2008 Volume 70 Issue 1 Pages 45-54
In order to establish a supply system for energy resource coupled to the environment, the production technology of sugar beets was explored as a biological energy source. The results demonstrated that the planting technique, which involves a combination of no tillage and direct planting, was superior in extremely low-humic andosols of the Tokachi region in Hokkaido.
To look at the feasibility of economical energy production from sugar beets, an inventory analysis was made on indirect energy investments to produce ethanol from sugar beets. Data revealed that the energy cost of no tillage and a direct planting method was 10.5GJ/10 a on average for two years, while that of the conventional tillage method was 11.1GJ/10 a per year. The ratio of output to input showed that the direct planting with no tillage was more efficient (3.58) than the conventional tillage (2.96). Moreover, the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere with no tillage and the direct planting was 71% of the conventional tillage planting technique. Therefore, direct planting without tillage reduces the impact on the environment.
