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Bioenergy Potential and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Intensifying European Temporary Grasslands

Author

Listed:
  • Birka Wicke

    (Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands)

  • Ingeborg Kluts

    (Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands)

  • Jan Peter Lesschen

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Agricultural intensification is considered essential for meeting growing demand for food and biomass for energy purposes. Intensifying grasslands is under-represented, although it is a promising option given their large land area and relatively low management levels. This study quantifies the bioenergy potential from intensifying temporary grasslands in Europe and the integral greenhouse gas emission effects in 2030. We first conducted a literature review of intensification options for European grasslands and then applied the environmental impact assessment model MITERRA-Europe to implement the key intensification option of using multi-species grass mixtures. The results showed that 853 kha (or 8%) of temporary grassland could be made sustainably available for additional biomass production. This can be translated into a bioethanol potential of 23 PJ yr −1 and an emission mitigation potential of 5.8 Mt CO 2 -eq yr −1 (if conventional grass mixture from surplus temporary grassland is used for energy) or 72 PJ yr −1 and 4.0 Mt CO 2 -eq yr −1 (if surplus temporary grassland is used for grassy energy crops). Although the bioenergy potential is limited, the key advantage of intensification measure is that it results in a better environmental performance of temporary grasslands. This makes it a key option for sustainably producing bioenergy in areas with high shares of temporary grasslands.

Suggested Citation

  • Birka Wicke & Ingeborg Kluts & Jan Peter Lesschen, 2020. "Bioenergy Potential and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Intensifying European Temporary Grasslands," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-18, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:11:p:457-:d:446778
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Smit, H.J. & Metzger, M.J. & Ewert, F., 2008. "Spatial distribution of grassland productivity and land use in Europe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(3), pages 208-219, October.
    2. Searchinger, Timothy & Heimlich, Ralph & Houghton, R. A. & Dong, Fengxia & Elobeid, Amani & Fabiosa, Jacinto F. & Tokgoz, Simla & Hayes, Dermot J. & Yu, Hun-Hsiang, 2008. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12881, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    3. de Wit, Marc & Londo, Marc & Faaij, André, 2011. "Productivity developments in European agriculture: Relations to and opportunities for biomass production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(5), pages 2397-2412, June.
    4. Kluts, Ingeborg & Wicke, Birka & Leemans, Rik & Faaij, André, 2017. "Sustainability constraints in determining European bioenergy potential: A review of existing studies and steps forward," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 719-734.
    5. Nico Bauer & Steven K. Rose & Shinichiro Fujimori & Detlef P. van Vuuren & John Weyant & Marshall Wise & Yiyun Cui & Vassilis Daioglou & Matthew J. Gidden & Etsushi Kato & Alban Kitous & Florian Lebla, 2018. "Global energy sector emission reductions and bioenergy use: overview of the bioenergy demand phase of the EMF-33 model comparison," Post-Print hal-01972038, HAL.
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    2. Fan, Yee Van & Romanenko, Sergey & Gai, Limei & Kupressova, Ekaterina & Varbanov, Petar Sabev & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, 2021. "Biomass integration for energy recovery and efficient use of resources: Tomsk Region," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
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    4. Łukasz Sobol & Karol Wolski & Adam Radkowski & Elżbieta Piwowarczyk & Maciej Jurkowski & Henryk Bujak & Arkadiusz Dyjakon, 2022. "Determination of Energy Parameters and Their Variability between Varieties of Fodder and Turf Grasses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.

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