The Effect of the Invasive Plant Species Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl. on Energy Recovery Parameters of Semi-Natural Grassland Biomass

Biodiversity of semi-natural grasslands is increasingly endangered by successful invasive plant species such as the legume Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl. In order to contain the propagation of this plant species, early and regular harvesting needs to be applied. Therefore, a form of utilization for the harvested biomass has to be developed. One opportunity could be the use of the biomass as a feedstock for biogas and solid fuel production. This study investigates the effect of L. polyphyllus on the nutrient and mineral composition in a mixture series with semi-natural grassland biomass and examines the changes in nutrient and mineral content through hydrothermal conditioning and mechanical dewatering of silage. Untreated lupine-invaded biomass has higher N and Mg concentrations, but lower Cl, K and S concentrations compared to the semi-natural grassland biomass. The mineral concentrations in the biomass exceeded recommendations for combustion. However, with the proposed pre-treatment of hydrothermal conditioning and subsequent dewatering, both lupine-containing and lupine-free semi-natural grassland biomass could achieve adequate values for combustion, given that a state-of-the-art combustion technique is used, including measures to reduce emissions of NOx and particulate matter. Thus, solid fuel production through hydrothermal conditioning and mechanical separation may offer a practical solution for the containment of lupine or other invasive species in semi-natural grasslands and may constitute an important element for sustainable bioenergy production.