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Barriers and incentives to the production of bioethanol from cereal straw: A farm business perspective

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  • Glithero, N.J.
  • Ramsden, S.J.
  • Wilson, P.

Abstract

The EU renewable energy directive stipulates a requirement for 10% of transport fuels to be derived from renewable sources by 2020. Second generation biofuels offer potential to contribute towards this target with cereal straw representing a potentially large feedstock source. From an on-farm survey of 240 arable farmers, timeliness of crop establishment and benefits of nutrient retention from straw incorporation were cited as reasons for straw incorporation. However, two-thirds (one-third) of farmers would supply wheat (barley) straw for bioenergy. The most popular contract length and continuous length of straw supply was either 1 or 3 years. Contracts stipulating a fixed area of straw supply for a fixed price were the most frequently cited preferences, with £50t−1 the most frequently cited minimum contract price that farmers would find acceptable. Arable farmers in England would be willing to sell 2.52Mt of cereal straw for bioenergy purposes nationally and 1.65Mt in the main cereal growing areas of Eastern England. Cereal straw would be diverted from current markets or on-farm uses and from straw currently incorporated into soil. Policy interventions may be required to incentivise farmers to engage in this market, but food and fuel policies must increasingly be integrated to meet societal goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Glithero, N.J. & Ramsden, S.J. & Wilson, P., 2013. "Barriers and incentives to the production of bioethanol from cereal straw: A farm business perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 161-171.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:59:y:2013:i:c:p:161-171
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.03.003
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    3. Townsend, T.J. & Sparkes, D.L. & Ramsden, S.J. & Glithero, N.J. & Wilson, P., 2018. "Wheat straw availability for bioenergy in England," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 349-357.
    4. Prespa Ymeri & Csaba Gyuricza & Csaba Fogarassy, 2020. "Farmers’ Attitudes Towards the Use of Biomass as Renewable Energy—A Case Study from Southeastern Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Wilson, P. & Glithero, N.J. & Ramsden, S.J., 2014. "Prospects for dedicated energy crop production and attitudes towards agricultural straw use: The case of livestock farmers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 101-110.
    6. Costantini, Valeria & Crespi, Francesco & Martini, Chiara & Pennacchio, Luca, 2015. "Demand-pull and technology-push public support for eco-innovation: The case of the biofuels sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 577-595.
    7. Gérard, Maxence & Jayet, Pierre-Alain, 2023. "European farmers’ response to crop residue prices and implications for bioenergy policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    8. Hammond, Geoffrey P. & Mansell, Ross V.M., 2018. "A comparative thermodynamic evaluation of bioethanol processing from wheat straw," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 136-146.
    9. Maxence Gérard & Pierre-Alain Jayet, 2023. "European farmers’ response to crop residue prices and implications for bioenergy policies [Réponse des agriculteurs européens aux prix des résidus de cultures et implications pour les politiques bi," Post-Print hal-04071932, HAL.
    10. Giannoccaro, Giacomo & de Gennaro, Bernardo C. & De Meo, Emilio & Prosperi, Maurizio, 2017. "Assessing farmers' willingness to supply biomass as energy feedstock: Cereal straw in Apulia (Italy)," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 179-185.
    11. Zuo, Alec & Hou, Lingling & Huang, Zeying, 2020. "How does farmers' current usage of crop straws influence the willingness-to-accept price to sell?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).

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