Biofuels and agricultural sustainability

Transcription

1 Biofuels and agricultural sustainability Sharing Knowledge Foundation Conference Chania,, Crete April 08, 2008 Geraldo Stachetti Rodrigues Embrapa Labex Europe

2 Howard T. Odum ( ) University of Florida Embrapa Labex Europe Our debate on biofuels must submit to an inconvenient truth that we all must face sooner than later we ll have to cope with the scarcity of these non-renewable resources. We should prepare our inescapable way down by devoting serious consideration to all options at hand, and strive to develop these options in a sustainable fashion, this time around. While you [in Brasil] shed much tears and sweat to produce a greener fuel (bioethanol), everybody else in the world is running faster and growing further by exploring non-renewable but energy-denser resources...

3 While considering all possible development options, sound sustainability criteria must be observed. A synthetic and inclusive enunciate has been forwarded by the Sustainable Production of Biomass project group (The Netherlands) Why biofuels* PPP principles Production of biofuels (whole life cycle) must cause smaller greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels (30% minimum); Production must not endanger the food supply or other local applications; Production must not affect protected or vulnerable biodiversity; The quality of soil, surface and ground water and air must be retained or even increased; Production must contribute towards local prosperity; Production must contribute towards the social well-being of the employees and the local population.

4 In a frequently cited Environmental assessment of biofuels, Zah et al. (2007) proposed an overall evaluation, for varied feedstocks. Residues By-products Co-products? Pesticides / Fertilizers > Global Climate Change?

5 The bottom-line (in ACV) is actually one of productive efficiency, which may be obtained: With still to come second generation technologies (cellulosic enzyme digestion, Fischer-Tropsch Process, ABE, etc.) or By diversifying production so that integration and complementarities are built, to improve: 1. Land management and resources exploitation (the ecological component of sustainability); as well as 2. Crop value aggregation (an economic component), with dual purpose feedstocks that favor farmer s empowerment (a social component).

6 Embrapa Labex Europe

7 Sugar and bioethanol integrated production and market share, Brazil Embrapa Labex Europe Objective Crop value aggregation (an economic component), with dual purpose feedstocks that favor farmer s empowerment and negotiating capacity (a social component of sustainability).

8 The Brazilian sugar-cane sector is highly competitive, World sugar production, World ethanol production, Because...

9 Productive integration and complementarities set out the scenario for ever increasing technological advancements. Liters of ethanol/ton cane Ton cane / ha m 3 ethanol / ha

10 Besides sugar and ethanol, the sugar-cane sector is a net producer of electricity for the national grid. CO-GENERATION Electric power generated from sugar-cane biomass (Mega Watts). Electricity currently produced by sugar-cane mills 2,120 Electricity consumed in sugar-ethanol production 1,500 Short term electricity production potential 6,000 to 8,000 Long term potential (new tech., cane prod.) 15,000 to 22,000 Co-generation Productivity has a 25-28% impact: 80 kwh/ton; at US$.046/kWh = US$ 3.68/ton for a current cost of US$ /ton Itaipu hydropower plant production 14,000

11 Productive efficiency is translated in lower costs Mean price evolution: -3.51%

12 Objective Land management and resources exploitation (the ecological component) Sustainability Assessment and Environmental Management at the rural establishment scale Agropecuária APP, Rio Verde (GO, 3,000 ha) No-till grain crops and livestock integration Agrarian Reform project, S.R.Nonato (PI, 23 ha) Castor and bush-bean integration

13 Biodiesel is an emerging technology in Brazil, proposed for development under the National Plan for Biodiesel Production. PNPB: no subsidies to farmers, but tax exemption to mills associated with family agriculture. The program aims at promoting social insertion, rural development, and regional equity. Embrapa Labex Europe

14 Embrapa National Network Project Environmental management of production chains of oleaginous crops for biodiesel Study areas and crops: Catanduva: Jatropha curcas (in marginal lands); Cássia: Forage turnip (no-till rotation with corn, the main crop); S.R. Nonato and Irecê: Castor as a drought resistant cash crop (with bush-beans, a staple food crop); Belém: Oil palm (3% extraction residue). Still to come: soy, sunflower, rapeseed Embrapa Labex Europe Belém S.R.Nonato * * * Irecê * * Cássia Catanduva

15 Landscape Ecology Environmental Quality (atmosphere, water, and soil) Socio-cultural Values Economic Values Management and Administration Embrapa Labex Europe Environmental assessment of oleaginous crops 62 indicators integrated in five sustainability dimensions RODRIGUES, G. S.; RODRIGUES, I. A.;BUSCHINELLI, C. A. de; LIGO, M. A.; PIRES, A. M; FRIGHETTO, R.; IRIAS, L. J. M. Socio-environmental impact of biodiesel production in Brazil. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation. v. 2, n pp

16 Example: forage turnip production in no-till rotation with corn in Cássia (MG); and mean results obtained in five territories and four oleaginous crops Management and administration Landscape ecology Atmosphere 1, Economic values Water quality 0,73 Sociocultural values Soil quality 0,00 Sustainability index = 0.77 Mean sustainability index, all establishments

17 Conclusions of sustainability assessments Contrary to expectancies, environmental quality indicators have not been negatively affected in the studied rural establishments and field assessments; Also, Management & Administration indicators (that should have been improved) showed the main performance weaknesses in all studied establishments; Here rest the most valuable opportunities for improvements to be brought by the agro-energy context, for in general no heavy cash investments are required to obtain solutions, and improvements in management capacities will result in positive impacts in all other sustainability dimensions.

18 Conclusions Embrapa Labex Europe Integrated land use, or dual application crops providing by-product oils or biomass are more efficient; There is no single answer regarding biofuels, each of various crops, local productive contexts, and feedstock availabilities make all the difference; Biofuels sustainable production and use must be assessed according to the local socio-environmental context. Thank you!