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. 2010 Aug 10;1:1. doi: 10.1038/ncomms1053

Table 1. Annual globally sustainable biomass feedstock availability.

  Biomass available in scenario (Pg C per year)
  Alpha Beta Maximum sustainable technical potential
Rice 0.22 0.25 0.28
  Rice husks and 70% of paddy rice straw not used for animal feed Rice husks and 80% of paddy rice straw not used for animal feed Rice husks and 90% of paddy rice straw not used for animal feed
Other cereals 0.072 0.13 0.18
  8% of total straw and stover (assumes 25% extraction rate of crop residues minus quantity used as animal feed) 14% of total straw and stover (35% extraction rate minus animal feed) 20% of total straw and stover (45% extraction rate minus animal feed)
Sugar cane 0.09 0.11 0.13
  Waste bagasse plus 25% of field trash Waste bagasse plus 50% of field trash Waste bagasse plus 75% of field trash
Manures 0.10 0.14 0.19
  12.5% of cattle manure plus 50% of pig and poultry manure 19% of cattle manure plus 70% of pig and poultry manure 25% of cattle manure plus 90% of pig and poultry manure
Biomass crops 0.30 0.45 0.60
  50% of potential production of abandoned, degraded cropland that is not in other use 75% of potential production of abandoned, degraded cropland that is not in other use 100% of potential production of abandoned, degraded cropland that is not in other use
Forestry residues 0.14 0.14 0.14
  44% of difference between reported fellings and extraction
Agroforestry 0.06 0.34 0.62
  17 Mha of tropical silvopasture 85 Mha of tropical grass pasture converted to silvopasture 170 Mha of tropical grass pasture converted to silvopasture
Green/wood waste 0.029 0.085 0.14
  75% of low-end estimate of yard-trimmings production and wood-milling residues Alpha plus mid-range estimate of yard trimmings plus urban food waste, including 40% of waste sawnwood (legislation required to ensure that this fraction of waste wood is free of harmful contaminants) Beta plus high-end estimate of global yard trimmings and food waste, including 80% of waste sawn wood
Total 1.01 1.64 2.27