1. Bioenergy-related analysis: Focus on land use aspects
Jan-Erik Petersen, EEA

2. Context for links between bioenergy + environmental resources
Renewables only 6% of EU-25 energy mix in 2003
Need to reduce CO2 emissions from energy use
Bioenergy is very important renewable energy source
Agriculture has strongest growth potential of the 3 main biomass sources (next to forestry + waste)
Agricultural land use has a strong impact on water quality and quantity, soils, biodiversity, landscape
How do we combine bioenergy production and the protection of natural resources on farmland?

3. Relevant EU policy targets for 2010/20?
Relevant EU policy targets for 2010/20
12 % renewable energy (20% by 2020)
21 % renewables electricity
5.75 % biofuels (10% by 2020)
Double/ >triple bioenergy use
2020
Source: Eurostat for past data: EEA for projections
Please note: 2010 are modelled data, not policy targets!

4. Environmental issues of energy cropping
Land use
change &
availability
Pathways
& Energy
Cropping
Approaches
Bioenergy
&
Water
Impacts of
Cropping
practices
Impacts of
Conversion
processes

5. EEA project: How much biomass can Europe produce without harming the environment?
Objective: determine the bioenergy potential from agriculture, forestry, waste in 2010, 2020, 2030, which
exerts no additional pressure on farmland and forest biodiversity or
soil and water resources
respects other environmental objectives 5

6. Model assumptions for calculating the agricultural bioenergy potential
Basic assumption: no competition between bioenergy and production of food for domestic use (maintain food self sufficiency)
Liberalisation of agricultural markets due to CAP reform
Significant yield increases for energy crops
Grow mainly specialised bioenergy crops beyond 2010 (when shift from first to second generation biofuels is assumed), e.g. perennial grasses / SRC
Policy framework supports environmental orientation of food and energy crop production 6

7. The environmentally compatible bioenergy potential, EU-25

8. Environmentally-compatible bioenergy potential from agriculture, EU-25

9. Main messages from technical report on agricultural bioenergy potential
Agricultural bioenergy production is increasing strongly + will rise further
Environmental risks of bioenergy production are becoming apparent from national evidence
Conditions for keeping biomass production environmentally-compatible explained
Underlying modeling described in detail
Discussion of policy options to steer biomass production in environmental direction
Limited review of policy integration + global issues

10. Bioenergy work at EEA in 2007
Technical report on estimating the environmental bioenergy potential from agriculture
Background paper on biomass production and water protection for WFD conference
Joint EEA/JRC expert consultation on short rotation coppice + energy grasses (see JRC site:
Developing the most greenhouse gas and energy-efficient bio-energy pathways
Exploration of links with OECD, IEA + others

11. How best to use the potential?
t CO2
avoided
per
hectare?
Replace
as much
imported
fuel as
possible
Greenhouse
gas
reduction
Supply
security
Bioenergy
t CO2
avoided
per Dollar?
Environ-
mental
resources
Costs &
Employment
crop mix
respects
soil, water
synergies
with nature
protection
land use change

12. Maximising the potential for CO2 savings

13. 20-21/09/2007 Paris, France CAP&WFD Conference organised by
Potential risks from bioenergy cropping – conclusions from WFD conference, Paris 09/07
Effects on water quantity
Climate and soil conditions need to influence crop choice
Need to consider what agriculture systems are being replaced
What cropping systems to chose: SRC and perennial grasses can impact on groundwater recharge
Effects on water quality + ecosystems
Impacts from land use change, e.g. maize replacing grassland..
How to utilise by-products / review total nutrient cycle
Management at farm level: crop choices + rotation, fertilisation, planting and harvesting practices
Impacts of conversion processes (water use, emissions)
20-21/09/2007 Paris, France CAP&WFD Conference organised by

14. Bio-energy cropping – potential synergies with water protection
Replace annual crops with perennial energy crops (energy grasses, willow coppice etc)
Widen crop rotations to benefit soil + nutrient management (e.g. biomass crop mixes, alfalfa)
Establish buffer strips with energy crops
Create flood retention zones by using perennial energy crops
Combine waste water treatment and biomass harvesting

15. Further Issues in Policy and Research
Development and implementation of sustainability standards
Energy policy needs to develop framework conditions for environmentally friendly bioenergy systems
Need for raising environmental awareness and training of all actors involved
Climate change complicates the picture - affects ability to make assumptions about the future
Scale of production
with a smaller scale it is easier to come up with solutions tailored to local agri-environmental conditions
Crop rotation and diversification are important factors
Need more research to enable Life Cycle Assessments of bioenergy crops + bioenergy pathways

16. Planned EEA activities on bioenergy in 2008 and beyond
Present work on optimising bioenergy pathways + agricultural potential, establish web (sub)page
Contribute to OECD/IEA report on biofuels
Analyse approaches to sustainability impact assessment of biofuels with JRC
Further develop GHG life cycle balances with IEA, JRC and other global players
Explore ways of linking agro-econ. + environment models on GHG balance of indirect land use change
Develop an approach to assessing biofuel production in context of ecosystem services project

17. Thank you for your attention!
Jan-Erik Petersen
European Environment Agency
Telephone :