Abstract
Increasing the use of bioenergy in place of fossil fuels is motivated by a number of energy policy goals. Individual bioenergy systems must be evaluated relative to a particular goal or set of goals. Depending on which specific political goal that is in focus, the attractiveness of different bioenergy systems can vary in relation to even broad objectives such as the resource-efficient use of agricultural and forest land. Furthermore, the outcome of a specific evaluation is sensitive to explicit as well as implicit assumptions and choices regarding, e.g., definition of system boundaries, economic conditions, implementation of policies, byproduct markets, and establishment of new technologies. Several biofuels production chains generate byproducts of value. Energy balance calculations are greatly influenced by how such byproducts are taken into account. Often, the most important factor underlying different results from different energy balance studies is a difference in analytic assumptions, for instance in allocation methods and system borders. Different studies can only be accurately compared if they are based on comparable analytic assumptions. Which methods are justified in a given energy balance study is determined by the current conditions for the specific bioenergy system under analysis. In the future, bioenergy systems may increasingly consist of
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Berndes, Goeran;
Karlsson, Sten;
[1]
Boerjesson, Paal;
Rosenqvist, Haakan
[2]
- Chalmers Univ. of Technology, SE-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden). Div. of Physical Resource Theory
- Lund Univ., Lund (Sweden). Environmental and Energy Systems Studies
Citation Formats
Berndes, Goeran, Karlsson, Sten, Boerjesson, Paal, and Rosenqvist, Haakan.
Bioenergy: Resource efficiency and contributions to energy- and climate policy objectives; Bioenergi: Resurseffektivitet och bidrag till energi- och klimatpolitiska maal.
Sweden: N. p.,
2008.
Web.
Berndes, Goeran, Karlsson, Sten, Boerjesson, Paal, & Rosenqvist, Haakan.
Bioenergy: Resource efficiency and contributions to energy- and climate policy objectives; Bioenergi: Resurseffektivitet och bidrag till energi- och klimatpolitiska maal.
Sweden.
Berndes, Goeran, Karlsson, Sten, Boerjesson, Paal, and Rosenqvist, Haakan.
2008.
"Bioenergy: Resource efficiency and contributions to energy- and climate policy objectives; Bioenergi: Resurseffektivitet och bidrag till energi- och klimatpolitiska maal."
Sweden.
@misc{etde_941260,
title = {Bioenergy: Resource efficiency and contributions to energy- and climate policy objectives; Bioenergi: Resurseffektivitet och bidrag till energi- och klimatpolitiska maal}
author = {Berndes, Goeran, Karlsson, Sten, Boerjesson, Paal, and Rosenqvist, Haakan}
abstractNote = {Increasing the use of bioenergy in place of fossil fuels is motivated by a number of energy policy goals. Individual bioenergy systems must be evaluated relative to a particular goal or set of goals. Depending on which specific political goal that is in focus, the attractiveness of different bioenergy systems can vary in relation to even broad objectives such as the resource-efficient use of agricultural and forest land. Furthermore, the outcome of a specific evaluation is sensitive to explicit as well as implicit assumptions and choices regarding, e.g., definition of system boundaries, economic conditions, implementation of policies, byproduct markets, and establishment of new technologies. Several biofuels production chains generate byproducts of value. Energy balance calculations are greatly influenced by how such byproducts are taken into account. Often, the most important factor underlying different results from different energy balance studies is a difference in analytic assumptions, for instance in allocation methods and system borders. Different studies can only be accurately compared if they are based on comparable analytic assumptions. Which methods are justified in a given energy balance study is determined by the current conditions for the specific bioenergy system under analysis. In the future, bioenergy systems may increasingly consist of various generation combinations wherein liquid biofuels may for instance be co-generated with power, heat, and solid biofuels, etc. from a mix of raw biomass. The driving factors are the synergies available with the higher total energy efficiency and resources efficiency obtained by combined approaches, compared to when the energy carriers are produced on their own. These solutions imply that if there is a market for the other energy carriers, and the total net system exchange is high, a lower net value for liquid fuels may be acceptable. The climate efficiency of a bioenergy system also depends on its impact on greenhouse gas emissions other than carbon dioxide, for instance nitrous oxide and methane. In some cases, a bioenergy system may reduce certain greenhouse gas emissions such as methane. One example of this is biogas produced from manure. A broad life cycle analysis perspective is important for analyzing the climate efficacy of bioenergy systems correctly. Broad bioenergy system studies should also consider the possibility of expansion of energy crops with respect to geography, economics, and potential rate of expansion. Certain energy crops such as oil crops and sugar beets have a relatively limited possibility for expansion in Sweden with the current methods of production and climate, while the opposite is true of crops such as grasses and grain. The short-rotation woody crops such as willow fall somewhere in between; willow does best on somewhat higher quality agricultural land in southern and mid- Sweden as well as in areas with sufficiently high precipitation. The best choice in a given situation is not always provided by the bioenergy alternative that has the best score on production costs, LCA, and/or energy balance. Energy system modeling provides an opportunity to evaluate and compare bioenergy alternatives to each other and to other energy alternatives such as wind and hydro power in terms of climate neutral power generation. This means that the competitiveness of a bioenergy system and the potential extent of non-biomass based systems are relevant to determining the most attractive option. One example of how the availability and cost of other alternatives plays a major role in determining the priorities for biomass is the choice between using biomass in stationary applications or as liquid fuel for transportation. A critical