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Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II
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Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024 | Viewed by 4241

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vitaliy Krupin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences (IRWiR PAN), Nowy Świat 72, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: rural and agricultural development; development policies; rural economy; competitiveness of agriculture; greenhouse gases; international trade
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Adam Wąs

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: methodology of farm-level bio-economics models; measuring and mitigating the impact of the farming sector on the natural environment; developing the circular economy concept in the agriculture sector

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is devoted to energy generation within rural areas, including the agricultural sector. Such technologies and application practices vary depending on the type of agricultural activity, local natural conditions, and external factors, thus globally creating a multitude of possible approaches and applications of technologies in particular conditions. We encourage going beyond the strict technological perception and enriching it based on a multidisciplinary approach, making it possible to pursue an understanding of not only energy generation technologies, but also conditions of their implementation and possible measures to increase their efficiency (technological, economic, environmental, and other).

Energy produced within or in addition to agricultural activities supplies the direct needs of farms, as well as other entities through the energy market. Even though it is an integral part of so-called “renewable sources”, agriculture’s distinct features create preconditions and necessity for research on technologies aimed at the generation of energy within agriculture itself. This is needed for both directly addressing such technologies, as well as for substantiation of measures available to ensure the development of complex approaches towards ensuring sustainability in agriculture. It is also crucial considering the policies aimed particularly at the development of agriculture and rural areas (e.g., the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy).

A multitude of economic, social, environmental, and institutional factors constantly modify the conditions for agricultural production, inflicting positive or negative effects upon its structure, output, and efficiency. Climate change issues are forcing agricultural entities to mitigate their negative effect upon the environment, while also creating the necessity to adapt and maintain proper efficiency and output levels. All of these influence the sustainability of rural areas and agriculture, both in terms of its primary production focus, as well as its input into the generation and use of energy.

Dr. Vitaliy Krupin
Dr. Adam Wąs
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

  • rural areas
  • agriculture
  • farming
  • agricultural energy sources
  • bio-energy
  • crop production
  • energy crops
  • biomass
  • livestock production
  • enteric fermentation
  • manure management
  • solid biofuels
  • liquid biofuels
  • biogas
  • greenhouse gasses
  • sustainable agriculture
  • bio-economy

