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Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 19671

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei Liao

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Guest Editor

Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Interests: agricultural engineering; chemical engineering; wastewater treatment; agricultural water management; renewable energy; biomass; agro-industrial byproducts; biogas; anaerobic co-digestion; sustainability; waste-to-energy; microbial community analysis; biorefinery; ethanol fermentation; bioprocesses
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Prof. Dr. Attilio Toscano

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Interests: agricultural engineering; environmental sciences; biomass; wastewater treatment; wastewater reuse; sustainability; waste-to-energy; circular economy; agricultural water management; precision irrigation; NBSs (constructed wetlands)
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Dr. Francesca Valenti

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 50, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Interests: agricultural engineering; renewable energy; GIS and remote sensing; environmental sciences; biomass; agro-industrial byproducts; biogas; anaerobic digestion; spatial analysis; sustainability; waste-to-energy; biomass supply chain; circular economy; impact assessment; life cycle analysis (LCA)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite submissions to a Special Issue of the journal Energies on the highly relevant topic of the water–food–energy nexus. The production and use of energy accounts for more than 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions; therefore, further decarbonizing the energy system is fundamental for reaching the climate targets set for 2030 and 2050. Furthermore, agri-food systems today cause air, water and soil pollution, contribute to the loss of biodiversity and to climate change, challenge animal welfare, and consume excessive amounts of natural resources (i.e., water and energy). In this context, renewable sources such as of agro-industrial byproducts and organic wastes play a central role as demonstrated by the quantification of their overall production and the increasing public recognition of reducing, reusing, and recycling byproducts and wastes. Scientific projections show that food, energy, and water consumption will significantly increase by the mid-21st century, so understanding the interrelationships between these components is urgently needed for a sustainable development of agricultural production systems. The concept of the water–food–energy (WFE) nexus has been introduced and promoted for achieving water, food, and energy security in a sustainable way. The aim of this Special issue is at facilitating development of a nexus approach towards bio-based economy by sharing the latest research and development in WFE nexus solutions.

Prof. Dr. Wei Liao
Prof. Dr. Attilio Toscano
Prof. Dr. Francesca Valenti
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

Integrated waste management
Farm-based WFE solutions
Energy and water efficiency in organic waste management
Efficient and low-energy water/wastewater treatment technologies
WFE nexus databases and datasets
WFE nexus tools for the agricultural, industrial, and energy sectors
WFE nexus in urban areas
WFE nexus policies
Carbon neutrality and WFE
Case studies of the nexus approach
GIS application

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Pineapple Leaves Utilization in Costa Rica

by Clara Yuqi Liao, Ysabel Jingyi Guan and Mauricio Bustamante-Román

Energies 2022, 15(16), 5784; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15165784 - 09 Aug 2022

Viewed by 1924

Abstract

Pineapple production around the world creates large amounts of wasted organic residue, mainly in the form of pineapple leaves. Current management practices consist of in situ decomposition or in situ burning, both of which cause the proliferation of flies and air pollution, respectively. The research conducted aims to develop a utilization process for this residue. Considering that pineapple leaves are rich in carbohydrates and other nutrients, a simple biological process involving a two-step procedure for juice production and ethanol fermentation has been developed to convert the leaves into renewable fuel and spent yeasts for animal feed. The liquid fraction extracted from the leaves is used as the nutrients to culture yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus, for ethanol and yeast protein production. In Costa Rica, one of the major pineapple-producing countries in the world, the studied process can produce 92,708 and 64,859 tons of bioethanol and spent yeast per year, respectively, from its 44,500 hectares of pineapple plantation. This techno-economic analysis indicates that a regional biorefinery with the capacity to produce 50,000 metric tons per year of ethanol could have a short payback period of 4.72 years. The life cycle analysis further demonstrates the advantages of the studied biorefining concept over the current practice of open burning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems)

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16 pages, 2499 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biogas Production and Microbial Communities of Mesophilic and Thermophilic Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Animal Manures and Food Wastes in Costa Rica

by Mariana Murillo-Roos, Lorena Uribe-Lorío, Paola Fuentes-Schweizer, Daniela Vidaurre-Barahona, Laura Brenes-Guillén, Ivannia Jiménez, Tatiana Arguedas, Wei Liao and Lidieth Uribe

Energies 2022, 15(9), 3252; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15093252 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3235

Abstract

Biomass generated from agricultural operations in Costa Rica represents an untapped renewable resource for bioenergy generation. This study investigated the effects of two temperatures and three mixture ratios of manures and food wastes on biogas production and microbial community structure. Increasing the amount of fruit and restaurant wastes in the feed mixture significantly enhanced the productivity of the systems (16% increase in the mesophilic systems and 41% in the thermophilic). The methane content of biogas was also favored at higher temperatures. Beta diversity analysis, based on high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene, showed that microbial communities of the thermophilic digestions were more similar to each other than the mesophilic digestions. Species richness of the thermophilic digestions was significantly greater than the corresponding mesophilic digestions (F = 40.08, p = 0.003). The mesophilic digesters were dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes while in thermophilic digesters, the phyla Firmicutes and Chloroflexi accounted for up to 90% of all sequences. Methanosarcina represented the key methanogen and was more abundant in thermophilic digestions. These results demonstrate that increasing digestion temperature and adding food wastes can alleviate the negative impact of low C:N ratios on anaerobic digestion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems)

