Government study highlights benefits of use of waste products to make biofuel
Wed 06 January 2010
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Producing biofuels from waste, by-products and residues with no other end market will lead to greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions than most current biofuels, according to a report commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA).
The aim of the study, prepared for DECC and the RFA by consultants ecometrica, eunomia and Imperial College London, was to develop a methodology for quantifying the indirect greenhouse gas impacts of using wastes, residues and by-products for biofuels or bioenergy.
The report concludes that the use of materials which have existing uses (in the absence of biofuels/bioenergy usage) is likely to create negative indirect greenhouse gas effects (i.e. create additional emissions which are not currently accounted for in the carbon reporting methodologies for the RTFO or the RED). Alternatively, the use of materials which are disposed of (in the absence of biofuel/bioenergy usage) can create large positive greenhouse gas effects.
The report includes four case studies, applying the methodology to some of the most significant potential feedstock materials including: molasses; municipal solid waste (MSW); straw and tallow.
The study found that using material such as animal feed that had an existing market in order to produce biofuels was likely to have greater indirect impacts on the environment.
It argues that switching to such feedstocks to produce biofuels may appear to deliver deeper cuts in emissions than existing biofuels, but it could in turn lead to changes in land use that would result in increased emissions that are not currently accounted for in existing carbon reporting methodologies.
For further information and to view the full report, please follow the associated link.
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