What Are Chestnuts (Castanea sativa)?

 

What Are Chestnuts (Castanea sativa)?

Pitomi kesten (Castanea sativa Mill.) važna je, široko rasprostranjena, višestruko korisna vrsta drveća u mediteranskom području, od koje se koriste drvo, plodovi, med i tanin. Rak kestenove kore, uzrokovan introducirnom gljivom Cryphonectria parasitica, ugrožava opstanak sastojina pitomog kestena. Glavni cilj ovoga projekta je utvrditi:

(1) neutralnu i adaptivnu raznolikost u prirodnim populacijama pitomog kestena u Hrvatskoj iz okolišno različitih staništa;
(2) povezanost genetičke strukture, morfološke raznolikosti, kemijske raznolikosti i okolišnih razlika (klimatskih i pedoloških) u prirodnim populacijama i kultivarima pitomog kestena;
(3) kvalitetu sjemena i zahtjeve za klijanje sjemena pitomog kestena;
(4) genetičku osnovu raznolikosti za adaptivna svojstva na sadnicama uzgojenima u stakleniku i u recipročno-transpantacijskim pokusima;
(5) epigenetičke odgovore na sušni stres;
(6) tolerantnost selekcioniranih genotipova na patogene;
(7) otpornost na patogene sadnica uzgojenih u rasadniku;
(8) povezanost između populacijsko-genetičkog pristupa i pokusa u stakleniku kao i recipročno-transplantacijskih pokusa;
(9) nastavak dugoročnog praćenja populacija C. parasitica;
(10) neutralnu i adaptivnu raznolikost hrvatskih kultivara pitomog kestena;
(11) razlike između hrvatskih kultivara pitomog kestena u morfologiji listova i plodova te kemijskom sastavu plodova;
(12) razgraničenje sjemenskih zona i izrada smjernica za prijenos sjemena za hrvatske populacije pitomog kestena.

Osim doprinosa osnovnim znanstvenim spoznajama o biologiji i ekološkim odnosima pitomog kestena, rezultati ovoga projekta doprinijet će održivom gospodarenju sastojinama pitomog kestena u Hrvatskoj. Rezultati će direktno doprinijeti zaštiti geografskog porijekla maruna, autohtonih hrvatskih kultivara pitomog kestena. Također će biti selekcionirani genotipovi tolerantni na sušni stres kao i oni s većom tolerancijom na biotski stres, odnosno infekciju gljivom Cryphonectria parasitica.

https://youtu.be/5xbyThtOcLM?si=ylt8WIBPfvF0FNTk

What Are Chestnuts (Castanea sativa)? Chestnuts are the edible fruit of a deciduous tree that grows throughout the world. They can be eaten raw or cooked, with a mild flavor that makes them versatile for both sweet and savory dishes. We want to know where there are healthy and unhealthy sweet chestnuts across Croatia to understand how far sweet chestnut blight and oriental chestnut gall wasps have spread since they were first reported. The information you provide will help us to produce an up-to-date map of healthy and unhealthy sweet chestnut trees and tell us whether our actions to control the spread of blight and gall wasps are working. Chestnuts vs. Water Chestnuts Some people wonder about the difference between chestnuts and water chestnuts, and they are completely different things. Unlike sweet chestnuts, which are the fruit of a tree, water chestnuts are part of the root structure of a grass-like plant, Eleocharis dulcis, that grows underwater in marshes. They're edible and popular in Chinese cuisine but can't be substituted for sweet chestnuts. Chestnuts vs. Horse Chestnuts There's also frequent confusion about the difference between sweet chestnuts and horse chestnuts. Horse chestnuts are the fruit of a different tree, Aesculus hippocastanum, sometimes called the horse chestnut or buckeye tree. These nuts are toxic. This isn't an issue if you purchase your chestnuts since horse chestnuts aren't cultivated or sold as food. But if you're foraging, note that horse chestnut husks are shiny and spiny, whereas sweet chestnuts grow in a husk that is covered in what looks like grassy, spiky hair or fur. Long-term prospects Sweet chestnut is native to southern Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. The first written records of them growing in Croatia date to the 12th century, and they have long been naturalized here. Today they can be found commonly throughout Croatia as urban trees, in parks, and in woodland.  Zeljko Serdar, CCRES

The future of energy

 

The future of energy is looking greener. Moving into 2023, drivers for renewable growth are some of the strongest the industry has seen, including competitive costs, supportive policies, and burgeoning demand.

