Steffen Adler
Research Scientist
(+47) 404 82 199
steffen.adler@nibio.no
Place
Steinkjer
Visiting address
Ogndalsveien 2, 7713 Steinkjer
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Narta Elshani Steffen Adler Tidåker, Pernilla Jon Kristian Sommerseth Matthias Koesling Håvard SteinshamnAbstract
Green biorefineries (GBRs) aim to reduce reliance on imported feed by extracting protein from forage. Their environmental performance depends on co-product utilization, including the pulp which contains up to 70% of the original biomass dry matter. Using a life cycle assessment approach, we compared a conventional dairy system with two GBR-integrated systems differing in land availability for forage production, where pulp fraction replaced forage in cattle diets, adjusted using the Nordic Feed Evaluation System. Both GBR-integrated systems showed higher environmental impacts per kg milk than the conventional, driven by increased concentrate feed inputs or expanded land use for forage production to maintain milk production. Impact increased by up to 7% and 8% for global warming potential and land use, respectively, while other impact categories showed similar or even higher increases. Substituting soybean meal elsewhere with GBR-produced protein concentrate partially offset these impacts but was insufficient to reduce impacts below the conventional system. In a sensitivity analysis, neither a higher feeding value for pulp nor a higher-impact assumption for the avoided soybean meal alone was enough to bring impacts below the conventional system. Only when both were combined did global warming potential and land use fall below conventional, by 5%.
Abstract
This conference proceedings paper investigates how forage species and seasonal cuts affect mass balance, dry matter distribution and crude protein recovery in green biorefinery. The study compares timothy, red clover and a grass–clover mixture across seasonal cuts, with focus on pulp, green protein concentrate and brown juice fractions.