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Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A: Sustainable Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 September 2023) | Viewed by 10684

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stanisław Bielski

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: renewable energy sources; energy and economic efficiency; biofuels; biomass conversion

Dr. Anna Zielińska-Chmielewska

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Guest Editor

Institute of Economics, Poznań University of Economics and Business, 61-875 Poznań, Poland
Interests: food processing sector; renewable energy sources; environmental management systems; biofuels

Prof. Dr. Luboš Smutka

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: international trade; economic development; agrarian trade and policy; world economy, trade and policy; sustainable agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fossil energy resources are still the main source of energy for the global economy, despite their proven negative impact on the environment. Additionally, the development of any economy requires an increase in energy consumption, which in turn increases environmental pollution and climate change caused by conventional energy sources.

One way to reduce the negative impact of the energy sector on the environment is to use renewable raw material sources for energy production. This direction has become increasingly important in recent years. However, the attention of researchers should also be focused on the economic, food and energy security consequences of the actions taken. There is presently a real threat to energy security at the level of individual countries and continents. The tense energy situation is forcing research into new technologies in the area of renewable energy sources (RESs), which come largely from rural areas. Recent years have confirmed the conviction that the most dynamically developing sector that can be developed in rural areas is renewable energy.

The development of RESs guarantees access to local and renewable resources. As a result, when a country increases its use of different raw material resources for energy production, in times of economic crisis or political conflict, the country then becomes independent of importing strategic raw materials from abroad.

The renewable energy sources sector is a fast-growing, multidisciplinary research and implementation area. This Special Issue of the international journal Energies, entitled "Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences", covers original research and studies related to the above-mentioned issues, including energy resources, the use of renewable energy sources in food and energy security, technical aspects of energy production, job generation, energy policy and regulation, as well as economic and financial aspects. Both theoretical and quantitative approaches are warmly welcome, especially in combination.

We therefore extend an invitation to collaborate and submit original research and review articles for this Special Issue covering the above topics. We look forward to seeing the results of our collaboration.

Dr. Stanisław Bielski
Dr. Anna Zielińska-Chmielewska
Prof. Dr. Luboš Smutka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable development
bioeconomy/circular economy
sustainable growth
land management
sustainable consumption
green human workplaces
life-cycle analysis
sustainable agriculture and agricultural production
energy policy
legal rules
renewable energy
energy and economic efficiency
energy end food security
biomass, biofuels production, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, pellet
environmental issues and policy
agricultural policy
social and economic aspects of energy
agri-food markets, food industry
energy sources
green energy management
climate change
energy mix
energy plants
solid, liquid and gas biofuels
modern technologies of biomass processing
methane fermentation
energy from agricultural biowaste
agro-industrial residues
food losses and waste
waste cooking oil
clean production
biomass co-combustion
biomass pyrolysis
energy sources from rural areas

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wood Chip Production Efficiency Depending on Chipper Type

by Jakub Stolarski, Sławomir Wierzbicki, Szymon Nitkiewicz and Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski

Energies 2023, 16(13), 4894; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16134894 - 23 Jun 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2148

Abstract

Solid biofuels, including wood chips, are still the most important feedstock in the structure of primary energy production from renewable energy sources. Wood chips are derived mainly from forests and the wood industry, including sawmills. However, the considerable diversity of chipper types results in great differences in their final production efficiency. The objective of this study was to analyze and evaluate the efficiency of three mobile chippers used in wood chip production by determining their throughput rate, diesel fuel and energy consumption, cost of chipping and greenhouse gas emission, as well as the quality of the chips. By far shortest time (0.82 min. Mg⁻¹) of producing 1 Mg of wood chips was found for the Albach 565 kW chipper. Moreover, the mean time needed for the production of 1 Mg of chips with a chipper of the same make but with a smaller engine (Albach 515 kW) was 8.8% longer. This time was 284.9% longer than when the Bruks chipper was used. However, the highest mean effectiveness of diesel fuel use (expressed as the lowest diesel fuel consumption of 1.41 dm³ Mg⁻¹), the lowest energy consumption (52.02 MJ Mg⁻¹), the lowest cost of diesel fuel use (2.28 € Mg⁻¹) and the lowest GHG emission (4.27 kg Mg⁻¹ CO_2eq) in wood chip production were determined for the Albach 515 kW chipper. In contrast, the poorest parameters were determined for the Bruks chipper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences)

