Biomass Energy Development and Greenhouse Gas Reduction: An Application of IPCC Model

Research and development of biomass energy is an important solution to the shortage of fossil resources and to environment pollution.The main trend of current industrial development of biomass energy is to produce biodiesel from oil crops and plants and to produce ethanol from starch crops,which will induce shortage of food,soil and water resources.Research and development of marine biomass energy could be an effective solution to the above problems.In this paper,the current condition of R/D of marine biomass energy in the world is reviewed.The strategy and research priorities of marine biomass energy in China are proposed.

Background According to the international requirements Russian Federation must decrease the value of greenhouse gases in 40% up to 2012. In order to reach that value energy conservation programs must be applied. However, it is impossible to establish the energy efficiency of the industry and amount of exhaust and greenhouse gases without proper analysis of the present day rate of energy consumption. Aims and Objectives To provide the quantitive analysis of the amount of greenhouse gases produced by present production rates based on the energy consumption rates. To investigate the most gas blow-out areas. To analyze the possible ways of blow-out decrease by energy conservation programs application. Methods The calculating methods of greenhouse gases blow-out determination is provided by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Estimation of the influence of the applied programs on the greenhouse gases blow-out. Reduce of environment pollution by energy consumption decrease and usage of alternative energy resources. Conclusion Development and application of energy conservation programs in industry, introducing of biogas units for methane emission decrease, usage of wind and the sun as the alternative energy resources in the local units (road illumination) and hydraulic energy - all of these methods will really decrease the greenhouse effect.

Major US electric utility climate pledges have the potential to collectively reduce power sector emissions by one-third

The life cycle based greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME also called "Biodiesel") from various resources have been set in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Due to technology and scientific progress there are various options to improve the GHG balances of FAME. In this Supporting Action 10 most interesting options were assessed: 1) "Biomethanol": Substitution of fossil methanol with biomethanol; 2) "Bioethanol": Substitution of fossil methanol with bioethanol; 3) "CHP residues": Use of residues and co-products in an CHP plant; 4) "New plant species": Examination of new plants for vegetable oils, that could increase the biomass weight without any detrimental effect on the oil seed; 5) "Bioplastics and biochemicals": Production of bioplastics and biochemicals from process residues; 6) "Advanced agriculture": Advanced agricultural practices in terms of N2O emissions and soil carbon accumulation; 7) "Organic residues": Use of organic versus mineral fertilizer for feedstock cultivation; 8) "FAME as fuel": Use of FAME in machinery for cultivation, transportation and distribution; 9) "Retrofitting multi feedstock": Retrofitting of single feedstock plants for blending fatty residues; and 10) "Green electricity": Use of renewable electricity produced in a PV plant on site. The assessment approach started with the GHG standard values of the RED and the corresponding background data documented in BioGrace. For the most relevant FAME production possibilities in Europe, characterized by the feedstock (rapeseed, sunflower, palm oil, soybean, used cooking oil, animal fat) and FAME production capacity (50 - 200 kt/a), the technical and economic data of "Best Available Technology in 2015" (BAT) were used as starting point to assess the improvement options. Based on the calculation of GHG emissions (g CO2-eq/MJ) and production cost (€/tFAME) an overall assessment (incl SWOT-Analyses and Stakeholder involvement) of the options was made and summarized in "Fact Sheets". A significant GHG reduction compared to the RED values in processing is possible, if best available technology (BAT) is applied. The GHG emissions of cultivation compared to RED are higher due to improved data on the correlation between fertilizer input and yields. The assessed GHG improvements options show that the potential to reduce emissions is relatively large in agriculture cultivation, but a relatively low in processing. The production cost analysis shows that revenues from co-produced animal feed and oil yield per hectare have a strong influence on total production costs, e.g. mainly animal feed from soybeans. The total FAME production cost of BAT are 280 – 1,000 €/tFAME, including revenues from co-products. Cost ranges arise due to different feedstock and capacities. The greenhouse gas analysis of the improvement options results in a GHG reduction potential of 0 - 37 g CO2-eq/MJ compared to BAT. The greenhouse gas mitigation costs of improvement options range between -260 and +1,000 €/t CO2-eq. Options with negative greenhouse gas mitigation costs generate economic benefits compared to the base case. Summing up the assessment one can conclude that the future FAME production has several options to further improve its GHG balance thus contributing substantially to a more sustainable transportation sector.

