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Lignocellulosic Energy Crops , Production and Provision

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Renewable Energy Systems

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Definition of the Subject

More than 90% of the dry matter of lignocellulosic biomass consists of the three biopolymers: cellulose , hemicellulose , and lignin . Cellulose is made from chains of D-glucose molecules linked via hydrogen bridges. It is composed of 42% carbon (C), 6% hydrogen (H), and 52% oxygen (O). Cellulose is the most common organic substance found in nature and forms the structural component of cell walls. Hemicelluloses are polysaccharides, which have shorter chains of sugar units than cellulose. They have various functions in the plant including support and holding together the cell membranes. Lignin is a complex three-dimensional polymer built from phenylpropane derivatives, which is stored between the cellulose fibrils to strengthen the cell wall. It consists of 64% C, 6% H, and 6% O.

Lignocellulosic energy crops are characterized by the high lignin and cellulose content of their biomass. Lignin in...

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Abbreviations

C3 Grasses:

Grasses possessing the C3 photosynthetic mechanism, so called because the first product of carbon fixation contains three carbon atoms.

C4 Grasses:

Grasses possessing the C4 photosynthetic mechanism, so called because the first product of carbon fixation contains four carbon atoms.

Cellulose:

Component of plant cell walls made up of chains of D-glucose (C6 sugar) molecules linked via hydrogen bridges consisting of 42% carbon (C), 6% hydrogen (H), and 52% oxygen (O).

Hemicellulose:

Heteropolysaccharide that contains various different sugar monomers such as glucose, xylose, mannose, galactose, rhamnose, and arabinose. Hemicellulose contains mostly D-pentose or so-called C5 sugars and is found in plant cell walls.

Energy crops:

Crops grown for the purpose of producing biomass for energetic use.

Energy grasses:

Perennial grasses with high biomass potential which can preferentially be harvested once a year at low moisture content.

Fischer-Tropsch diesel:

Biofuel produced from lignocellulosic biomass via a multi-step process. Gasification produces synthesis gas, which is cleaned and then transformed to liquids at high temperature and pressure by Fischer-Tropsch catalysis.

Lignin:

Complex three-dimensional polymers built from phenylpropane derivatives consisting of 64% carbon, 6% hydrogen, and 6% oxygen.

Rhizomes:

Underground shoot systems in perennial grasses serving as overwintering organs and for storage of nutrients.

Short rotation coppice (SRC):

Fast-growing trees, such as poplar or willow, harvested in cycles of 3–5 years and which regrow from the stools after harvesting.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops, Institute for Crop Science, Hohenheim University, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Iris Lewandowski

Authors
  1. Iris Lewandowski
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Correspondence to Iris Lewandowski .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. German Biomass Research Centre, Leipzig, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

  2. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

  3. Earth Engineering Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Nickolas J. Themelis

  4. Ormat Technologies, Inc., Reno, NV, USA

    Lucien Y. Bronicki

  5. Royal Institute of Technology, Electric Power Systems, Stockholm, Sweden

    Lennart Söder

  6. Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, School of Ocean And Earth Science And Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Luis A. Vega

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Lewandowski, I. (2013). Lignocellulosic Energy Crops , Production and Provision. In: Kaltschmitt, M., Themelis, N.J., Bronicki, L.Y., Söder, L., Vega, L.A. (eds) Renewable Energy Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5820-3_319

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