IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v11y2018i5p1123-d144218.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable Management of Oleaginous Trees as a Source for Renewable Energy Supply and Climate Change Mitigation: A Case Study in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jin Zhang

    (Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

  • Rong-Gang Cong

    (Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

  • Berit Hasler

    (Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

Abstract

Forests provide a range of ecosystem services, including bioenergy supply and carbon sequestration, both contributing to significant climate change mitigation. Oleaginous trees have potential to provide bioenergy supplies through biodiesel-producing seed yield as well as contributing to carbon sequestration. This paper aims to show the provisions of bioenergy and carbon savings through forest rotation management and it will investigate the potential of oleaginous forest management in China. We use the land expectation value (LEV) model to calculate the optimal joint values of timber, seed and total carbon savings, including carbon sequestration from forest and carbon reductions through energy substitutions. The results indicate that combining both values of seeds and carbon savings increase the LEV and rotation age (167,611 Yuan/ha, 78 years) compared to sole timber value (26,053 Yuan/ha, 55 years). The optimization of the LEVs and the resulting optimal rotation ages are significantly sensitive to the discounting rate. Annual biodiesel potential production from Pistacia chinensis can take up 1.7% of the national diesel consumption in China. We conclude that China can use improved forest rotation management as an effective means for achieving goals in its low-carbon energy strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Jin Zhang & Rong-Gang Cong & Berit Hasler, 2018. "Sustainable Management of Oleaginous Trees as a Source for Renewable Energy Supply and Climate Change Mitigation: A Case Study in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-23, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:5:p:1123-:d:144218
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/5/1123/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/5/1123/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lan Zhang & Caihong Zhang, 2013. "Potentials of Forest Bioenergy in China Based on Forest Ecological Security," Springer Books, in: Zhenji Zhang & Runtong Zhang & Juliang Zhang (ed.), Liss 2012, edition 127, pages 1211-1215, Springer.
    2. Creedy, John & Wurzbacher, Anke D., 2001. "The economic value of a forested catchment with timber, water and carbon sequestration benefits," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 71-83, July.
    3. Johanna Routa & Antti Asikainen & Rolf Björheden & Juha Laitila & Dominik Röser, 2013. "Forest energy procurement: state of the art in Finland and Sweden," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 2(6), pages 602-613, November.
    4. Xuankai Deng & Yanhua Yu & Yanfang Liu, 2015. "Temporal and Spatial Variations in Provincial CO 2 Emissions in China from 2005 to 2015 and Assessment of a Reduction Plan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-23, May.
    5. Zhuang, Dafang & Jiang, Dong & Liu, Lei & Huang, Yaohuan, 2011. "Assessment of bioenergy potential on marginal land in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 1050-1056, February.
    6. Even Bjørnstad & Anders Skonhoft, 2002. "Wood Fuel or Carbon Sink? Aspects of Forestry in the Climate Question," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 23(4), pages 447-465, December.
    7. Gren, Ing-Marie & Zeleke, Abenezer Aklilu, 2016. "Policy design for forest carbon sequestration: A review of the literature," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 128-136.
    8. Vass, Miriam Münnich & Elofsson, Katarina, 2016. "Is forest carbon sequestration at the expense of bioenergy and forest products cost-efficient in EU climate policy to 2050?," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 82-105.
    9. Chen, Lihong & Cong, Rong-Gang & Shu, Bangrong & Mi, Zhi-Fu, 2017. "A sustainable biogas model in China: The case study of Beijing Deqingyuan biogas project," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 773-779.
    10. Hartman, Richard, 1976. "The Harvesting Decision When a Standing Forest Has Value," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 14(1), pages 52-58, March.
    11. Andrew Stainback, G. & Alavalapati, Janaki R.R., 2002. "Economic analysis of slash pine forest carbon sequestration in the southern U. S," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 105-117.
    12. Olschewski, Roland & Benítez, Pablo C., 2010. "Optimizing joint production of timber and carbon sequestration of afforestation projects," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, January.
    13. G. Cornelis van Kooten & Clark S. Binkley & Gregg Delcourt, 1995. "Effect of Carbon Taxes and Subsidies on Optimal Forest Rotation Age and Supply of Carbon Services," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 77(2), pages 365-374.