Effect of Taiwan's energy policy on unit commitment in 2025

Bioenergy from perennial grasses mitigates climate change via displacing fossil fuels and storing atmospheric CO2 belowground as soil carbon. Here, we conduct a critical review to examine whether increasing plant diversity in bioenergy grassland systems can further increase their climate change mitigation potential. We find that compared with highly productive monocultures, diverse mixtures tend to produce as great or greater yields. In particular, there is strong evidence that legume addition improves yield, in some cases equivalent to mineral nitrogen fertilization at 33–150 kg per ha. Plant diversity can also promote soil carbon storage in the long term, reduce soil N2O emissions by 30%–40%, and suppress weed invasion, hence reducing herbicide use. These potential benefits of plant diversity translate to 50%–65% greater life-cycle greenhouse gas savings for biofuels from more diverse grassland biomass grown on degraded soils. In addition, there is growing evidence that plant diversity can accelerate land restoration. Bioenergy from perennial grasses mitigates climate change via displacing fossil fuels and storing atmospheric CO2 belowground as soil carbon. Here, we conduct a critical review to examine whether increasing plant diversity in bioenergy grassland systems can further increase their climate change mitigation potential. We find that compared with highly productive monocultures, diverse mixtures tend to produce as great or greater yields. In particular, there is strong evidence that legume addition improves yield, in some cases equivalent to mineral nitrogen fertilization at 33–150 kg per ha. Plant diversity can also promote soil carbon storage in the long term, reduce soil N2O emissions by 30%–40%, and suppress weed invasion, hence reducing herbicide use. These potential benefits of plant diversity translate to 50%–65% greater life-cycle greenhouse gas savings for biofuels from more diverse grassland biomass grown on degraded soils. In addition, there is growing evidence that plant diversity can accelerate land restoration.

The production of six regionally important cellulosic biomass feedstocks, including pine, eucalyptus, unmanaged hardwoods, forest residues, switchgrass, and sweet sorghum, was analyzed using consistent life cycle methodologies and system boundaries to identify feedstocks with the lowest cost and environmental impacts. Supply chain analysis models were created for each feedstock calculating costs and supply chain requirements for the production 453,592 dry tonnes of biomass per year. Cradle-to-gate environmental impacts from these supply systems were quantified for nine mid-point indicators using SimaPro 7.2 LCA software. Conversion of grassland to managed forest for bioenergy resulted in large reductions in GHG emissions, due to carbon sequestration associated with direct land use change. However, converting forests to energy cropland resulted in large increases in GHG emissions. Production of forest-based feedstocks for biofuels resulted in lower delivered cost, lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and lower overall environmental impacts than the studied agricultural feedstocks. Forest residues had the lowest environmental impact and delivered cost per dry tonne. Using forest-based biomass feedstocks instead of agricultural feedstocks would result in lower cradle-to-gate environmental impacts and delivered biomass costs for biofuel production in the southern U.S.

Better information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation potential in the agricultural sector is necessary to manage these emissions and identify responses that are consistent with the food security and economic development priorities of countries. Critical activity data (what crops or livestock are managed in what way) are poor or lacking for many agricultural systems, especially in developing countries. In addition, the currently available methods for quantifying emissions and mitigation are often too expensive or complex or not sufficiently user friendly for widespread use.The purpose of this focus issue is to capture the state of the art in quantifying greenhouse gases from agricultural systems, with the goal of better understanding our current capabilities and near-term potential for improvement, with particular attention to quantification issues relevant to smallholders in developing countries. This work is timely in light of international discussions and negotiations around how agriculture should be included in efforts to reduce and adapt to climate change impacts, and considering that significant climate financing to developing countries in post-2012 agreements may be linked to their increased ability to identify and report GHG emissions (Murphy et al 2010, CCAFS 2011, FAO 2011).

Methane emissions along biomethane and biogas supply chains are underestimated

Avoiding the Doldrums: Evaluating the Need for Change in the Offshore Wind Permitting Process

Debate over climate change is nothing new. Scientists have been arguing about whether greenhouse gases released by human activity might change the climate since the late nineteenth century, when Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius first proposed that industrial emissions might cause global warming.1 Fueled by partisan bickering, this dispute now is more bellicose than ever.

People rely upon oil and this will continue for a few more decades. Other conventional sources may be more enduring, but are not without serious disadvantages. Power from natural resources has always had great appeal. Coal is plentiful, though there is concern about despoliation in winning it and pollution in burning it. Nuclear power has been developed with remarkable timeliness, but is not universally welcomed since construction of the plant is energy-intensive and there is concern about the disposal of its long-lived active wastes. Barrels of oil, lumps of coal, even uranium come from nature but the possibilities of almost limitless power from the atmosphere and the oceans seem to have special attraction. The wind machine provided an early way of developing motive power. The massive increases in fuel prices over the last years have however, made any scheme not requiring fuel appear to be more attractive and to be worth reinvestigating. In considering the atmosphere and the oceans as energy sources, the four main contenders are wind power, wave power, tidal and power from ocean thermal gradients. The renewable energy resources are particularly suited for the provision of rural power supplies and a major advantage is that equipments such as flat plate solar driers, solar power, wind machines, geothermal energy, wave, tidal, power from ocean gradients, etc., can be constructed using local resources and without the advantage results from the feasibility of local maintenance and the general encouragement such local manufacture gives to the build up of small scale rural based industry. This article gives some examples of small-scale energy converters, nevertheless it should be noted that small conventional engines are currently the major source of power in rural areas and will continue to be so for a long time to come. There is a need for some further development to suit local conditions, minimize spare holdings and maximize interchangeability both of engine parts and of the engine application. Emphasis should be placed on full local manufacture. Key words: Renewable energy technologies, biomass energy, solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy, wave and tidal power, greenhouse gases.