By 2024, almost 33 percent of the world’s electricity is forecast to come from renewables, with solar photovoltaic (PV) accounting for nearly 60 percent (or at least 697 gigawatts) of expected growth, according to Renewables 2019, a report from the International Energy Agency published in November 2019. Onshore wind (309 GW), hydropower (121 GW), offshore wind (43 GW), and bioenergy follow (41 GW).

Drastically lower production costs, growing concern around climate change, evolving global energy policies, and increased pressure from investors on companies to adopt environmental social governance (ESG) policies are pushing renewables into the mainstream.

This year alone, more than 12 large U.S. coal companies had filed for bankruptcy as of October 2019, in a signal of the shifting landscape. In Australia, the National Electricity Market showed that on Nov. 6, renewables reached a milestone—powering 50 percent of the country’s main electricity grid. Rooftop solar provided nearly 24 percent, followed by wind (about 16 percent), large-scale solar (about 9 percent), and hydro (about 2 percent). While renewable energy costs may continue to rise temporarily in 2023 due to ongoing supply chain challenges, wind and solar will likely remain the cheapest energy sources in most areas, as fuel costs for a conventional generation have been rising faster than renewable costs.

Federal clean energy policies. Among other supportive provisions, the IRA extends wind and solar tax credits for projects that begin construction before 2025 and technology-neutral credits through at least 2032. Projections suggest the law will spur 525 to 550 GW of new US utility-scale clean power by 2030.

State clean energy policies. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are targeting 100% renewable energy or 100% carbon-free electricity, often through clean and renewable energy mandates and incentives, with target dates between 2040 and 2050.

Utility decarbonization. As of October 2022, 43 of the 45 largest US investor-owned utilities have committed to reducing their carbon emissions, and boosting renewables are one of their key strategies for meeting those commitments.

Corporate renewable procurement. With a record 11 GW of US clean energy installations in 2021, the US is set to exceed that in 2022. More than 380 global businesses have committed to 100% clean electricity by joining the RE100 renewable electricity initiative, up from about 200 in 2019.

In Germany, a Norwegian company is running one of Europe’s largest power generation facilities—and doing it virtually, in an innovative example of how the sector could overcome challenges that arise when there's little wind or sun to generate power. The plant, which according to CNN Business could power 5 million homes, uses a cloud-based artificial intelligence program to link more than

1,500 wind, solar, and hydropower plants across the continent with electricity generation and storage facilities like batteries.

Renewables were the more sustainable—if more expensive—option. By 2023, they will actually make good business sense.

In 2023: The Near Future of Renewables, we present our predictions for how the sector will reimagine itself by capitalizing on this scalable green wave.

 

1. The future of solar is bright - Although slowed slightly by geopolitical tension and trade uncertainty, solar capacity will continue to grow over the next several years—surpassing a terawatt of global solar power generation by 2023. 

2. Storage takes center stage - Storage will take its rightful place as a key grid asset by 2023, helping to increase the reliability and resilience of increasingly decentralized power systems. The adoption of diverse energy storage solutions, including long-duration batteries for utility-scale renewable integration, will grow by at least 30 percent year-over-year leading up to 2023.

3. No headwinds for wind power - Wind power will continue to grow, with increased storage capabilities explicitly developed for on and offshore wind, helping to improve the economics and productivity of such projects. Half of the 2023 global investments in the wind will go towards offshore technology and projects. 