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23 pages, 6153 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Green Agriculture and Sustainable Development: Pro-Environmental Activity of Farms under the Common Agricultural Policy

by Roman Rudnicki, Mirosław Biczkowski, Łukasz Wiśniewski, Paweł Wiśniewski, Stanisław Bielski and Renata Marks-Bielska

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041770 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2540

Abstract

Growing environmental and climate problems in the contemporary world necessitate the search for efficient solutions, including changes in agriculture, which has been reflected in the new package of reforms of the EU climate policy, called the European Green Deal (the EGD). Agriculture and rural areas play an essential role in the attainment of the EGD goals, and one of the prerequisites for an effective implementation of the EGD assumptions is to recognize the mechanism underlying the activity of agricultural farms in the scope of pro-environmental measures implemented under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This article presents an endeavour to make a multidimensional evaluation of the spatial diversification in such activities, using Polish farms as an example. Compared to other EU member states, Poland is a country where agriculture remains a substantial sector in the national economy. This research is based on data from several institutions, including the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (ARMA), responsible for the allocation of funds from the EU budget and for providing support to the development of agriculture and rural areas. The level and structure of the absorption of funds from the CAP underwent analysis, including three pro-environmental measures of the Rural Development Programme: organic farming (OF), agri-environment climate measure (AECM), and afforestation and creation of forest areas (ACFA). In order to achieve a holistic approach to these measures, an innovative analytical model was developed. It can be applied to analyses on a regional, national, and European level, and it is based on several novel indicators, as well as advanced statistical and spatial analyses. The research demonstrates that the pro-environment activities of farmers are characterized by a significant geographical diversity. The most active in soliciting payments from the CAP were agricultural farms with a high level of pro-environment internal characteristics of agriculture (IPEAF = 30.1%, with national average = 11.6%). With regard to anthropogenic determinants, relatively higher values of the IPEAF indicator were found in the municipalities with a lower level of socio-economic development (12.1%) and those located in northern and western Poland, within the borders of the former Prussian Partition (18.6%), characterised by higher farming culture. The research results imply that the effectiveness of the up-to-date solutions needs to be improved, also by taking into consideration the endogenous conditions and potential of individual territorial units. The research results also prove the expediency of implementing the European Green Deal. Conducting an analysis of the pro-environmental activity of farms, taking into account both the applications of the current CAP financial perspective and those resulting from follow-up activities regarding the previous perspective, is an innovative approach to the issue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences)

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24 pages, 667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Energy and Economic Balance and GHG Emissions in the Production of Different Cultivars of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench): A Case Study in Northeastern Poland

by Stanisław Bielski, Renata Marks-Bielska and Paweł Wiśniewski

Energies 2023, 16(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010017 - 20 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1665

