Global potential nitrogen recovery from anaerobic digestion of agricultural residues

This study evaluates the technical potential of nitrogen derived from livestock manure and crop residues through anaerobic digestion on a global scale at a 10 km resolution and at the country level. In this context, we present the data generated as part of our research in this study.

Data_nitrogen_AD.xslx is a file that contains three sections: crop and manure estimates, emission reduction, and population fed. The first section displays the breakdown of the technical potential of nitrogen from manure, crop residues, and manure+crop residues of anaerobic digestion in metric tonnes (t) at a country level [Figure 2]. The second section illustrates the calculations necessary to obtain the emissions saved and emitted if nitrogen from anaerobic digestion replaced synthetic nitrogen at a pixel level [Figure 4]. The third section shows the calculations to estimate the population fed by using nitrogen from anaerobic digestion and synthetic nitrogen [Figure 6].

2020_synthetic_nitrogen_tonnes.h5 is a dataset containing synthetic nitrogen demand in metric tonnes (t) in 2020 at a pixel level with a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320). This dataset was extrapolated from the scientific journal: Adalibieke, W., Cui, X., Cai, H., You, L. and Zhou, F., 2023. Global crop-specific nitrogen fertilization dataset in 1961–2020. Scientific Data, 10(1), p.617.

country_pixel_area_code.h5 is a dataset containing the area code at the pixel level with a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320). Each pixel within the same country would have an area code. This dataset is useful for aggregating data at a country level with a 10 km resolution.

emission_factor.h5 is a dataset containing the emission factor at a country level with a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320). The unit is a metric ton of carbon over a metric ton of N ( t C / t N). This dataset is useful for measuring emissions related to synthetic nitrogen production at a 10 km resolution.

nitrogen_crop&manure_AD_tonnes.h5 is a dataset that contains the average technical potential of nitrogen from livestock manure and crop residues of anaerobic digestion in metric tonnes (t) per year at a pixel level with a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320).

nitrogen_crop_AD_tonnes.h5 is a dataset that contains the average technical potential of nitrogen from crop residues of anaerobic digestion in metric tonnes (t) per year at a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320).

nitrogen_manure_AD_tonnes.h5 is a dataset that contains the average technical potential of nitrogen from livestock manure of anaerobic digestion in metric tonnes (t) per year at a pixel level with a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320).

emission_saved_nitrogen_crop&manure_tonnes.h5 is a dataset that contains the amount of CO2-eq emission saved if nitrogen from crop residues and manure replaces synthetic nitrogen at a 10 km resolution in metric tonnes of CO2-eq per year (t of CO2-eq) and shape (2160, 4320)[Figure 5a].

emission_saved_nitrogen_crop_tonnes.h5 is a dataset that contains the amount of CO2-eq emission saved if nitrogen from crop residues replaces synthetic nitrogen at a 10 km resolution in metric tonnes of CO2-eq per year (t of CO2-eq) and shape (2160, 4320) [Figure 5b].

emission_saved_nitrogen_manure_tonnes.h5 is a dataset that contains the amount of CO2-eq emission saved if nitrogen from manure replaces synthetic nitrogen at a 10 km resolution in metric tonnes of CO2-eq per year (t of CO2-eq) and shape (2160, 4320)[Figure 5b].

percentage_nitrogen_crop&manure_AD_over_synthetic.h5 is a dataset that shows the share (%) of the technical potential of nitrogen from livestock manure and crop residues of anaerobic digestion over synthetic nitrogen at a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320) [Figure 3a].

percentage_nitrogen_crop_AD_over_synthetic.h5 is a dataset that shows the share (%) of the technical potential of nitrogen from crop residues of anaerobic digestion over synthetic nitrogen at a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320) [Figure 3b].

percentage_nitrogen_manure_AD_over_synthetic.h5 is a dataset that shows the share (%) of the technical potential of nitrogen from livestock manure of anaerobic digestion over synthetic nitrogen at a 10 km resolution [Figure 3b].

NfromAD_replacing_syntheticN_tonnes.h5 illustrates the technical potential of nitrogen from anaerobic digestion, constrained by synthetic nitrogen demand, at a 10 km resolution and shape (2160, 4320). In cases where the nitrogen pixels from anaerobic digestion exceed the synthetic nitrogen demand, those pixels are capped at the amount of synthetic nitrogen demand. Conversely, if the nitrogen pixels from anaerobic digestion are less than the synthetic nitrogen demand, these pixels are represented by the actual amount of nitrogen from anaerobic digestion. 

Code_in_Python.ipynb shows the steps necessary to create the raster datasets mentioned above.

Please contact Pietro Marconi, [e-mail] and Lorenzo Rosa, [e-mail] for any questions related to the datasets