Bioenergy potential of crop residues in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)

Producing bioenergy from agricultural waste offers a promising solution to meet rising energy demand, in particular in developing countries still facing significant energy shortages. This study proposes an indirect estimation method to estimate the bioenergy potential from crop residues, focusing on key crops widely cultivated across the four provinces (Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja) of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Although the importance of KRI agriculture is well documented and recognized in governmental strategies, there is limited evidence quantifying the technical bioenergy potential of crop residues and potential gains from agriculture modernization. Using official data on cultivated areas and grain yields in the region, this study aims to contribute to this debate and quantify the energy content of these agriculture residues in terms of biogas, electricity, and heat production. The result show that electricity production from these residues could reach of approximately 1286 GWh, equivalent to nearly 5% of KRI's total annual electricity demand. Improvements in agricultural practices could significantly increase both crop yields and residue availability, potentially raising the electricity generation capacity to nearly 9% of the region's estimated demand. The findings show the alignment of this waste-to-energy strategy with governmental goals, as well as its potential to improve management of agricultural residues, add value to local farming, expand rural electricity access, and reduce CO₂ emissions. • We present a methodology to estimate the bioenergy potential from crop residues. • The methodology is applied to KRI to estimate methane, electricity and heat potential. • Electricity potential corresponds to close to 5% of KRI annual electricity demand. • Improvements in agriculture practices significantly increase bioenergy generation.