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1992 KiB  
Article
Internet of Things Application in an Automated Irrigation Prototype Powered by Photovoltaic Energy
by Rafael C. Borges, Carlos H. Beuter, Vitória C. Dourado and Murilo E. C. Bento
Energies 2024, 17(9), 2219; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17092219 - 5 May 2024
Viewed by 275
Abstract
Small-scale agriculture is important. However, there are still limitations regarding the implementation of technologies in small-scale agriculture due to the high costs accompanying them. Therefore, it is essential to seek viable and low-cost solutions since the insertion of technologies in agriculture, especially irrigated [...] Read more.
Small-scale agriculture is important. However, there are still limitations regarding the implementation of technologies in small-scale agriculture due to the high costs accompanying them. Therefore, it is essential to seek viable and low-cost solutions since the insertion of technologies in agriculture, especially irrigated agriculture, guarantees the sustainable expansion of production capacity. The present work applied the Internet of Things concept to an automated irrigation system powered by photovoltaic panels. The materials used in the prototype consisted of Arduino Uno R3, the ESP8266 development board, a soil moisture sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a flow sensor, and a humidity and temperature sensor. The prototype was designed to take system readings and send them to the Adafruit platform IO. Furthermore, it was programmed to perform remote irrigation control, enabling this to be activated from distant points through the platform. The medium proved efficient for the monitoring and remote control of the system. This indicates that it is possible to use this medium in small automated irrigation systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II)
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18 pages, 3307 KiB  
Article
Variability of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Relation to Economic and Ecological Indicators from Cattle Farms
by Leszek Sieczko, Zofia Koloszko-Chomentowska and Anna Sieczko
Energies 2024, 17(8), 1831; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17081831 - 11 Apr 2024
Viewed by 345
Abstract
Agricultural production, including animal husbandry, is associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which have a negative impact on the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine methane and nitrous oxide emissions at the level of individual farms and to identify differences [...] Read more.
Agricultural production, including animal husbandry, is associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which have a negative impact on the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine methane and nitrous oxide emissions at the level of individual farms and to identify differences in emissions by type of production. Analyses were conducted using data from the FADN agricultural accounting system, covering the farms in Poland engaged in dairy production and the breeding of other grazing livestock for the period from 2012 to 2021. The relationships and trends of the indicators during the study period were also analyzed. The statistical analysis confirmed the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and economic performance. In the case of dairy farms, the emissions averaged 137.09 kg·ha−1 of methane and 94.05 kg·ha−1 of nitrous oxide, which were found to increase as the net-added value and farm income increased. The results of the presented research highlight the existence of a link between economic goals and GHG emissions, which is an important contribution to the development of mitigation strategies in livestock production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II)
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14 pages, 3089 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Economic Soundness and Viability of Migrating from Net Billing to Net Metering Using Energy Cooperatives
by Jakub Jasiński, Mariusz Kozakiewicz and Maciej Sołtysik
Energies 2024, 17(6), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17061330 - 10 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1037
Abstract
In the European Union, increasing attention is already being paid not only to the development of renewable energy sources, but also to the establishment of solutions to achieve local energy self-sufficiency while increasing the role of citizens in managing the energy they generate. [...] Read more.
In the European Union, increasing attention is already being paid not only to the development of renewable energy sources, but also to the establishment of solutions to achieve local energy self-sufficiency while increasing the role of citizens in managing the energy they generate. This approach is expected both to have a positive impact on the environment and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to enhance energy security—both in economic and civic terms by, i.a., combating energy poverty. The development of local energy communities promoted in the EU is supported i.a. by energy cooperatives. These contribute to the efficient harnessing of renewable energy potential in rural and urban-rural areas, and have been developing in Poland for several years now. In their previous studies, the authors of this research paper attempted to verify the generation (number, type and capacity of installed sources) and consumption (energy demand) configurations in which an energy cooperative would be a viable solution for prosumers who might establish it. However, over the past few years, the conditions for prosumers and the method of their accounting with the electricity seller have changed radically in Poland (shift from net metering to net billing). This situation has opened up space for further research and encouraged the authors to revisit the problem of analyzing the viability of establishing energy cooperatives in relation to the rules of operation of individual prosumers. This research was carried out for three scenarios, and the horizon of the analyses conducted and described extends to 2045. The comparative analysis included energy consumers without their own generation sources, prosumers with a photovoltaic generation installation covered by the net billing model, as well as a scenario involving prosumers’ cooperation within an energy cooperative, which by law is settled in the net metering model. Conclusions from the research and simulations made it possible to confirm the claim that, despite changes in the rules of prosumer billing, developing energy independence in the energy community formula results in a significant reduction in the cost of purchasing electricity (even several times lower purchase costs in the timeframe analyzed) and can lead to a reduction in the payback time of investments in generation sources even by a factor of two. The results presented in this research paper open up space for further research. The outcomes allow us to assume that energy cooperatives—in the organizational and institutional model in Poland—are a good tool for reducing the phenomenon of energy poverty on a local scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II)
