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EU sustainability criteria for biofuels potentially restrict ley crop production on marginal land for use as biogas substrate

Prade, Thomas ; Svensson, Sven-Erik ; Mattsson, Jan Erik ; Carlsson, Georg ; Björnsson, Lovisa LU ; Börjesson, Pål LU and Lantz, Mikael LU (2013) The Role of Grasslands in a Green Future: Threats and Perspectives in Less Favoured Areas 18. p.528-530
Abstract
Ley crops can be grown to provide a substrate for biogas vehicle-fuel production on a range of soils including marginal land. According to EU regulations, such biofuel currently has to achieve an emission reduction of 35%, but tightened goals of 50 and 60% will come into effect as early as 2017. In two field trials (one on marginal soil, one on productive soil) ley crop mixtures were tested and the biomass DM yield was determined. In a life-cycle assessment approach, the emissions of the production chain for biogas-vehicle-fuel were

estimated for a range of biomass DM yields. The results show that the emission intensity per energy unit of fuel produced is an asymptotic function of the DM yield. Currently, marginal lands not... (More)
Ley crops can be grown to provide a substrate for biogas vehicle-fuel production on a range of soils including marginal land. According to EU regulations, such biofuel currently has to achieve an emission reduction of 35%, but tightened goals of 50 and 60% will come into effect as early as 2017. In two field trials (one on marginal soil, one on productive soil) ley crop mixtures were tested and the biomass DM yield was determined. In a life-cycle assessment approach, the emissions of the production chain for biogas-vehicle-fuel were

estimated for a range of biomass DM yields. The results show that the emission intensity per energy unit of fuel produced is an asymptotic function of the DM yield. Currently, marginal lands not competing with food production can provide biofuels fulfilling the emission

reduction requirements. However, a tightening of the goals to 50 or 60% is likely to cause a shift in biomass production towards better soils, potentially causing competition with food and feed production. Alternatively, the CO2 emissions from biomass production of marginal

soils need to be further reduced, e.g. by increased nitrogen fixation or reduced machinery use. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
greenhouse gas emissions, energy balance, systems analysis, substrate, biogas
host publication
Grassland Science in Europe
editor
Helgadóttir, Áslaug and Hopkins, Alan
volume
18
pages
528 - 530
publisher
European Grassland Federation EGF
conference name
The Role of Grasslands in a Green Future: Threats and Perspectives in Less Favoured Areas
conference location
Akureyri, Iceland
conference dates
2013-06-23 - 2013-06-26
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f10a4b93-2037-4a22-9a80-b50c5f31865c (old id 4678856)
alternative location
http://www.europeangrassland.org/printed-matter/proceedings.html
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 11:51:40
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:07:41
@inproceedings{f10a4b93-2037-4a22-9a80-b50c5f31865c,
  abstract     = {{Ley crops can be grown to provide a substrate for biogas vehicle-fuel production on a range of soils including marginal land. According to EU regulations, such biofuel currently has to achieve an emission reduction of 35%, but tightened goals of 50 and 60% will come into effect as early as 2017. In two field trials (one on marginal soil, one on productive soil) ley crop mixtures were tested and the biomass DM yield was determined. In a life-cycle assessment approach, the emissions of the production chain for biogas-vehicle-fuel were <br/><br>
estimated for a range of biomass DM yields. The results show that the emission intensity per energy unit of fuel produced is an asymptotic function of the DM yield. Currently, marginal lands not competing with food production can provide biofuels fulfilling the emission <br/><br>
reduction requirements. However, a tightening of the goals to 50 or 60% is likely to cause a shift in biomass production towards better soils, potentially causing competition with food and feed production. Alternatively, the CO2 emissions from biomass production of marginal <br/><br>
soils need to be further reduced, e.g. by increased nitrogen fixation or reduced machinery use.}},
  author       = {{Prade, Thomas and Svensson, Sven-Erik and Mattsson, Jan Erik and Carlsson, Georg and Björnsson, Lovisa and Börjesson, Pål and Lantz, Mikael}},
  booktitle    = {{Grassland Science in Europe}},
  editor       = {{Helgadóttir, Áslaug and Hopkins, Alan}},
  keywords     = {{greenhouse gas emissions; energy balance; systems analysis; substrate; biogas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{528--530}},
  publisher    = {{European Grassland Federation EGF}},
  title        = {{EU sustainability criteria for biofuels potentially restrict ley crop production on marginal land for use as biogas substrate}},
  url          = {{http://www.europeangrassland.org/printed-matter/proceedings.html}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}