Climate Change Mitigation Potential in Agricultural and Forestry Sector: The Impact of Expanded Woody Biomass Co-firing on Global Climate Stabilization

Abstract

The impact of expanded woody biomass co-firing in electric power production on global climate stabilization is studied using the Global Biosphere Model (GLOBIOM) and the World Induced Technical Change Hybrid (WITCH) model. The study finds that, even with a ratio of biomass to total feedstock less or equal to 10%, biomass co-firing can help achieve the climate policy goal of 2 °C temperature increase above the pre-industrial level by the end of the century at a lower cost. The policy cost can be further reduced if the ratio of biomass to total feedstock increases via technical progress or biomass supply increases. The study also shows that there is enough biomass potential from agriculture and forestry to progressively replace current nuclear energy supply with bioenergy from co-fired plants. However, replacing current nuclear energy supply with bioenergy produced from co-firing in order to deal with nuclear energy production safety concerns will lead to a high policy cost in terms of total GDP loss. The study finally reveals that future biomass trade from sub-Saharan Africa & Latin America to Europe, North America, and China may be needed for climate policy goals to be reached via biomass co-firing.