Poster's note : relevant to BECCS and land use change CDR strategies http://www.renewablesinternational.net/6-of-global-grain-for-biofuels/150/453/89553/
Biomass 6% of global grain for biofuels German renewable energy agency AEE argues that there is a lot of leeway for energy crops. But only if the world stops eating meat, one might add. In a new press release, the AEE has published the chart below based on the latest data from the FAO and International Grains Council. It shows that roughly 44 percent of global grain production in 2015/16 will go to food production. The second largest share is feedstock for animals at 35 percent. Biofuels only make up six percent, with “other” covering the remaining 14 percent. - AEE “In addition to feeding the global population, there is a lot of leeway to plant energy crops for an environmentally friendly energy supply,” the press release comments. This statement, however, cannot be read from the chart, which does not indicate the amount of available land. Assuming that grain production remains constant, an increase in biofuel production from grain would only be possible if less fodder were produced for animals. But then, people would have to eat less meat – whereas, in fact, the global population is eating more. (Note that the AEE makes no such connection.) Instead, the AEE draws its conclusion from the rising volume of grain on stock even as the EU reaches new record levels of wheat exports. Indeed, global wheat production and the volume on stock do seem to be healthy. Whether we can produce significantly more amounts of biofuels is a different question. Certainly, greater meat consumption and greater biofuel production are conflicting goals in this respect. Finally, it should be pointed out that not all biofuels come from grain. Rapeseed falls under the scope of the International Grains Council; palm oil does not, for instance. The press release is a contribution to the discussion in Germany on the conflict between food crops and energy crops. At the moment, the German government has practically put an end to greater bioenergy production, largely out of the concern that more energy crops will make food supply scarcer. (Craig Morris / @PPchef) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to geoengineering+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to geoengineering@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
