Many countries in the western world consume enormous amounts of energy. At the same time, populous countries such as India and China are starting to follow in our footsteps with regard to energy consumption. There is therefore increasing focus on the production of bioenergy.

Is there enough land for bioenergy production if there must also be enough for food, feed, forest and nature? A new report from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries provides an overview of the situation. The report is a synthesis of existing knowledge of biomass and land use. The report considers the global and Danish consequences of using different types of bioenergy and suggests areas in which Danish research should develop.

The report focuses on land-based biomass – the so-called green biomass – and which is used for feed, food, fibre and energy.

The first part of the report contains analyses of societal and agricultural aspects of biomass production and use. The scientists elucidate the economical consequences of food and feed production and effects on the environment if the distribution of land use changes compared to the present.

In the second part of the report the Ministry describes existing political instruments and ethical problems regarding biomass and Danish research efforts in the biomass area.

The Ministry’s new report was prepared with contributions from researchers at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF), University of Aarhus, in collaboration with the Institute of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen. Senior scientist Uffe Jørgensen from the Department of Agroecology and Environment, DJF, has been the anchorman for the University of Aarhus’ contribution to the report.

Biomass bonus for developing countries

- Production and use of biomass is a complex area that is greatly affected by global conditions. Its complex nature is underlined by the many important aspects in the areas of economy, trade, technology, environment and ethics that affect biomass, says Uffe Jørgensen.

In both the EU and globally it is possible to use more land to grow biomass without affecting food production. However, increased use of land in the EU for biomass would lead to some of the food and feed production moving outside of the EU. This could benefit the countries south of the equator, which would have the chance of a larger piece of the pie with regard to production of food, feed and biomass. This would require, though, that trade restrictions are eased or lifted and that local infrastructure is improved.

Use of biomass can benefit the environment

Which type of biomass is used is important for the environment. Biomass production and energy use have an important effect on the condition of the soil, the water and the atmosphere.

The net effect on energy surplus and greenhouse gas displacement using first generation technology based on maize, wheat and vegetable oils is modest compared to ethanol produced using sugar cane, on the condition that no rain forest is cleared to make way for sugar cane.

Production of bioenergy on the basis of using residue materials such as straw, slurry, animal fat, grass and perennial crops is even better. There is a better energy balance and environmental effect when the biomass is used for direct combustion, biogas or thermal gasification, and likewise so with second-generation technology used to produce ethanol.

The use of slurry for biogas ensures an unusually high displacement of greenhouse gases of over 100 percent. One of the reasons is that the technology ensures a large reduction of greenhouse gases already before energy is produced by collecting and burning the methane that has been produced in the slurry containers and which is 23 times as powerful a greenhouse gas as CO2.

The production of biomass for energy can damage the environment via increased nutrient loss and increased use of pesticides. However, by using residues or by growing perennial crops positive effects on the environment can be achieved. The report contains calculations showing that increased use of biomass in Denmark can contribute to both reduced nitrate leaching and reduced use of pesticides.

- We have a unique opportunity to coordinate energy, environment and agricultural policies by choosing the most environmentally friendly biomass production methods and combining them with the most efficient conversion technologies, says Uffe Jørgensen.

For more information please contact: Senior scientist Uffe Jørgensen, Department of Agroecology and Environment, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, telephone: +45 8999 1762, e-mail: Uffe.Jorgensen@agrsci.dk