRODUCTION TO FOOD AND FEED

BIOGAS PRODUCTION WITH SORGHUM BIOMASS

Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Head of department for renewable resources

crops, TFZ institute GERMANY

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

STRUCTURE

2 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

Why sorghum for biogas in Germany?

Cultivar screening in Straubing, Bavaria

Methane yield andinfluencing factors

Sorghum as energy crop: key issues for breeding

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

INSTITUTE DESCRIPTION

3 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

Institution of the Bavarian Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry

Applied research:

Energy and raw material crops

Biofuels

Combustion

Support of bioenergy projects, e.g. biomass heating stations

Transfer of knowledge

TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT CENTER (TFZ)

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3-4 NOVEMBER 20164 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

WHY SORGHUM FOR BIOGAS?

SORGHUM IS MORE THAN FEED

High yield potential

Requires only a short growing period Sorghum as catch crop in cropping systems with whole crop cereals

Lower input than maize

Can be grown on light soils/under conditions, where maize has no stable yield

Methane yield of sorghum is satisfying

Sorghum is rarely used as fodder in Germany Hydrocyanic acid/prussic acid content

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3-4 NOVEMBER 20165 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

WHY SORGHUM FOR BIOGAS?

RESTRICTIONS AND REGULATIONS

Sorghum was alternative crop choice where Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) occured

Cropping system restriction allowed only in 2 out of 3 years maize

Since 2014, Diabrotica is no longer listed as quarantine pest no cropping system restriction

Maize as biogas substrate was limited to 60 % for biogas plants under Renewable Energy Law 2012 (EEG 2012)

Other crops such as sorghum, whole crop cereals, ley became more attractive for biogas plant owners

No limitations for biogas plants in EEG 2004, 2009,

2014, 2017

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

CLIMATE CHANGE & SORGHUM

6 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

INCREASE OF POTENTIAL CROP AREA

not suitable

well suitable

suitable

most suitableno data

hardly suitable

Germany 1961–1990 Germany 2011–2040

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

BIOMASS YIELD & DRY MATTER CONTENT

7 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

SORGHUM SCREENING 2015

0 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 44%

0

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

250

dt/ha

KWS Santos

JLU Gießen 04

SB0115

KSH 3719

KWS Tarzan

AmiggoKWS Titus

KWS Merlin

JLU Gießen 03

PR 817 F

PR 823 F

KWS Hannibal

NS 201Zeus

HerkulesAristos

KSH 3724

RGT Gguepard

Joggy

GW600 BMR

SBF001

GK Emese

Sweet Susana

Farmsugro 180

GW 9417GW 9460

Sweet Caroline

Vegga

Silo Pro Dwarf BMR

ASM-21-09-14

ASM-4-11-14

ASM-5-11-14Lussi

Gardavan

KWS SoleKWS Freya

KWS Sammos

Sweet Six BMR

Sweet Bites

SBS001

Sweet Forever BMR

Fernandez

Atletas

Monty

Fabregas

Dry

matter

yie

ld

Dry matter content

S. bicolor (food)

S. bicolor (grain)

S. bic. x S. sud.

Maize late

Maize early

P. glaucum

ADR 500

Super Massa

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

BIOMASS YIELD & DRY MATTER CONTENT

8 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

SORGHUM SCREENING 2016

0 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 44%

0

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

250

dt/ha

KWS Juno

KWS Titus

KWS Tarzan

KWS Santos

NS401

PR817F

KWS MerlinAmiggoKWS Hannibal

PR832FNS204

AristosHerkules

NS201

ZeusRGT Gguepard

Joggy

NS212

Advancegrazer

GK Emese

Capello

Sweet SusannaFarmsugro 180

Fuego

Sweet Caroline

GW 9417

Vegga

LussiKWS Sole

KWS Sammos

Gardavan

KWS Freya

Super Sugar

Sweet Six BMRSweet Bites

Atletas

Fabregas

Monty

SuperMassa

Dry

matter

yie

ld

Dry matter content

S. bicolor (food)

S. bicolor (grain)

S. bic. x S. sud.

Maize late

Maize early

P. glaucum

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

LODGING EVEN IN GRAIN SORGHUM

9 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

SEVERE LODGING IN 2016

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

WILD BOARS PREFER MAIZE …

10 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

POSITIVE ASPECT

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3-4 NOVEMBER 201611 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

METHANE OUTPUT

INGREDIENTS MAIZE VS. SORGHUM

M

X

F

G

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 % 100

XA XP XL XStarchXSugar Hemicellulose ADF org.Res.

Ingredient content

Ma

ize

an

dS

org

hu

m t

yp

es

XA: crude ash

XP: crude protein

XL: crude lipids

ADF: cellulose +

lignin

org.Res.:

organic residues

Hemicellulose +

org. Residues

= N-free extracts

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3-4 NOVEMBER 201612 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

METHANE OUTPUT

CULTIVAR ‘GK EMESE’, 2013

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

400

Nl/kg oTM

Me

tha

na

usb

eu

te

Fraktion

Methanausbeute

Ganzpflanze Körner Restpflanze Rest:Korn

1:1

Rest:Korn

1:2

Rest:Korn

2:1

0

10

20

30

40

50

70

% TM

Zucker Stärke

Zu

cke

r/S

tärk

eS

ugar/

Sta

rch

DM

Methane yield

DM

Me

tha

ne

yie

ld

StarchSugar

R : G Residue (R)Grain (G) R : G R : G Whole crop

Fraction

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3-4 NOVEMBER 201613 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

METHANE YIELD 2012–2014

HIGH VARIABILITY BETWEEN YEARS

2.000

3.000

4.000

5.000

7.000

Methane yield 2012, 2013, 2014

Me

tha

ne

yie

ld

Cultivar

Lussiearly

KWS Freyamedium early

Aristosmedium late

Jumbolate

Nm³ CH4/ha

0

50

100

150

200

250

350

Nl/kg oDM

Methane output 2012, 2013, 2014

Me

tha

ne

ou

tpu

t

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3-4 NOVEMBER 201614 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

Crop Number

of data

Methane yield

in Nl CH4/kg oDM

Methane yield

in Nm³ CH4/ha

S. bicolor F 66 293,2 5143

S. bicolor G 37 315,4 4392

S. bic. x S. sud. 40 296,8 4892

Maize 6 347,2 7045

BIOMASS YIELD DETERMINES METHANE YIELD

Maize + 15 % + 48 %

METHANE YIELD 2012–2014

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3-4 NOVEMBER 201615 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass

METHANE OUTPUT

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR HIGH METHANE YIELD PER HECTARE?

High biomass yield per hectare

High methane yield per kg DM

High digestibility of the biomass

Low ash content

High content of N-free extracts

Content of starch, sugar, etc. is less important

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3-4 NOVEMBER 2016

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

16 Dr. Maendy FRITZ, Biogas Production with Sorghum Biomass