WP3 – Innovation in Agriculture and Forestry Sector for Energetic Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue was founded after the creation of a department of excellence at the University of Tuscia (Viterbo, Italy). In particular, in the context of the WP3 objective, there is a need of innovation in the agricultural and forestry sectors for energy sustainability. Renewable energy sources and the rational use of energy represent an important agricultural and forestry resource in a local context against climate change.

The first issue that this Special Issue will address is identifying the energy potential from agro-forestry biomass, also dealing with the production of agricultural and forestry biomass in terms of supply and logistics; short rotation forestry (SRF); agricultural and forestry residues and their valorization; the main techniques of cultivation, the mechanization of biomass production, harvesting and pre-treatment; the energy and environmental balance of biomass production; further forms of by-product valorization; evaluation of the potential of land use (GIS—Geographic Information Systems) and planning tools.

The second issue focuses on the performance analysis of prototypal systems for energy conversion, including hydrogen, power and/or heat production plants and the pertinent thermodynamic cycles; sustainable renewable energy technologies (RETs); biomass thermochemical energy conversion technologies, such as combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis; biomass biochemical energy conversion technologies, such as fermentation and anaerobic digestion; system analysis and the integration of production and conversion; and integrated bioenergy systems. Economic, environmental and management aspects of the mentioned technologies will be considered.

The third issue focuses on energy sustainability for environmental mitigation such as the impact of large-scale/small-scale bioenergy systems; enhancement of the by-products of thermochemical processes (biochar) for the improvement of the agricultural and forestry sector; evaluation of CO2 storage in the soil and combating desertification; and energy efficiency.

Prof. Andrea Colantoni
Prof. Massimo Cecchini
Prof. Alvaro Marucci
Dr. Fabio Recanatesi
Dr. Elena Di Mattia
Prof. Rodolfo Picchio
Eng. Mauro Villarini
Prof. Valerio Cristofori
Guest Editors

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