factor in this determination is the projected availability of climate neutral transportation not dependent on biofuels. The projected schedule for commercial availability of various technologies in relation to the requirements on the rate of transition, and given specific targets for mitigation or use of renewables within a certain sector, is also important. In addition to climate impact, bioenergy initiatives are motivated by for example the goal of creating jobs as well as the goal of improving the nation's security of supply. Discussions surrounding security of supply have mainly focused on our dependency on imported oil. Naturally, this puts the transportation sector in sharp relief; consequently, liquid biofuels are advocated as the most effective bioenergy alternative when the goal is increasing the security of energy supply. However, in the rest of Europe, the growing dependency on imported natural gas is also a central issue. In the long run, conditions may change dramatically when new technologies are established, if these are deployed large-scale. For instance, plug-in hybrid technology makes possible a far-reaching liberation from the need for transportable fuels in the transportation sector.}
place = {Sweden}
year = {2008}
month = {Sep}
}
title = {Bioenergy: Resource efficiency and contributions to energy- and climate policy objectives; Bioenergi: Resurseffektivitet och bidrag till energi- och klimatpolitiska maal}
author = {Berndes, Goeran, Karlsson, Sten, Boerjesson, Paal, and Rosenqvist, Haakan}
abstractNote = {Increasing the use of bioenergy in place of fossil fuels is motivated by a number of energy policy goals. Individual bioenergy systems must be evaluated relative to a particular goal or set of goals. Depending on which specific political goal that is in focus, the attractiveness of different bioenergy systems can vary in relation to even broad objectives such as the resource-efficient use of agricultural and forest land. Furthermore, the outcome of a specific evaluation is sensitive to explicit as well as implicit assumptions and choices regarding, e.g., definition of system boundaries, economic conditions, implementation of policies, byproduct markets, and establishment of new technologies. Several biofuels production chains generate byproducts of value. Energy balance calculations are greatly influenced by how such byproducts are taken into account. Often, the most important factor underlying different results from different energy balance studies is a difference in analytic assumptions, for instance in allocation methods and system borders. Different studies can only be accurately compared if they are based on comparable analytic assumptions. Which methods are justified in a given energy balance study is determined by the current conditions for the specific bioenergy system under analysis. In the future, bioenergy systems may increasingly consist of various generation combinations wherein liquid biofuels may for instance be co-generated with power, heat, and solid biofuels, etc. from a mix of raw biomass. The driving factors are the synergies available with the higher total energy efficiency and resources efficiency obtained by combined approaches, compared to when the energy carriers are produced on their own. These solutions imply that if there is a market for the other energy carriers, and the total net system exchange is high, a lower net value for liquid fuels may be acceptable. The climate efficiency of a bioenergy system also depends on its impact on greenhouse gas emissions other than carbon dioxide, for instance nitrous oxide and methane. In some cases, a bioenergy system may reduce certain greenhouse gas emissions such as methane. One example of this is biogas produced from manure. A broad life cycle analysis perspective is important for analyzing the climate efficacy of bioenergy systems correctly. Broad bioenergy system studies should also consider the possibility of expansion of energy crops with respect to geography, economics, and potential rate of expansion. Certain energy crops such as oil crops and sugar beets have a relatively limited possibility for expansion in Sweden with the current methods of production and climate, while the opposite is true of crops such as grasses and grain. The short-rotation woody crops such as willow fall somewhere in between; willow does best on somewhat higher quality agricultural land in southern and mid- Sweden as well as in areas with sufficiently high precipitation. The best choice in a given situation is not always provided by the bioenergy alternative that has the best score on production costs, LCA, and/or energy balance. Energy system modeling provides an opportunity to evaluate and compare bioenergy alternatives to each other and to other energy alternatives such as wind and hydro power in terms of climate neutral power generation. This means that the competitiveness of a bioenergy system and the potential extent of non-biomass based systems are relevant to determining the most attractive option. One example of how the availability and cost of other alternatives plays a major role in determining the priorities for biomass is the choice between using biomass in stationary applications or as liquid fuel for transportation. A critical factor in this determination is the projected availability of climate neutral transportation not dependent on biofuels. The projected schedule for commercial availability of various technologies in relation to the requirements on the rate of transition, and given specific targets for mitigation or use of renewables within a certain sector, is also important. In addition to climate impact, bioenergy initiatives are motivated by for example the goal of creating jobs as well as the goal of improving the nation's security of supply. Discussions surrounding security of supply have mainly focused on our dependency on imported oil. Naturally, this puts the transportation sector in sharp relief; consequently, liquid biofuels are advocated as the most effective bioenergy alternative when the goal is increasing the security of energy supply. However, in the rest of Europe, the growing dependency on imported natural gas is also a central issue. In the long run, conditions may change dramatically when new technologies are established, if these are deployed large-scale. For instance, plug-in hybrid technology makes possible a far-reaching liberation from the need for transportable fuels in the transportation sector.}
place = {Sweden}
year = {2008}
month = {Sep}
}