4. The energy convergence continues - Natural resources companies, from mining to oil and gas, will continue to invest in clean or renewable energy technology, including carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration—both to diversify their portfolios and reduce their corporate carbon footprints. By 2023, 20 oil and gas majors will have joined the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, up from 13.

5. Cleantech investments soar - Following a cycle of disappointing returns, private equity and venture capital will return to the cleantech space in full force. Whether called cleantech or climate tech, the regulatory, economic, and scientific impetus for these technologies will see $600 billion dollars in global private investment by 2023.

Overall, as the industry heads into 2023, increasing demand and enticing, long-term incentives are creating strong stimuli. Of course, the uneven economy right now poses some rough sailing, but the destination is in sight and achievable. Citizens want more solar. Residential solar demand is growing faster than ever, up 35% in H1 2022 year over year, as households react to rising retail electricity prices and weather-driven power outages.

The private sector takes notice. Private investment in renewables hit a record high of $10 billion in the past year. That could continue, as investors are attracted by transparent returns on mature technologies backed by 10-year tax credits with direct payment options.

U.S. power grid

 

In 2022/2023, solar and wind are expected to add more than 60% of the utility-scale generating capacity to the U.S. power grid (46% from solar, 17% from wind). The United States is a resource-rich country with abundant renewable energy resources.

Renewables are on track to generate more power than coal in the United States this year. But the question is whether they can grow fast enough to meet the country’s climate goals.

Supply chain constraints and trade disputes have slowed wind and solar installations, raising questions about the United States' ability to meet the emission reductions sought by the Inflation Reduction Act. The Biden administration is banking on the landmark climate law cutting emissions by 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

Many analysts think the United States will ultimately shake off the slowdown thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act's $369 billion in clean energy investments. But it may take time for the law’s impact to be felt. Tax guidance needs to be finalized before developers begin plunking down money on new facilities, and companies now face headwinds in the form of higher interest rates and the looming threat of a recession.

The Inflation Reduction Act's emission reductions hinge on the country’s ability to at least double the rate of renewable installations over the record levels observed in 2020 and 2021.

Assuming intermediate efficiency, solar photovoltaic (PV) modules covering 0.6% of the U.S. land area could meet national electricity demand. PV module prices have declined to an average of $0.27/watt. The U.S. manufactured 1% of PV cells and 3% of PV modules globally in 2020. In 2021, a new record high of over 23.6 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity was added in the U.S., raising the total installed capacity to over 121 GW. Solar accounted for 46% of the new generating capacity in 2021.

Hydrothermal resources, i.e., steam and hot water, are available primarily in the western U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii, yet geothermal heat pumps can be used almost anywhere to extract heat from the shallow ground, which stays at relatively constant temperatures year-round. Electricity generated from geothermal power plants is projected to increase from 15.9 billion kWh in 2021 to 47.4 billion kWh in 2050. Geothermal electricity generation has the potential to exceed 500 GW, which is half of the current U.S. capacity.

U.S. onshore wind resources have a potential capacity of almost 11,000 GW and a current installed capacity of 132.7 GW. Offshore wind resources are potentially 4,200 GW, the current capacity is 42 MW, and the development pipeline contained over 28 GW of projects in 2019. Over 16 GW of wind capacity was installed in the U.S. in 2020, an 85% increase from 2019. The federal production tax credit (PTC) significantly influences wind development, but cycles of enactment and expiration lead to year-to-year changes in investment. In 2020, the PTC was extended to allow wind projects beginning construction in 2020 or 2021 a PTC at 1.5¢/kWh for 10 years of electricity output. Based on the average U.S. electricity fuel mix, a 1.82 MW wind turbine (U.S. average in 2019) can displace 3,679 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. By 2050, 404 GW of wind capacity would meet an estimated 35% of U.S. electricity demand and result in 12.3 gigatonnes of avoided CO2 emissions, a 14% reduction when compared to 2013.

