Part Ⅰ Introduction

1 The Sustainable Biofuels Paradigm

1.1 Biofuels：Opportunities and Challenges

1.1.1 From Fossil Fuels to 1st Generation Biofuels

1.1.2 A Case for 2nd and 3rd Generation Biofuels

1.2 The Sustainability Paradigm and Biofuels

References

Part Ⅱ Biofuel Crop Models

2 Switchgrass for Bioenergy：Agro-ecological Sustainability

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Switchgrass—A Short History of and the Case for Its Use as a Biofuel Feedstock

2.2 Energetic and Economic Considerations in Sustainability

2.2.1 Energy In：Energy Out （Is Making Biofuel from Switchgrass Energetically Feasible？）

2.2.2 Economic Tipping Points （Is Making Biofuel from Switchgrass Economically Feasible？）

2.2.3 Using Value-added Products to Shift the Tipping Point

2.2.4 Farmer and Factory Relationships：Getting the Ball Rolling

2.2.5 Ethical/Social/Fairness Dimensions of the Sustainability

2.3 Ecological/Environmental/Resource Considerations of the Sustainability

2.3.1 Sustaining the Soil Resource

2.3.2 Sustaining the Air Resource：GHGs and Climate

2.3.3 Sustaining the Water Resource：Depletion and Pollution Concerns

2.3.4 Sustaining Biological Resources：Biodiversity

2.4 Managing Switchgrass for Bioenergy and Sustainability

2.4.1 Description，Adaptations，and Selection

2.4.2 Establishment

2.4.3 Fertility in an Agroecological and Sustainability Context

2.4.4 Mechanization，Storage，and Hauling

2.4.5 Demands of a Bioenergy Industry

2.5 Conclusions

References

3 Sugarcane as an Alternative Source of Sustainable Energy

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Energy Expenses in Sugarcane Production

3.3 Nutrient and Fertilizer Expenditures of Sugarcane

3.4 Sugarcane Bagasse：A Sustainable Energy Resource

3.4.1 Electricity Generation from Bagasse

3.4.2 Reduction in Greenhouse Gas （GHG） Emissions

3.4.3 Bagasse-based Byproducts and Future Energy Assessment

3.5 Sugarcane Trash：A Potential Biomass for Sustainable Energy

3.6 Sugarcane Biomass for Biofuel Production

3.6.1 Chemical Composition of Sugarcane Biomass

3.6.2 Conversion of Sugarcane Biomass into Ethanol

3.6.3 Pretreatment of Sugarcane Biomass

3.6.4 Enzymatic Hydrolysis/Saccharification of the Cellulosic Fraction

3.6.5 Detoxification of Cellulosic and Hemicellulosic Hydrolysates

3.6.6 Fermentation of Sugars from Sugarcane Biomass into Ethanol

3.6.7 Pyrolysis of Sugarcane Biomass

3.7 Conclusions

References

4 Jatropha（Jatropha curcas L．）as a New Biofuel Feedstock for Semi-arid and Arid Regions and Its Agro-ecological Sustainability Issues

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Systematics and Global Distribution

4.3 Vegetative Growth and Sexual Reproduction

4.4 Optimal and Sub-optimal Climate and Growth Conditions

4.5 Propagation

4.6 Uses and Abuses of JCL

4.6.1 Traditional Non-fuel Uses

4.6.2 Feedstock for Biofuels

4.6.3 Utilization of JCL byproducts

4.7 JCL as a Sustainable Alternative to Fossil Fuels

4.7.1 Environmental Impacts

4.7.2 Socioeconomic Impacts

4.8 Significance of Irrigation and Fertilization for JCL Cultivation

4.8.1 Effects of Irrigation on Pot-grown JCL Plants

4.8.2 Effects of Irrigation on Field-grown JCL Plants

4.8.3 Effects of Fertilization on JCL Plants

4.9 Conclusions

References

5 Environmental Aspects of Willow Cultivation for Bioenergy

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Willow Plantations

5.3 Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes

5.3.1 Estimates of Growth and Carbon Sequestration

5.3.2 Eddy Flux Measurements

5.3.3 Closing the Carbon Budget

5.3.4 The Fertilization Effect

5.3.5 What Are the Limits？

5.3.6 Substitution Efficiency and Climate Effect

5.4 Conclusions

References

Part Ⅲ Biofuels and Biogeochemical Impacts

6 Short Rotation Forestry for Energy Production in Italy：Environmental Aspects and New Perspectives of Use in Biofuel Industry

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Ecological Services Provided by SRF

6.2.1 Buffer Strips and Ecological Corridors

6.2.2 Fertirrigation：Disposal of Livestock，Urban and Industrial Wastewaters

6.2.3 Soil Erosion Control

6.2.4 CO2 Uptake and Carbon Sequestration

6.3 Bioruel Production and SRF

6.4 Conclusions

References

7 Populus and Salix Grown in a Short-rotation Coppice for Bioenergy：Ecophysiology，Aboveground Productivity，and Stand-level Water Use Efficiency