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16 pages, 2836 KiB  
Article
Determination of the Effect of a Thermal Curtain Used in a Greenhouse on the Indoor Climate and Energy Savings
by Sedat Boyacı, Atilgan Atilgan, Joanna Kocięcka, Daniel Liberacki, Roman Rolbiecki and Barbara Jagosz
Energies 2023, 16(23), 7744; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237744 - 24 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1173
Abstract
In order to reduce the impact of outdoor extreme weather events on crop production in winter, energy saving in greenhouses that are regularly heated is of great importance in reducing production costs and carbon footprints. For this purpose, the variations in indoor temperature, [...] Read more.
In order to reduce the impact of outdoor extreme weather events on crop production in winter, energy saving in greenhouses that are regularly heated is of great importance in reducing production costs and carbon footprints. For this purpose, the variations in indoor temperature, relative humidity and dew point temperature in the vertical direction (2 m, 4 m, 5.7 m) of thermal curtains in greenhouses were determined. In addition, depending on the fuel used, the curtains’ effects on heat energy consumption, heat transfer coefficient, carbon dioxide equivalents released to the atmosphere and fuel cost were investigated. To reach this goal, two greenhouses with the same structural features were designed with and without thermal curtains. As a result of the study, the indoor temperature and relative humidity values in the greenhouse with a thermal curtain increased by 1.3 °C and 10% compared to the greenhouse without a thermal curtain. Thermal curtains in the greenhouse significantly reduced fuel use (59.14–74.11 m3·night−1). Considering the heat energy consumption, the average heat energy consumption was 453.7 kWh·night−1 in the greenhouse with a curtain, while it was 568.6 kWh·night−1 in the greenhouse without a curtain. The average heat transfer coefficient (U) values were calculated at 2.87 W·m−2 °C with a thermal curtain and 3.63 W·m−2 °C without a thermal curtain greenhouse. In the greenhouse, closing the thermal curtain at night resulted in heat energy savings of about 21%, related to the decrease in U values. The use of a thermal curtain in the greenhouse reduced the amount of CO2 released to the atmosphere (116.6–146.1 kg·night−1) and fuel cost (USD 21.3–26.7·night−1). To conclude, extreme weather events in the outdoor environment adversely affect the plants grown in greenhouses where cultivation is performed out of season. A thermal curtain, used to reduce these adverse effects and the amount of energy consumed, is essential in improving indoor climate conditions, providing more economical greenhouse management and reducing the CO2 released into the atmosphere due to fuel use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II)
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29 pages, 1966 KiB  
Article
Energy Efficiency in Agricultural Production—Experience from Land Consolidation in Poland and Finland
by Monika Balawejder, Artur Warchoł and Kalle Konttinen
Energies 2023, 16(22), 7598; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16227598 - 15 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 820
Abstract
Land consolidation in rural areas is greatly influenced by a number of social, agricultural, and economic factors. They extend the time and complicate activities related to the implementation of this project. Land consolidation is a huge investment, requiring a good and up-to-date map. [...] Read more.
Land consolidation in rural areas is greatly influenced by a number of social, agricultural, and economic factors. They extend the time and complicate activities related to the implementation of this project. Land consolidation is a huge investment, requiring a good and up-to-date map. Up-to-date data that reflects reality are the basis for good and efficient land consolidation in rural areas. To improve the creation of a land consolidation project, the most appropriate solution would be to place all the necessary data to create a land consolidation project on “geoportals” websites. Providing data on the websites of geoportals in Poland and Finland in the form of a map portal would enable both visual and substantive analysis of spatial changes in rural areas. Therefore, this article pursues two main scientific goals. The first purpose of this article is to analyze the history and scope of land consolidation in Poland and Finland in order to learn the specifics of land consolidation in a given country. Comparisons and analyses were made on the basis of the authors’ experience in Poland and Finland with land consolidation in the areas described. The second scientific goal of the article is to compare the availability of geospatial data in the context of the methodology of performing land consolidation in rural areas, which leads to increased energy efficiency in agricultural production by reducing the need for energy, especially fuel for agricultural machinery. The results from the table with a list of geoportals in Poland and Finland are a summary of the data available for free. Thanks to it, land consolidation contractors around the world will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with and perhaps use this data when creating a rural land consolidation project. Good land consolidation planning will lead to effective and economical use of rural space. This is part of the 2030/2050 strategy. Reducing agricultural production costs, lower fuel consumption, and a smaller carbon footprint. This is what Poland and Finland are striving for as countries belonging to the European Union. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sources from Agriculture and Rural Areas II)
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