Technological evaluation of non-traditional plant cultivation and utilization for energy purposes in Lithuania

Abstract

Presented paper provides the research results of non-traditional energy plants, which were grown in Lithuanian climate zone, cultivation, preparation and utilization for solid biofuel: ele-phant grass (Miscanthus x giganteus), sida (Sida hermaphrodita), cup plant (Silphium perfo-liatum L.) and seeder hemp (Canabis sativa). These investigations were carried out in the fields and laboratories of Aleksandras Stulginskis University and Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry in 2010-2013. There were presented research results of non-traditional energy plants chaff and mill preparation quality, in justice of use the drum chop-ping and hummer milling equipment prepared chaff and mill fractional composition, and mill pelleting quality. There were determined physical-mechanical properties of investigated non-traditional energy plants – moisture content, bulk density and pellet calorific value. The aver-age calorific value of these plants varied from 17.9 to 18.5 MJ kg-1.