A new report from the University of Utrecht says that EU countries could increase biofuels production while acting to prevent unwanted land use change. However, a separate new study from the University of Princeton says that the production of bioenergy is incompatible with sustainable food production and urges policymakers to phase out forms of bioenergy that use crops or that otherwise make dedicated use of land.
Indirect land use change (ILUC) has been a major concern for the environmental campaigners, and generated heated debates among policymakers about how to increase the production of renewables without affecting the use of land.
The researchers from the University of Utrecht found that ILUC could be prevented if under-utilised land is exploited for the extra production of biofuels.
The report summary says that growing demand for biofuels may result in increased requirements for land. This can put pressure on other uses of land, such as food production, and may result in the displacement of the latter activities to other, less suitable locations. Forests or nature reserves, for example, may get converted into agricultural land to meet the growing demand for food.
The risk of indirect effects has so far been analysed using economic models but these omitted concrete measures that could counteract the displacement of land.
The researchers propose a number of measures to prevent indirect effects. They looked at four case studies which showed that unwanted land use changes caused by biofuels can be mitigated and in some cases prevented.
The researchers caution, however, that measures that focus on biofuels alone will not be enough to prevent ILUC. But they say that in addition to making biofuels more sustainable, the measures proposed in the study would also benefit the whole agricultural sector.
The study by Princeton scientists for the World Resources Institute differs markedly in its findings. It says that estimates for bioenergy potential are based on double counting and “technological optimism”. It urges governments to scrap subsidies and targets for use of such fuel for transportation or electricity generation.
Tim Searchinger, lead author of the report said (reported by RTCC): “The basic rule is: Don’t divert the productive capacity of land to bioenergy, because there is always a big cost. People have just not calculated those costs.”
He added: “We are coming down strongly on the sceptic side, but we don’t think it is that complicated, really.
“The world’s land is already growing plants. Those plants are used. One of those uses is to store carbon or replenish carbon. If you use those plants for something else, you are giving up something.
“All those other things are getting more and more valuable and more and more competitive. We have this big land crunch even without bioenergy. Bioenergy just adds to that.”
Where there is spare land, bioenergy is a “stunningly inefficient” way to use it, Searchinger argues. Making ethanol from corn harnesses 0.3% of the sun’s energy, compared to 16% for a solar panel.
Commenting on the reports' findings Andy Eastlake, the LowCVP's Managing Director said: "These opposing scientific studies serve to highlight that the issue of land use remains highly controversial, creating a significant divide amongst stakeholders which to date has resulted in an impasse for progressing biofuel policy here in the UK.
"The LowCVP is now striving to unblock this issue, through the Transport Energy Task Force, a joint initiative with the Department for Transport.
"There is no doubt that the use of land for any purpose risks displacement effects. Biofuels production is the only use currently assessed in this way and there is a strong lobby that all competing land uses should be treated to the same scrutiny.
"It is clear that the assessment processes for defining the indirect impacts are not universally agreed, so the debate is likely to be protracted.
"In the meantime, there exist some biofuel options that most stakeholders agree pose a low risk of indirect effects (such as use of wastes and residues) and which can yield significant greenhouse gas savings."
The Transport Energy Task Force is working to establish a 'road map' for the use of bioenergy in transport whilst taking a robust and long-term view of all aspects of sustainability. The initial recommendations are due to be reported by the end of March.