In the U.S., net electricity generation from conventional hydropower peaked in 1997 at 356 TWh/yr. Currently, the U.S. gets about 260 TWh/yr of electricity from hydropower. While electricity generated from hydropower is virtually emission-free, significant levels of methane and CO2 may be emitted through the decomposition of vegetation in the reservoir. Other environmental concerns include fish injury and mortality, habitat degradation, and water quality impairment. “Fish-friendly” turbines and smaller dams help mitigate some of these problems.

Wood—mostly as pulp, paper, and paperboard industry waste products—accounts for 43% of total biomass energy consumption. Waste—municipal solid waste, landfill gas, sludge, tires, and agricultural by-products—accounts for an additional 9%. Biomass has low net CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuels. At combustion, it releases CO2 previously removed from the atmosphere. Further emissions are associated with the processing and growth of biomass, which can require large areas of land. Willow biomass requires 121 acres of land to generate one GWh of electricity per year, more land than other renewable sources.

For now, U.S. renewable output is edging higher. Wind and solar output are up 18 percent through Nov. 20 compared to the same time last year and have grown 58 percent compared to 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The government energy tracker predicts that wind, solar and hydro will generate 22 percent of U.S. electricity by the end of this year. That is more than coal at 20 percent and nuclear at 19 percent.

Renewable output also exceeded coal in 2020, though that year saw a decrease in energy generation across the board due to the economic lockdowns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wind and solar growth have to continue at a blistering pace to meet the United States' climate targets. Researchers at Princeton University estimate the country needs to install about 50 gigawatts of wind and solar annually between 2022 and 2024, or roughly double the 25 GW that the United States installed annually in 2020 and 2021.

Agrošumarstvo u sklopu Hrvatskog Centra Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

  

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES) is a non-governmental organization registered and working in Croatia in the field of renewable energy, agroforestry, reforestation, and sustainable land uses. The organization started working at the CCRES Research facility in the year 2013 and has been involved with giving farmers free seeds, training farmers and the community at large on more about agroforestry techniques, and environmental conservation awareness. CCRES has been able to facilitate the planting of trees in forest lands, community farms, schools, waterlines, and private lands. Some of the benefits the farmers have been able to acquire from the organization include; free seeds, free training manuals in agroforestry, workshops in agroforestry, and sustainable land uses. 

Agroforestry takes advantage of the interactive benefits of combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.

Several types of agroforestry:

*Forest Farming: the intentional cultivation of non-timber forest crops underneath the established canopy of an existing forest.

*Forest Gardening: mimicking the structure and function of forests in the way we garden, or using the forest as a model for the way we garden.

*Silvopasture: grazing animals under a forest canopy of about 50% cover, so that grasses can persist

*Riparian Buffers: tree crop systems in waterways like streams, rivers, wetlands, etc.

*Windbreaks: tree crop systems to buffer effects of wind

*Alley Cropping: rows of trees in between conventional crops, like Black Walnuts in-between rows of corn or soybeans

Agrošumarstvo se uglavnom sastoji od miješanja sadnje stabala sa sadnjom usjeva i/ili uzgojem stoke. To omogućuje bolju iskorištenost resursa, pomaže povećanju bioraznolikosti i može povećati prinose.

U sklopu Hrvatskog Centra Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE), objavili smo svoje nove planove za razvoj ekološki održivih šumarskih praksi diljem Hrvatske. Ovi projekti imaju za cilj smanjiti negativan utjecaj na okoliš te integrirati prakse upravljanja šumama u agroekologiju.

Agrošumarstvo se uglavnom sastoji od miješanja sadnje stabala sa sadnjom usjeva i/ili uzgojem stoke. To omogućuje bolju iskorištenost resursa, pomaže povećanju bioraznolikosti i u konačnici povećava prinose. Studija HCOIE pokazala je da parcela od 100 ha pod agrošumarskim praksama daje ekvivalent od 136 ha pod standardnim principima korištenja, dajući tako potencijalni ekonomski rast za proizvođače koje takve prakse usvoje.

