芒草在生質能源與植生復育的開發與利用

The Development and Application of Miscanthus in Bioenergy and Phytoremediation

C4 植物芒草因極高的光合效率與生物量具有生質能源的潛能，這個原生的雜草是組成台灣的草原生態系重要的物種，從低海拔的荒廢地（五節芒）、高鹽（八丈芒）及高重金屬（白背芒）的棲地、中海拔的邊坡（台灣芒）一直到高山的草原（高山芒），都有優勢的族群分布，然而這個台灣的草卻已經是歐洲的寶，透過國際合作，歐盟正式將台灣的芒草種源引入歐洲，作為生質能源發電的原料；在美國芒草被列為生產生質酒精的物種之一。台灣在缺乏完整的能源政策下，生質能源一直流於空談，尤其在原油價格直直落的大環境下更是雪上加霜，芒草作為生質能源有固碳及快速回收的優點，相較於只會產能及釋放二氧化碳的化石燃料，芒草可以從大氣中吸收碳，也就是具有碳吸存的能力，依據歐盟的研究，一八畝的芒草每年約可以固定 1.63 噸的碳。除了火力發電廠的發電，台灣最有潛力的則是利用芒草粒（經乾燥造粒）於鍋爐的燃燒使用，以及透過低氧燃燒產生的生物碳乃至活性碳的製造，環境永續的考量上；種植芒草還有定沙、防止地層下陷以及去除土壤重金屬與戴奧辛的污染，居於整體的考量，台灣應該透過政策推動，開發與利用這種原生的天然資源。 Featuring high photosynthetic efficiencies and biomass, Miscanthus, a C4 plants, has become a potential biofuel crop. Miscanthus is native to East Asia with high species diversity, including M. sinensis Anders. that is widespread in Mainland China and Japan. Taxa in Taiwan are ecologically diverse, with M. floridulus (Labill.) Warb. ex Schum. & Laut. distributing in wastelands, M. sinensis var. condensatus (Hack.) Makino in saline-alkali habitats, M. floridulus var. papillayus Lee in heavy metal areas, M. sinensis var. formosanus Hack. on slopes of intermediate altitude, and M. transmorrisonensis Hayata in grasslands of high mountains. In 1997, the European Miscanthus Improvement Project, which is sponsored by the European Union, identified Miscanthus as a potential biofuel crop for renewable energy. Via international collaboration, Miscanthus seeds were exported officially from East Asia including Taiwan to European Union. Miscanthus has been used for combustion in Europe to reduce the usage of charcoal in the fossil-fuel power; in America, Miscanthus is used for producing ethanol. Unfortunately biofuel crops have not been well developed in Taiwan due to the lack of sustainable development policies. Compared to fossil fuel, which simply emits greenhouse gases, Miscanthus plants fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and carbon elements from soil, and transfer to biomass. According to researches conducted by the European Miscanthus Improvement Project, one acre of Miscanthus farm can fix 1.63 tons of carbon per year. Altogether, this C4 plant is not only ideal for producing renewable energy, but for fixing carbon from the environment. Practically, Miscanthus manufactured as pellets can be directly used in power stations and burners for local industry. Additionally, planting of Miscanthus is also helpful for sand fixation, mitigation of land subsidence, and accumulating heavy metals and dioxin from polluted soil. For sustainable development, we suggest developing policy of biofuel in Taiwan.

Featuring high photosynthetic efficiencies and biomass, Miscanthus, a C4 plants, has become a potential biofuel crop. Miscanthus is native to East Asia with high species diversity, including M. sinensis Anders. that is widespread in Mainland China and Japan. Taxa in Taiwan are ecologically diverse, with M. floridulus (Labill.) Warb. ex Schum. & Laut. distributing in wastelands, M. sinensis var. condensatus (Hack.) Makino in saline-alkali habitats, M. floridulus var. papillayus Lee in heavy metal areas, M. sinensis var. formosanus Hack. on slopes of intermediate altitude, and M. transmorrisonensis Hayata in grasslands of high mountains. In 1997, the European Miscanthus Improvement Project, which is sponsored by the European Union, identified Miscanthus as a potential biofuel crop for renewable energy. Via international collaboration, Miscanthus seeds were exported officially from East Asia including Taiwan to European Union. Miscanthus has been used for combustion in Europe to reduce the usage of charcoal in the fossil-fuel power; in America, Miscanthus is used for producing ethanol. Unfortunately biofuel crops have not been well developed in Taiwan due to the lack of sustainable development policies. Compared to fossil fuel, which simply emits greenhouse gases, Miscanthus plants fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and carbon elements from soil, and transfer to biomass. According to researches conducted by the European Miscanthus Improvement Project, one acre of Miscanthus farm can fix 1.63 tons of carbon per year. Altogether, this C4 plant is not only ideal for producing renewable energy, but for fixing carbon from the environment. Practically, Miscanthus manufactured as pellets can be directly used in power stations and burners for local industry. Additionally, planting of Miscanthus is also helpful for sand fixation, mitigation of land subsidence, and accumulating heavy metals and dioxin from polluted soil. For sustainable development, we suggest developing policy of biofuel in Taiwan.