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Water Use of SRC

7.3 Water Use Efficiency of SRC

7.4 WUE and Related Ecophysiological Variables Literature Surveys

7.5 Case Study：Populus in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands

7.5.1 Introduction

7.5.2 Site and Stand Description

7.5.3 Methods

7.5.4 Results and Discussion

7.6 Conclusions

References

Part Ⅳ Biofuels and Natural Resource Management

8 Afforestation of Salt-affected Marginal Lands with Indigenous Tree Species for Sustainable Biomass and Bioenergy Production

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Origin and Distribution of Salt-affected Soils in India

8.3 Properties of Salt-affected Soils

8.4 Natural Vegetation on Salt-affected Soils

8.5 Management Practices for Afforestation on Salt-affected Soils

8.5.1 Selection of Tree Species

8.5.2 Pre-planting Management Strategies

8.5.3 Planting Techniques

8.5.4 Post-planting Management Strategies

8.6 Biomass Production

8.6.1 Saline Soils

8.6.2 Sodic Soils

8.7 Bioenergy Production

8.8 Soil Amelioration

8.9 Conclusions

References

9 Bioenergy and Prospects for Phytoremediation

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Bioenergy Systems for Soil Phytoremediation

9.2.1 Phytoextraction of Heavy Metals

9.2.2 SRCs and Rhizodegradation of Organic Pollution

9.3 Bioenergy Systems for Water Phytoremediation

9.3.1 Phytoremediation Systems with Municipal Wastewater

9.3.2 Phytoremediation Systems with Landfill Leachate

References

Part Ⅴ Life Cycle Assessment Principles

10 Eight Principles of Uncertainty for Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuel Systems

10.1 Introduction：Regulatory LCA

10.2 Eight Principles of Uncertainty for LCA of Biofuel Systems

10.3 Principle 1：Biofuel Production Is a Complex System of Systems

10.4 Principle 2：Standardized LCA Methods for Biofuels Do Not Exist

10.5 Principle 3：Empirical Data Are Scarce for Most Aspects of Biofuels

10.6 Principle 4：Local Biofuel LCAs Reduce Uncertainty and Errors

10.7 Principle 5：Sensitive Parameters Cause Order of Magnitude Changes

10.7.1 Biorefinery Natural Gas Etficiency

10.7.2 Agricultural N2O Emissions

10.7.3 Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics and CO2 Emissions

10.7.4 Setting an Uncertainty Standard for Biofuel LCA

10.8 Principle 6：Indirect Emissions Are Numerous and Highly Uncertain

10.8.1 Indirect Land Use Change

10.8.2 Multiple Indirect Effects and Global Economic Forecasting

10.9 Principle 7：Transparency Is Essential for Regulatory LCA

10.10 Principle 8：Fossil Fuel Reference Systems Are Diverse and Uncertain

10.11 Conclusions

References

11 Energy and GHG Emission Assessments of Biodiesel Production in Mato Grosso，Brazil

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Study Area

11.3 Methods

11.3.1 Crop Selection

11.3.2 Identification of the Area Suitable for Cultivation

11.3.3 Settings and Constraints Specific for the Case Study

11.3.4 Problem Formulation

11.3.5 Other Impacts

11.4 Results

11.5 Discussion

11.6 Conclusions

References

Part Ⅵ Global Potential Assessments

12 Biomass Potential of Switchgrass and Miscanthus on the USA's Marginal Lands

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Methods

12.2.1 Identification of the USA's Marginal Lands

12.2.2 Processing Land Cover Data

12.2.3 NCCPI

12.2.4 Determination of Marginal Lands

12.2.5 Development of Empirical Models

12.2.6 Sample Data

12.2.7 Regional Model Simulations

12.2.8 Data Selection

12.2.9 Model Development and Validation

12.3 Results and Discussion

12.3.1 USA Marginal Lands

12.3.2 Model Developments and Validations

12.3.3 Biomass Estimates of Switchgrass and Miscanthus

12.3.4 Comparison of Switchgrass and Miscanthus

12.3.5 Limitations and Future Study

12.4 Conclusions

References

13 Global Agro-ecological Challenges in Commercial Biodiesel Production from Jatropha curcas：Seed Productivity to Disease Incidence

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Standardization of Agro-technology

13.2.1 Propagation Techniques

13.2.2 Planting Material

13.2.3 Nursery Management

13.2.4 Field Planting

13.3 Global Seed Productivity

13.4 Techno-commercial Economics

13.5 Scope for Improvements

13.6 Disease Incidence

13.7 Soil Amelioration

13.8 Conclusions

References

Subject Index