Biomass production potential from Populus short rotation systems in Romania

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of biomass production by short rotation poplar in Romania without constraining agricultural food production. Located in the eastern part of Europe, Romania provides substantial land resources suitable for bioenergy production. The process-oriented biogeochemical model Landscape DNDC was used in conjunction with the forest-growth model PSIM to simulate the yield of poplar grown in short-rotation coppice at different sites in Romania. The model was validated on five sites with different climatic conditions in Central Europe. Using regional site conditions, with climatic parameters and organic carbon content in soil being the most important, the biomass production potential of poplar plantations was simulated for agricultural areas across Romania. Results indicated a mean productivity of 12.2 +/- 0.5 t ha-1 year-1 of poplar coppices on arable land in Romania. The highest yields were simulated for lowland areas in the south-east and west and for the Mures valley, whereas the lowest yields due to either temperature or water limitations were found for the mountainous regions, the Danube valley, and the region west of Bucharest. The amount of abandoned arable land in the past 10 years indicates that around 10% of cropping land in production in 1999 (approximately 1 million ha) is available for bioenergy production systems today. Production of poplar grown in short-rotation coppices on these areas would result in a yield of approximately 10 million tons of wood per year. The energy that can be generated by conversion of poplar short rotation coppice biomass may contribute up to approximately 8% of the national energy demand if these set-aside areas are used for lignocellulosic bioenergy.