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23 pages, 2405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water, Energy, Food, Waste Nexus: Between Synergy and Trade-Offs in Romania Based on Entrepreneurship and Economic Performance

by Radu Petrariu, Marius Constantin, Mihai Dinu, Simona Roxana Pătărlăgeanu and Mădălina Elena Deaconu

Energies 2021, 14(16), 5172; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165172 - 21 Aug 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3487

Abstract

Boosting the externalities across the water, energy, food, and waste (WEFW) sectors is challenging, especially considering tightening constraints such as population growth, climate change, resource-intensive lifestyles, increased waste production, sanitary crises and many others. The nexus approach supports the transition to a more sustainable future because intersectoral trade-offs can be reduced and externalities exploited, making imperative for decision makers, entrepreneurs, and civil society to simultaneously engage, with respect to all the components of the nexus. This research addressed intersectoral synergies and trade-offs in the case of the WEFW nexus in Romania, judging from the perspectives of entrepreneurial activity and economic results. The objective of this research was to explore the nexus in-depth by statistically analyzing the financial and economic indicators reported by active enterprises at county-level, based on the Romanian Ministry of Public Finance data. Research results describe the effects of the policies implemented in the fields of WEFW sectors. At the same time, attention was paid to the quality of the entrepreneurial activity, analyzed from the perspective of economic performance. This paper fills a research gap regarding the WEFW nexus by resorting to an economic and entrepreneurial performance assessment in order to find sectoral pathways toward policy cohesion in Romania. Findings suggested the existence of major trade-offs among sectors, owing to the fact that each county has a different development degree. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems)

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15 pages, 5011 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A GIS-Based Model to Assess the Potential of Wastewater Treatment Plants for Enhancing Bioenergy Production within the Context of the Water–Energy Nexus

by Francesca Valenti and Attilio Toscano

Energies 2021, 14(10), 2838; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14102838 - 14 May 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2649

Abstract

The necessity of developing renewable energy sources has contributed to increasing interest in developing the anaerobic digestion for producing biomethane since it both provides green energy and reduces disposal treatment. In this regard, to assure efficient water utilization by finding alternative water sources, sewage sludge collected from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was recently investigated because it could represent a suitable resource for producing biomethane within the context of a circular economy. Therefore, this study aims at improving the current knowledge on the feasibility of biomethane production from sewage sludge by optimizing the logistic-supplying phase. In this regard, a GIS-based model was developed and applied to the Emilia-Romagna region to consider the existing networks of WWTPs and biogas systems to valorize sewage sludge for bioenergy production and minimizing environmental impact. The results of the GIS analyses allowed to localize the highest productive territorial areas and highlighted where sewage sludges are abundantly located and could be better exploited within agricultural biogas plants. Finally, the achieved results could help plan suitable policy interventions that are centered on biomass supply and outputs diversification, governance, and social participation, since the regulatory framework could play a crucial role in planning the reuse of these wastes for developing a more sustainable biomethane sector in line with the green economy goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems)

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14 pages, 1134 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Critical Issues and Opportunities for Producing Biomethane in Italy

by Roberto Murano, Natascia Maisano, Roberta Selvaggi, Gioacchino Pappalardo and Biagio Pecorino

Energies 2021, 14(9), 2431; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14092431 - 24 Apr 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2889

Abstract

Nowadays, most Italian biogas produces electricity even though recent political incentives are promoting biomethane from biogas by “upgrading” it. The aim of this paper is to focus on the regulatory framework for producing biomethane from new or already-existent anaerobic digestion plants. The complexity and lack of knowledge of the regulations on biofuel production and of anaerobic digested biomethane from waste and by-products create difficulties of both interpretation and application. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to analyze the regulations for producing biomethane, underline the critical issues and opportunities, and evaluate whether an electrical plant built in the last 10 years in Italy can really be converted to a biomethane plant, thereby lengthening its lifespan. Three case studies were considered to look more closely into applying Italian biomethane incentives and to simulate the types of incentivization in agriculture with examples based on certain fuel types typical of a standard biomethane plant of 500 standard cubic meter per hour. All the considered cases put in evidence that biomethane is a further opportunity for development with a high level of efficiency for all biogas producers, especially for many biogas plants whose incentivization period is about to finish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems)

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Review

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25 pages, 631 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review

by Nicola Di Costanzo, Alessandra Cesaro, Francesco Di Capua and Giovanni Esposito

Energies 2021, 14(23), 8149; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14238149 - 05 Dec 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3645

Abstract

The world is currently witnessing a rapid increase in sewage sludge (SS) production, due to the increased demand for wastewater treatment. Therefore, SS management is crucial for the economic and environmental sustainability of wastewater treatment plants. The recovery of nutrients from SS has been identified as a fundamental step to enable the transition from a linear to a circular economy, turning SS into an economic and sustainable source of materials. SS is often treated via anaerobic digestion, to pursue energy recovery via biogas generation. Anaerobically digested sewage sludge (ADS) is a valuable source of organic matter and nutrients, and significant advances have been made in recent years in methods and technologies for nutrient recovery from ADS. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview, describing the advantages and drawbacks of the available and emerging technologies for recovery of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) from ADS. This work critically reviews the established and novel technologies, which are classified by their ability to recover a specific nutrient (ammonia stripping) or to allow the simultaneous recovery of multiple elements (struvite precipitation, ion exchange, membrane technologies, and thermal treatments). This study compares the described technologies in terms of nutrient recovery efficiency, capital, and operational costs, as well as their feasibility for full-scale application, revealing the current state of the art and future perspectives on this topic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems)

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