As technology and industry moves on, the human being changes life style. Global warming causes by massive using of high carbon dioxide products and transportation. Climate change also affect the life of human being, it brings natural calamities such as flood, powerful typhoon, drought etc.. In recent years, eco-conscious growing makes the governments concern about environmental protection issue. On 11 December 1997, an important international agreement- “The Kyoto Protocol” was adopted, 37 countries (Annex I countries) commit themselves to a reduction of greenhouse gases under the protocol. After signing the Kyoto Protocol, the EU actively legislate a series of policies about environmental protection and climate change to reach the protocol commitment of 8% greenhouse gases reduction. In the meanwhile, the EU strengthens environmental protection conscious of its citizens. Besides, for energy security, the EU also actively researchs in the sector of renewable energies. Nowadays, the EU has become the leader in sector of low-carbon technologies and renewable energies. Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural and renewable resources such as wind, sun light, biomass geothermal energy etc. As with any other renewable energy source solar energy also means less CO2 emissions, and less emphasis on fossil fuels. Many years ago the EU started to research solar energy, today the EU already get enormous success in the solar sector. Germany and Spain are the biggest two photovoltaic installation member states in the EU. Germany is the largest photovoltaic market of the world. The greatest success should be referred to German “Renewable Energy Act (EEG)” which provided remuneration for electricity feed-in. This measure was imitated by other countries. On the other side, because of a series of solar policies and superior geographic location, Spain excellently developed the solar energy in the last decade, and has become the second largest European photovoltaic market in 2008. Although Taiwan has substantial base of semiconductor industry to develop solar technologies, but our government has negative attitude toward renewable policies, it will block the development of the solar industry in the future. In the 1970s, the region of Baden-Wurttemberg planned to build a nuclear power plant at Wyhl, just 30 km from Freiburg. There was a major protest, with widespread civil disobedience, and in 1975 the plans were defeated. During this time, the German federal government decided to gradually suspend using nuclear energy. The successful experiences of Germany and Spain can prove that solar industry was largely depended on the support of government.

Since most Green House Gases (GHGs) and air pollutants are generated from the same sources, it will be cost-effective to develop a GHGs reduction plan in combination with simultaneous removal of air pollutants. However, effects on air pollutants reduction according to implementing any GHG abatement plans have been rarely studied. Reflecting simultaneous removal of air pollutants along with the GHGs emission reduction, this study investigated relative cost effectiveness among GHGs reduction action plans in Busan Metropolitan City. We employed the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), a methodology that evaluates relative efficiency of decision-making units (DMUs) producing multiple outputs with multiple inputs, for the investigation. Assigning each GHGs reduction action plan to a DMU, implementation cost of each GHGs reduction action plan to an input, and reduction potential of GHGs and air pollutants by each GHGs reduction action plan to an output, we calculated efficiency scores for each GHGs reduction action plan. When the simultaneous removal of air pollutants with the GHGs reduction were considered, green house supply-insulation improvement and intelligent transportation system (ITS) projects had high efficiency scores for cost-positive action plans. For cost-negative action plans, green start network formation and running, and daily car use control program had high efficiency scores. When only the GHGs reduction was considered, project priority orders based on efficiency scores were somewhat different from those when both the removal of air pollutants and GHGs reduction were considered at the same time. The expected action plan priority difference is attributed to great difference of air pollutants reduction potential according to types of energy sources to be reduced.

Effective communication campaigns strategy for biomass energy innovations can create, raise, sustain and develop public awareness, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and behaviour towards early adoption of biomass energy innovations in the east African lake victoria basin. This is an audience survey of a national biomass energy policy communication campaigns in Uganda (Wakiso district), results indicate that some efforts have been made to raise public awareness and knowledge of renewable biomass energy policy communications strategy should be intensified to raise public awareness for behaviour change among the target rural and urban households, institutions, firms and communities. So far, the current campaigns have been quite limited, sporadic and less participatory, with limited impacts on the target audiences. East African community member states should develop effective policy communications campaigns strategy for better family incomes, health, well-being, and welfare in the sub-region. Key words: Public awareness, communication campaigns, energy policy, community welfare.