Koncept ima velik broj prednosti po pitanjima uzgoja usjeva i zaštite okoliša. U principu, drveće kroz svoje korijenje stvara uvjete u tlu koji potiču bolju apsorpciju vode i minerala usjevima na površini. Agrošumarske tehnike potiču strateško pozicioniranje stabala kako bi se maksimiziralo povećanje prinosa. Dodatno, stabla pomažu u diverzifikaciji proizvodnje, ograničenju gubitaka nitrata iz tla te onečišćenju podzemnih voda.

Plodnost tla također se poboljšava padom jesenskog lišća i njegovom razgradnjom na tlu, stvarajući tako važan izvor prirodnog komposta i gnojiva okolnim kulturama. Drveće i živice na poljima povećavaju bioraznolikost, što je pogodno kukcima za oprašivanje. Konačno, stabla igraju važnu ulogu u apsorpciji CO2 i spremanju ugljika tijekom faze rasta, smanjujući tako učinak klimatskih promjena.

Agrošumarstvo tako postaje ključni igrač u agroekološkom planu HCOIE. Zbog svih ovih prednosti, promocija i širenje korištenja agrošumarstva postali su nam jedan od glavnih ciljeva u borbi protiv klimatskih promjena. Plan otkriva naše konkretne prijedloge za njegovu promociju u širokim kategorijama s brojnim specifičnim aktivnostima u svakoj od njih.

Kategorije uspostavljaju sustav za istraživanje i praćenje različitih oblika agrošumarstva koji se provode u Hrvatskoj, te uspostavljaju mreže za razmjenu informacija između različitih sudionika u agrošumarstvu. Povećanje informacija o tome što se radi u agrošumarstvu omogućit će širenje inovativnih ideja koje su u budućnosti primjenjive.

Još jedan veliki prostor na koji se odnosi plan jest poboljšanje regulatornog, pravnog i financijskog okvira koji okružuje agrošumarstvo. Neke od specifičnih aktivnosti uključuju osnaživanje financijske potpore za agrošumarstvo, poboljšanje dostupnosti alata za različite sudionike na regionalnom nivou te favoriziranje razvoja agrošumarstva kroz financijske alate.

Obrazovanje je još jedna važna komponenta plana, kako u poljoprivrednim školama, tako i u pružanju obuke već postojećim poljoprivrednicima o prednostima agrošumarstva i kako prijeći na njega. Dodatno, plan postavlja sustav pomoći kako bi se podigla vrijednost proizvedenih kultura koristeći agrošumarstvo te strategiju promocije agrošumarstva na međunarodnoj razini.

Široko korištenje agrošumarstva moglo bi imati veliku ulogu u prelasku na održive okolišne prakse u dugoročnom razdoblju, a također bi pomoglo i proizvođačima na ekonomskom nivou u povećanju prinosa, te korištenje biomase drveta, kroz malčiranje, kao prirodno gnojivo za usjeve. Predstavljeni plan trebao bi svoju primjenu naći na nacionalnom, ali i na međunarodnom nivou.

Field windbreaks

Wind protection is a long-standing indigenous practice in traditional agriculture of many regions. In attempts to improve or establish wind protection schemes with trees, it makes sense to study the link which can be observed between traditional and relatively recent but promising agroforestry practices. And it makes sense as well to try to quantify phenomena taking place in such traditional and promising practices alike.

In the case study in Croatia reported here, the farmer requested CCRES to assist in providing the agrometeorological input into the set-up of experiments under conditions in farmers' fields, with a system of wind barriers with trees, in irrigated crops in Lika Region.

The choice to use multiple tree breaks appears justified by the increase in roughness over a larger area in addition to separate windbreak effects, and by the multipurpose use of trees and their products which is economically possible. In larger-scale agriculture, where irrigated cash and food crops have to be protected against very strong winds, relatively narrow rows of trees are to be preferred above wider belts as an intercrop or scattered trees or bushes.

