Abstract
Forest-based bioenergy plays an important role in climate mitigation for limiting global mean temperature increase to below 2 °C. The greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of three forest-based bioenergy systems from the USA, Canada and Spain supplying wood pellets for electricity in the UK were evaluated by conducting lifecycle assessments and forest carbon modelling of the three forest systems. Cumulative emissions were analysed by calculating the forest carbon stock change and net GHG emissions balance of the forest-based bioenergy electricity. The analysis considered both the replacement of the existing electricity mix with bioenergy electricity and forest management with and without bioenergy use. The supply chain emissions and forest carbon balances indicated that GHG emission reductions are possible. However, the cumulative net GHG balance at forest landscape scale revealed that the reduction potential is limited, potentially with no GHG reductions in fast growing forests with shorter rotations, while slow growing forest systems with longer rotations result in greater GHG reductions. This means that the maximum climate benefit is delivered at a different point in time for different forest systems. To evaluate the climate change mitigation potential of forest-based bioenergy it is therefore necessary to consider the management, utilisation and relevant counterfactual of the whole forest and its products. In terms of climate change mitigation potential and minimising possible negative impacts that would require multi-level governance.
Highlights
Cumulative greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and emission budgets are central in the IPCC emission scenarios [1] and as part of the Paris Agreement many countries have adopted emission budgets as part of their national climate mitigation strategies [2]
The GHG emissions per unit of energy related to the USA (CO2eq mass of 254 kg MWh−1) and Spanish supply chains (CO2eq mass of 238 kg MWh−1) are similar while the Canadian supply chain (CO2eq mass of 190 kg MWh−1 to 192 kg MWh−1) emits about 20%–25% less GHGs
The considered changes in forest management do not significantly change the supply chain emissions per unit of energy as the same amount of pellets is required to produce the same amount of electricity
Summary
Cumulative greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and emission budgets are central in the IPCC emission scenarios [1] and as part of the Paris Agreement many countries have adopted emission budgets as part of their national climate mitigation strategies [2]. Avoiding dangerous climate change requires actions to limit the cumulative quantity of long-lived GHG's, like CO2, released to atmosphere over time to stay within the agreed emission budget [2]. This is not the same as reducing the amount of emissions for a particular year, nor as meeting long-term GHG reduction targets, which describe intermediate reduction rates and endpoints. Bioenergy provides opportunities for atmospheric CO2 removal through biomass growth. Since the rate of CO2 removal from the atmosphere by biomass/
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