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RESUME

Dzhamal Rakhmetov
Non-traditional Plant Species for Bioenergetics
Among urgent problems of humankind the foreground lays in is the provision with reference to
alternative sources of energy. The problem of searching for efficient alternative sources of renewable
energy is becoming more and more urgent along with other methods of energy supply. First of all,
we should note the conversion via photosynthesis of solar energy to useful energy for the production
of various types of biofuel (bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas, solid biofuel etc.). In ancient times, this type
of fuel was the main source of energy for humanity. Today, its role is growing again, given the living
conditions on the Earth and the development of effective methods for converting energy of green
plants to the necessary energy for human use. A lot has been done already in this direction in different
world countries.
Today, in the structure of the world's alternative energy, biomass energy is about 13 %. According to
scientific surveys by 2040 the share of renewable energy sources will reach 47.7 %, and the
contribution of biomass will increase to 23.8 %.

Scientists from M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine were among the first
in Ukraine which began the studying of renewable plant bio-resources for energy use. Since the
beginning of the 1990s, complex researches have been carried out to mobilize, evaluate and use plant
resources for this purpose. It should be noted that a gene pool of energy plants of different uses has
been created and for today includes 550 species, varieties and plant forms (127 for bioethanol
production, 180 for biodiesel production, 243 for raw biofuel and biogas). Collection of energy plants
of M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden is included in the list of scientific objects that make up
the National Treasure of Ukraine. Along with introducted and less widely distributed cultures, an
important place in this list belongs to own forms, hybrids and varieties of energy plants, created on
the basis of breeding and biotechnological methods. A wide variety of energy crops makes it possible
to produce a certain type of biofuel not at the expense of 1–2 crops, the cultivation of which leads to
significant disruptions in crop rotations and ecological balance in agrocenosis, but with the use of
wide range of them.
For cultivation a set of cultures is proposed that is representatives of different botanical families and
the use of which in crop rotations or outside of them does not pose a threat to the environment.
Preference is given to perennial plants with a period of productive longevity of 10-20 (and more)
years, capable of growing not only on fertile crop rotation fields, but also on lands unsuitable for
growing most traditional, especially food and crops. The selected crops are environmentally safe,
energy efficient and economically highly cost-effective, able to improve the agronomic and biological
parameters of the soil, and help to reduce the level of CO 2 in the air.
These plants are preventing erosion, protecting soil surface from overheating under sunlight for a
long period when traditional cultures are not able to vegetate with high photosynthetic capacity.
Most of the proposed crops are characterized by exceptional drought and winter resilience,
adaptability, resistance to diseases, pests and weeds. This makes it possible to reduce the pesticide
load on agrocenosis, to ensure ecological balance in the environment, and also to reduce the cost of
produced biofuel.

In the presented work, more than 30 types of energy plants, their systematic position, origin,
distribution and invasiveness were characterized. Also, the data on the number of chromosomes,
biochemical composition, productivity and energy productivity of plants are given. Information is
presented on the life form, morphological and biological characteristics, and the main periods of
development and peculiarities of plant reproduction. The main elements of the technology of
cultivation, the optimal methods and timing of harvesting of plant raw material are given. The most
important directions for the use of plants in the energy, agrarian, pharmaceutical, food and other
industries are specified.

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