Abstract

Every type of agricultural production is a burden for the natural environment. The paper’s objective is to assess the energy use efficiency, GHG emissions, and provide an economic analysis of buckwheat production for Central Europe (Poland). The analysis and comparison involved two production systems: low-input and high-input ones. The experiment involved three varieties of buckwheat, Panda, Volma, and Mancan. The yields for analysis were obtained from the field experiment which was set up in 3^k-p fractional design was applied in two replications in which at the same time five factors were tested (A—variety, B—mineral fertilisation, C—sowing rate, D—weed control, E—growth regulator). A quartile was used as a statistical tool to select production systems. A high-input buckwheat production regime required, on average, 74.00% more energy than a low-input system. The total mean energy input for three varieties ranged from 7532.7 to 13,106.9 MJ ha⁻¹ for low- and high-input systems, respectively. The results show that the energy use efficiency, specific energy, and net energy gain for the low-input system were on average 1.51, 9.6 MJ kg⁻¹, and 3878.8 MJ ha⁻¹, respectively, for the investigated varieties. For the high-input system, it was 1.35, 10.9 MJ kg⁻¹, 4529.9 MJ ha⁻¹, respectively. The total CO₂ equivalent emissions during buckwheat production were higher for the high-input system than for the low-input system by more than 40%. The economic analysis demonstrated that the high-input system had better economic efficiency (without EU payment), 1.01 on average, than the low-input system, 1.07 on average. The international literature does not offer research on energy analysis for the production of common buckwheat and GHG emissions. The findings of this study demonstrate how the production systems affect energy and economic efficiency as well as GHG emissions. The authors suggest further research in Europe and globally, particularly on the energy use efficiency and GHG emissions in the production of common buckwheat, to verify the present results and improve production technologies (reduce inputs and costs). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences)

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17 pages, 2547 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Straw and Biopreparations as a Sustainable Method for Increasing the Organic Carbon Content and Chemical, Physical, and Biological Soil Properties in Spring Barley Culture

by Piotr Kanarek, Barbara Breza-Boruta, Justyna Bauza-Kaszewska and Robert Lamparski

Energies 2022, 15(19), 6903; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15196903 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1486

Abstract

Increasing climate change, through its impact on the economy, results in measures to reduce its negative effects. In agriculture, the expected positive effects may come from the implementation of practices with high carbon sequestration potential (e.g., straw incorporation). The idea of using straw as an energy feedstock requires an in-depth analysis of the impact of this practice on the organic carbon content of arable soils. Straw incorporation combined with the use of biopreparations can provide an attractive alternative to conventional fertilization and plant protection systems. This study aimed to assess the effect of straw, effective microorganisms preparation, and biostimulant on the physicochemical and biological soil parameters. The analyses included organic carbon, available P, K, and Mg, total and mineral nitrogen content, pH, bulk density, soil penetration resistance, and the number of soil-culturable heterotrophic bacteria, actinobacteria, and fungi determination. It was found that straw and EM addition resulted in the highest SOC content. Statistically lower values of bulk density and soil penetration resistance were also observed after straw incorporation. The results of our research revealed that, while the addition of straw beneficially affects soil quality, the impact of biopreparations application on soil parameters varies depending on the experimental combination used. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences)

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Review

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20 pages, 2755 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Technology to Support Alternative Fuels for Agriculture in the Context of Effective Solid Waste Management in the Jabodetabek Area, Indonesia

by Muhammad Achirul Nanda, Wahyu Sugandi, Arif Kurnia Wijayanto, Harry Imantho, Arya Sutawijaya, Leopold Oscar Nelwan, I Wayan Budiastra and Kudang Boro Seminar

Energies 2023, 16(24), 7980; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16247980 - 8 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1723

Abstract

Jabodetabek has been termed Indonesia’s most populous urban area, and it is predicted to generate around 9.069 million tons/year by 2023. On the other hand, this area has promising agricultural prospects and requires a great deal of energy. Tractors, generators, and other agricultural equipment are necessary to increase productivity. Therefore, it can potentially convert waste into energy as an effective alternative fuel for agriculture. This study looked at ways to recover the waste to energy (WtE) with various technologies (incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, landfilling, and anaerobic digestion). The assessment indicators focus on the type of waste, energy production efficiency, energy produced, technological readiness, capacity, byproducts, costs, air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution. Each WtE technology is assessed using a scale between 1 (worst) and 5 (best) on each performance indicator concerning related references. Based on the analysis, the anaerobic digester is the most attractive WtE technology to generate an alternative fuel for agriculture in the Jabodetabek area. This is an environmentally friendly and economical technology because the technology readiness level is relatively mature. Thus, this review will assist policymakers and implementing authorities in determining the potential of the right WtE technologies for effective alternative fuel generation for agriculture, particularly in the metropolitan region of Jabodetabek. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources in Agricultural and Social Sciences)

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