    14. Cong, Rong-Gang & Caro, Dario & Thomsen, Marianne, 2017. "Is it beneficial to use biogas in the Danish transport sector?–An environmental-economic analysis," MPRA Paper 112291, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Cong, Rong-Gang, 2013. "An optimization model for renewable energy generation and its application in China: A perspective of maximum utilization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 94-103.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Köthke, Margret & Dieter, Matthias, 2010. "Effects of carbon sequestration rewards on forest management--An empirical application of adjusted Faustmann Formulae," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(8), pages 589-597, October.
    2. Dwivedi, Puneet & Bailis, Robert & Stainback, Andrew & Carter, Douglas R., 2012. "Impact of payments for carbon sequestered in wood products and avoided carbon emissions on the profitability of NIPF landowners in the US South," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 63-69.
    3. Price, Colin & Willis, Rob, 2011. "The multiple effects of carbon values on optimal rotation," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 298-306, August.
    4. Miettinen, Jenni & Ollikainen, Markku & Nieminen, Tiina M. & Ukonmaanaho, Liisa & Laurén, Ari & Hynynen, Jari & Lehtonen, Mika & Valsta, Lauri, 2014. "Whole-tree harvesting with stump removal versus stem-only harvesting in peatlands when water quality, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation matter," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 25-35.
    5. Susaeta, Andres & Chang, Sun Joseph & Carter, Douglas R. & Lal, Pankaj, 2014. "Economics of carbon sequestration under fluctuating economic environment, forest management and technological changes: An application to forest stands in the southern United States," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 47-64.
    6. Parajuli, Rajan & Chang, Sun Joseph, 2012. "Carbon sequestration and uneven-aged management of loblolly pine stands in the Southern USA: A joint optimization approach," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 65-71.
    7. West, Thales A.P. & Wilson, Chris & Vrachioli, Maria & Grogan, Kelly A., 2019. "Carbon payments for extended rotations in forest plantations: Conflicting insights from a theoretical model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 70-76.
    8. Susaeta, Andres & Adams, Damian C. & Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos, 2017. "Economic vulnerability of southern US slash pine forests to climate change," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 18-32.
    9. Nguyen, Trung Thanh & Nghiem, Nhung, 2016. "Optimal forest rotation for carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation by farm income levels," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 185-194.
    10. McKenney, Daniel W. & Yemshanov, Denys & Fox, Glenn & Ramlal, Elizabeth, 2004. "Cost estimates for carbon sequestration from fast growing poplar plantations in Canada," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(3-4), pages 345-358, June.
    11. Newman, D.H., 2002. "Forestry's golden rule and the development of the optimal forest rotation literature," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 5-27.
    12. Indrajaya, Yonky & van der Werf, Edwin & Weikard, Hans-Peter & Mohren, Frits & van Ierland, Ekko C., 2016. "The potential of REDD+ for carbon sequestration in tropical forests: Supply curves for carbon storage for Kalimantan, Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 1-10.
    13. Moeller, Jonas C. & Susaeta, Andres & Deegen, Peter & Sharma, Ajay, 2024. "Profitability analysis of southern plantations through timber alone or timber and carbon integration in pine-sweetgum mixes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    14. Pohjola, Johanna & Laturi, Jani & Lintunen, Jussi & Uusivuori, Jussi, 2018. "Immediate and long-run impacts of a forest carbon policy—A market-level assessment with heterogeneous forest owners," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 94-105.
    15. Loisel, Patrice, 2020. "Under the risk of destructive event, are there differences between timber income based and carbon sequestration based silviculture?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    16. Stainback, G. Andrew & Alavalapati, Janaki R.R., 2002. "Fire Risk and the Economics of Sequestering Carbon in Forests," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19629, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    17. O’Donoghue, Cathal & O’Fatharta, Eoin & Geoghegan, Cathal & Ryan, Mary, 2024. "Farmland afforestation: Forest optimal rotation ages across discrete optimisation objectives," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    18. Yonky Indrajaya & Edwin van der Werf & Ekko van Ierland & Frits Mohren, 2014. "Optimal Forest Management when Logging Damages and Costs Differ between Logging Practices," CESifo Working Paper Series 4606, CESifo.
    19. Asante, Patrick & Armstrong, Glen W., 2012. "Optimal forest harvest age considering carbon sequestration in multiple carbon pools: A comparative statics analysis," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 145-156.
    20. Melstrom, Richard T. & Salau, Kehinde Rilwan & Shanafelt, David W., 2019. "The Optimal Timing of Reintroducing Captive Populations Into the Wild," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 174-184.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:5:p:1123-:d:144218. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.