As mentioned earlier, where mechanical damage from strong winds is the primary limiting factor, the agronomist member of the team should pay primary attention to phenology, growth and yield parameters, and visual or even microscopic observations of actual mechanical damage. This will make it possible to observe differences between unprotected crops and protected ones at different distances from belts.

Whether in strip cropping, in using narrow tree rows, or in mixed experiments, cost/benefit ratio determinations are absolutely necessary to understand the proper gain from the multipurpose role of trees and from yield (quality) increases due to the trees or crops applied for protection from wind.

Zeljko Serdar, Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

The Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun from Zadar

A sound art object and experimental musical instrument that creates lovely chimed tunes using only the rolling power of sea waves. The installation looks like a series of broad steps leading down into the sea hiding clever engineering beneath their surface. Nikola Bašić, a renowned architect, has devised an ingenious system of resonant chambers that produces ever-changing syncopated tunes which soothe and excite the minds of countless amazed visitors as they chill and linger on the Riva for hours to hear that dreamlike sound once again before they leave. Another installation of the brilliant architect symbolizes the communication between man and nature. This stirring monument consists of 300 multi-layered glass plates that absorb solar energy during the day and create a spectacular waterfront light show just after sunset. These installations are a holiday for all your senses. In love with the spectacular installations that show how well art and nature mix. Zeljko Serdar

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES: Nuvaxovid

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES: Nuvaxovid: Update:  Nuvaxovid is now authorised across the EU. This follows the granting of a conditional  marketing authorisation  by the European Com...

Agroforestry, forest farming, and food forest

Agroforestry, forest farming, and food forest

The terms agroforestry, forest farming, and food forest get used often in conjunction. Although they sound synonymous, in fact, they are related terms that have distinctly different definitions and practices. In today’s post, we explore these terms.

Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits.” So simply put, agroforestry is using trees and shrubs for some kind of benefit on the farm.

We at CCRES divide agroforestry into five major subsections. These are alley cropping, silvopasture, forest farming, riparian forest buffers, and windbreaks. So forest farming is a distinct subsection of agroforestry. To paraphrase that saying about squares and rectangles, all forest farming is agroforestry, but not all agroforestry is forest farming.

Let’s explore these five subsections.

Alley cropping is a system where trees are planted in rows for some purpose (like fruit, timber, nuts). While the farmer is waiting for those trees to mature, he plants some kind of annual between the rows of trees for short-term (annual) income.

Silvopasture is utilizing trees and livestock on a single piece of land. In general, the trees provide wind, shade, and rain shelter to the livestock. The trees themselves may be grown for timber, fruits, or nuts. The fruits and nuts may be for human or livestock consumption.

Forest farming is what everyone thinks of when the term agroforestry is used. Forest farming uses existing forests to grow food, medicinal or herbal crops with some slight manipulation of the existing forest. A classic example is using the shade of the forest to grow ginseng. Another classic example is growing shiitake mushrooms on logs from the forest under the shade of the forest.

Riparian forest buffers utilize plantings of trees, shrubs, and grasses right next to creeks, streams, and rivers. The two main purposes of riparian forest buffers are to stabilize the banks from erosion and to filter farm nutrient runoff from going into waterways.

Windbreaks are just rows of trees used to slow downwind. That being said, windbreaks have many uses. They can be used to shelter animals or buildings from wind, dust, or odors. They can be used to shelter crops from neighbors’ pesticide drift. In the Lika region, they often function as living snow fences in the winter, where snow piles naturally accumulate.

A food forest is an intentionally planned and grown “forest site.” It uses different heights of trees and shrubs to produce food at different canopy levels to maximize production. Planting is in a non-linear fashion. Food forests also utilize both the near above-ground level, ground level, and below ground level to maximize production. An example in descending height order would be chestnuts and pecans, followed by persimmons, followed by pawpaws, followed by dwarf apples, followed by comfrey (for mulching), followed by berries. Permaculturists from CCRES have been responsible for the increased popularity of food forests in Croatia over the last decade.