Biofuels: Environmental Considerations Uwe R. Fritsche Coordinator, Energy & Climate Division Öko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology), Darmstadt Office presented at the BMELV/gtz/WWI International Conference Biofuels for Transportation Global Potential and Implications for Agriculture, Energy, and Security in the 21st Century Washington DC, June 7, 2006
Core Issues Current and future energy and emission balances of biofuel production GHG abatement costs of biofuels: contribution to climate protection? How to secure sustainable biofuel production?
Flows Agriculture Forestry biogas frommanure +co-substrates, residual straw, grass, energy crops Food Industry biogas from sewage treatment, solid bio fuels Waste managment landfill- and sewage treatment gas, biogas from org. wastes, sewage sludge, demolition wood Wood, Pulp & Paper, Furniture Industry saw dust, chips, pellets forest residues + SRF: wood chips, pellets direct biomassfor-energy flows Energy Sector indirect biomassfor-energy flows
Energy Balance 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 gasoline gasoline, tar sands EtOH corn (maize) EtOH sweet sorghum EtOH wheat EtOH sugar beet EtOH sugarcane EtOH cellulose diesel diesel, ultra low-s biodiesel, rapessed EU biodiesel, soybeans biodesel, castor biodiesel, sunflower biodesel, waste veg. oil biodiesel, palm oil low high Fossil Energy Balance of Transport Fuels, data from WWI/gtz (2006) Data given as ratio of energy output per fossil energy input
GHG Reduction Wastes (Waste Oil, Harvest Residues, Sewage) Fibers (Switchgrass, Poplar) Sugars (Sugar Cane, Beet) Starches (Corn, Wheat) Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed, Sunflower Seed, Soybeans) 0 % reduction in CO 2 equiv. emissions 20 40 60 80 100 120 Source: based on IEA (2005)
GHG Reduction Costs Ethanol sugar cane (Brazil) Ethanol corn (US) Ethanol grain (EU) 2002 Ethanol cellulose (IEA) Biodiesel rapeseed (EU) Ethanol sugar cane (Brazil) Ethanol corn (US) Ethanol grain (EU) Ethanol cellulose (IEA) Biodiesel rapeseed (EU) Post- 2010 Biodiesel from F-T (IEA) Source: Fulton et al. - 100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 /t CO 2 equivalent Note: Ranges were developed using highest cost/ lowest GHG reduction estimate, and lowest cost/ highest GHG reduction estimate for each option, then taking the 25% and 75% percentile of this range to represent the low and high estimates in this figure.
Biofuels in Comparison DIESEL-CAR OTTO-CAR costs 2010 2020 jobs CO 2 -eq. SO 2 -eq. person transport cent/kwh input pers./twh input g/kwh input fossil diesel with tax 12,0 14,0 dito, without tax 5,4 6,3 9 326 0,5 biodiesel DE 7,7 8,2 314 65 1,0 biodiesel from palmoil 5,6 6,0-275 1,0 BtL wood-residue DE 6,9 5,3 153-131 0,6 BtL wood-srf DE 8,8 7,7 1757-100 0,8 BtL wood-srf from PL 4,1 5,2 - -222-0,6 fossil gasoline, with tax 15,0 17,0 dito, without tax 6,8 7,7 9 343 0,5 EtOH wheat DE 7,2 7,8 217 197 0,7 EtOH lignocellulosic DE 6,5 6,1 83 79 0,5 EtOH wheat from PL 3,3 3,4-219 0,8 EtOH sugarcane from BR 3,4 3,4-108 1,0 Biogas (maize) 6,9 6,7 220 87 0,6 Biogas (double-cropping) 6,0 5,0 1.870 89 0,5 Source: Öko-Institut (2006); preliminary data for palmoil, and lignocellusose EtOH (whole plant) Biofuels excluding taxes; but including credits for by-products (glycerine; electricity )
Bioenergy Basic considerations: consider land for organic farming (e.g. 30% in 2030) set-aside farmland for nature conservation (e.g. 5% stepping-stones for species) no forests or grasslands for biocrops (soil carbon) no forest residues from critical sites straw use only if soil is protected
Which Energy Crops? Approach Differentiate between climatic zones Determine the environmental impact of bioenergy crops Introduce mix of bioenergy crops (maintain crop and landscape diversity) erosion soil compaction nutrient + pesticide inputs to surface/ground water, and soils water abstraction fire risk diversity of crop types
Core Findings bio wastes are robust options for nature conservation + biodiversity, perennials often better than annual crops high net yield of whole-plant conversion (SRC + perennials) lower impacts promising biofuels: lignocellulose EtOH + BtL, perennial oil plants; biogas?
Conclusions Biowastes and biocrops need environmental guardrails (extraction rates, species ) Bioenergy needs cross-sectoral land-use policy (agriculture, forestry, tourism, nature protection ) Im/exports interesting as addition: international sustainability standards! Research in sustainable cropping systems Biofuels only part of sustainable transport