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Title: Bridging biofuel sustainability indicators and ecosystem services through stakeholder engagement

Abstract

Here, continued development of cellulosic-based biofuels is needed to provide renewable energy and strengthen rural investment and development in the United States (US). To ensure biofuel development is sustainable and does not negatively affect ecosystem services, stakeholder input is necessary to identify sensitive and meaningful indicators. A major challenge is that there are substantial differences in terminology, perspectives, and methods used to quantify sustainability and ecosystem services with regard to processes, biodiversity, and socioeconomic effects. Our objectives were to identify relevant indicator categories for both perspectives using a case study from the US state of Iowa. A scientific literature review and engagement with stakeholders were used to identify 11 indicator categories associated with production, harvest, storage, and transport of cellulosic feedstocks. Five categories focus on environmental concerns (soil quality, water quality and quantity, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and productivity) and six on socioeconomic concerns (social wellbeing, energy security, external trade, profitability, resource conservation, and social acceptability). Although these indicators reflect sustainability concerns of these stakeholders, additional monitoring and stakeholder engagement are needed to support the continual improvement that is part of adaptive management.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
  3. United States Dept. of Agriculture, Ames, IA (United States)
  4. Antares Group Inc., Moravia, IA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1468293
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1564429
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; EE0007088
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Biomass and Bioenergy
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 114; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0961-9534
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; Biofuel; Ecosystem services; Landscape design; Sustainability; Water quality

Citation Formats

Dale, Virginia H., Kline, Keith L., Richard, Tom L., Karlen, Douglas L., and Belden, William W. Bridging biofuel sustainability indicators and ecosystem services through stakeholder engagement. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.09.016.
Dale, Virginia H., Kline, Keith L., Richard, Tom L., Karlen, Douglas L., & Belden, William W. Bridging biofuel sustainability indicators and ecosystem services through stakeholder engagement. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.09.016
Dale, Virginia H., Kline, Keith L., Richard, Tom L., Karlen, Douglas L., and Belden, William W. Tue . "Bridging biofuel sustainability indicators and ecosystem services through stakeholder engagement". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.09.016. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1468293.
@article{osti_1468293,
title = {Bridging biofuel sustainability indicators and ecosystem services through stakeholder engagement},
author = {Dale, Virginia H. and Kline, Keith L. and Richard, Tom L. and Karlen, Douglas L. and Belden, William W.},
abstractNote = {Here, continued development of cellulosic-based biofuels is needed to provide renewable energy and strengthen rural investment and development in the United States (US). To ensure biofuel development is sustainable and does not negatively affect ecosystem services, stakeholder input is necessary to identify sensitive and meaningful indicators. A major challenge is that there are substantial differences in terminology, perspectives, and methods used to quantify sustainability and ecosystem services with regard to processes, biodiversity, and socioeconomic effects. Our objectives were to identify relevant indicator categories for both perspectives using a case study from the US state of Iowa. A scientific literature review and engagement with stakeholders were used to identify 11 indicator categories associated with production, harvest, storage, and transport of cellulosic feedstocks. Five categories focus on environmental concerns (soil quality, water quality and quantity, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and productivity) and six on socioeconomic concerns (social wellbeing, energy security, external trade, profitability, resource conservation, and social acceptability). Although these indicators reflect sustainability concerns of these stakeholders, additional monitoring and stakeholder engagement are needed to support the continual improvement that is part of adaptive management.},
doi = {10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.09.016},
journal = {Biomass and Bioenergy},
number = C,
volume = 114,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Tue Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Cited by: 21 works
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