BIOKENAF: A EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR THE BIOMASS PRODUCTION CHAIN OF THE KENAF E. Alexopoulou 1 , S. L. Cosentino 2 , N. Danalatos 3 , G. Venturi 4 , A. L. Fernando 5 , J. L. Tenorio 6 , G. Gosse 7 , S. Lips 8 , D. van Berg 9 and R. Heaton 10 1 Center for Renewable Energy Sources -19 th Km Marathonos Ave., 190 09 Pikermi, Greece Tel: + 30 210 6609382, Fax: + 30 210 6603301, e-mail: ealex@cres.gr 2 University of Catania, 3 University of Thessaly, 4 UNIBO, 5 UniNOVA, 6 INIA, 7 INRA, 8 A&F, 9 BTG, 10 ADAS ABSTRACT: The Biokenaf project will contribute to the implementation of three main EU policies, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Agenda 2000 and the White Paper. In this view of these policies, the financial feasibility of the non-food crops production will increase, while the diversification of land use and sustainability of farm incomes should be ensured. Although kenaf has been accepted (from 1993) by EU a high yielding “non-food crop” for fiber production the research on kenaf has been focused strictly on its use for the paper/pulp industry, while the yielding potential of the crop is not defined. Hardly any research has been directed towards the other industrial uses of the crop as well as the energy exploitation of it, in spite of the favourable characteristics of kenaf feedstock and its high biomass yields. This project with its integrated approach aims at the sustainable yielding potential, the alternative industrial bio-products as well as the energy exploitation of kenaf. A dynamic crop-growth simulation model will be developed and will be a useful tool for yields prediction. Following an environmental and economic assessment will provide insight in the feasibility of kenaf for industrial and energy applications. Keywords: kenaf, industrial products, biomass production, energy, yields 1 INTRODUCTION Kenaf is an annual fiber crop of great interest for both the production of industrial raw materials and as bio-fuel under the pedoclimatic conditions of south Europe. The main reasons for considering kenaf as a high productivity multi-purpose non-food of increasing importance for Europe are listed below: ｪ It is a multi-purpose crop and can provide raw material for industrial and energy applications. The 30-40% of the stem (bark) can be used for several high value fibre applications (1) while the 60-70% of the stem (core) among several industrial applications (2, 3) can be used for thermochemical process (combustion pyrolysis and gasification). ｪ The high biomass potential and the low inputs of the crop. Dry matter yields came up to 26 has been reported (1, 4, 5, 6). Under the semi-arid conditions such as prevailing in Mediterranean areas, it requires 250-400 mm of water, which is much lower than in conventional land use types (including maize, sugarbeets, alfa-alfa, etc.) largely reassembly cotton in water requirements. On the other hand, considering the low N requirements (50-100 kg N/ha), this crop is believed comprising an important alternative land use in lands with poor and moderate water availability. ｪ It offers alternative land use and can be used in a crop rotation. Kenaf can be cultivated in rotation system. This is very important in areas devoted to monocultures (cotton, cereals) and although are supplementary irrigated performing very low yields, which are unsustainable without the EU policies. ｪ It is an annual non-food crop. As an annual crop, it is quite similar to other conventional field crops with respect to cultivation and harvest. The production and management systems are being developed for agricultural annual non-food crops such is kenaf, bringing thus costs of delivery down to commercially accepted levels. As an annual crop can be used where crop rotation is indispensable due to local crop disease, weed competition or soil fertility degradation. Although kenaf is being cultivated worldwide mainly for fiber production, in Europe there is no much data concerning the adaptability, growth and biomass yields of the crop. There are only few references regarding the agronomic aspects of the crop at European pedoclimatic conditions. In these research activities the adaptability and biomass productivity of few kenaf varieties have been tested in southern Europe and high biomass yields, up to 26 t/ha (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), have been reported and are comparable to the ones have been reported in similar works worldwide. In March 2003 a European Network was started entitled “Biokenaf-Biomass Production Chain and a Growth Simulation Model” aiming at addressing the sustainable yielding potential, the alternative industrial bio-products as well as the fuel quality of kenaf as a non-food crop, under certain cultivation techniques, in south Europe. The consortium of the project is presented in Table I. The overall objective of the project is to introduce and evaluate kenaf as a non-food crop through an integrated approach for alternative land use in South EU that will provide diversified opportunities for farmers and biological materials for the “bio-based industries” of the future. The overall objective will be achieved through the following specific objectives: • To determine the sustainable yielding potential of kenaf, as a non-food crop in all Southern EU countries. • To develop a dynamic crop growth simulation model for kenaf yields predictions. • To evaluate the effect of harvest timing and storage methods on quality of raw material. • To evaluate the suitability of kenaf both for selected industrial and energy applications. • To carry out environmental assessment and LCA and make scenarios for alternative land use. • To conduct an economic evaluation of the whole production chain of the crop for alternative land use.