Fwd: Re: Environmental limits to UK biofuels crops (UKERC study - limited Energy crops 'can be grown sustainably' in the UK )
Andrew Smith
> So far I have been unable to get a copy of the report but it is not
> clear from the summary whether LUC has been taken into account and
> what is the expected payback period of GHG emissions.
The report does take LUC into account:
From doi:10.4155/BFS.10.30
"Scenario 3: no displacement of alternative land
uses that offer greater GHG savings
Studies suggest that converting SRC crops to electrical
energy is largely beneficial in reducing GHG emissions,
relative to fossil fuel [1,2]. However, SRC crops should
generally not displace forest/seminatural land. When
SRC crops displace arable or grassland (i.e., agricultural
land), net GHG emission savings are predicted
above -5.8 and -2.0 odt ha-1 year-1, respectively. GHG
emissions are abated as a consequence of decreased
fossil fuel inputs and increased carbon sequestration.
Therefore, scenario 2 also meets the requirements of
scenario 3 as it only considers displacing agricultural
land. Total GHG savings under scenario 2 are approximately
2.9 M tonnes carbon equivalent (coal) year-1,
based on Hillier et al. [1]. Therefore, displacing agricultural
land with energy crops can help contribute
to GHG savings and meet the requirements of the
Kyoto Protocol."
HTH,
Andrew