Indrek Melts

JSPS Fellow

Nature conservation, bio-energy

Profile

Indrek Melts is JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellow hosted by Professor Kazuhiko Takeuchi and Integrated Research System for Sustainable Science (IR3S), University of Tokyo. He holds MSc in Natural Resources Management and PhD in Environmental Conservation from Estonian University of Life Sciences (www.emu.ee), Estonia. Before joining the team of IR3S, he worked in various national and international projects. He was engaged in the project estimating energetic value of biomass in Estonia commissioned by the Rural Development Foundation. His research was related with the impact of biodegradable residues as fertilizer on production of reed canary grass and willow and the suitability of biomass from these agroecosystems for bioenergy production. He was involved in international EU LIFE+ Programme’s project PROGRASS – Securing the Conservation of Natura 2000 Grassland Habitats with a Distributed Bioenergy Production (www.prograss.eu) that combined state of the art technology in a sustainable approach to gain bioenergy from a substrate which could not be used with conventional technology. He has been also engaged in a national collaborative project “Climate change adaptation strategy and measures for natural environment and bioeconomy”, results of which were important input for the Estonia’s Draft National Climate Change Adapation Strategy and Action Plan. He also took part in the preparation and fieldwork in long-term field experiment studying the relations of soil heterogeneity and vascular plants diversity. He is also related with project about ecosystem services of seminatural grasslands through sustainable bioenergy production.

Research Interests

He is interested in combining biodiversity and energy production. He focuses on biomass from semi-natural grasslands, its properties and suitability for different bioproducts via the most efficient conversion method for sustainable future.

Research Projects

Efficient use of biomass for bioenergy and recycling nutrient-rich residues in Satoyama landscape funded by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from Japan Society for the Promotion Science (JSPS).

Selected publication

• Melts, Indrek; Heinsoo, Katrin (2015) Seasonal dynamics of bioenergy characteristics in grassland functional groups. Grass and Forage Science 70(4), 571-581.
• Heinsoo, Katrin; Melts, Indrek; Kull, Tiiu (2015) Agricultural bioenergy production. In: Lichtfouse, E. (Ed.). Sustainable Agriculture Reviews 18, 77−106.
• Melts, Indrek; Normak, Argo; Nurk Liina; Heinsoo, Katrin (2014) Chemical characteristics of biomass from nature conservation management for methane production. Bioresource Technology 167, 226-231.
• Melts, Indrek; Heinsoo, Katrin; Ivask, Mari (2014) Herbage production and chemical characteristics for bioenergy production by functional groups in semi-natural grasslands. Biomass and Bioenergy 67, 160-166.
• Melts, Indrek; Heinsoo, Katrin; Nurk, Liina; Pärn, Linnar (2013) Comparison of two different bioenergy production options from late harvested biomass of Estonian semi-natural grasslands. Energy 61, 6-12.
• Hensgen, Frank; Bühle, Lutz; Donnison, Iain; Frasier, Mariecia; Vale, James; Corton, John; Heinsoo, Katrin; Melts, Indrek; Wachendorf, Michael (2012) Mineral concentrations in solid fuels from European semi-natural grasslands after hydrothermal conditioning and subsequent mechanical dehydration. Bioresource Technology 118, 332–342.
• Heinsoo, Katrin; Hein, Katre; Melts, Indrek; Holm, Bert; Ivask, Mari (2011) Reed canary grass yield and fuel quality in Estonian farmers’ fields. Biomass and Bioenergy 35(1), 617-625.
• Heinsoo, Katrin; Melts, Indrek; Sammul, Marek; Holm, Bert (2010) The potential of Estonian semi-natural grasslands for bioenergy production. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 137(1-2), 86-92.

CV

Curriculum Vitae in Estonian Research Information System (ETIS): https://www.etis.ee/Portal/Persons/Display/0dea4966-2ddd-46bd-8304-68ec6caef0fd?tabId=CV_ENG&lang=ENG