Sustainable Growing of Maize for Biogas Production

Transcription

1 Sustainable Growing of Maize for Biogas Production Helmut Meßner Deutsches Maiskomitee e.v. (DMK) Confederation of European Corn Producers (CEPM) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 1

2 Overview 1. Maize growing in Germany 2. Biogas production as part of German agriculture 3. Sustainability of maize production 4. Summary Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 2

3 Maize Area in Germany since total maize silage maize biogas maize grain maize Source: Statistisches Bundesamt; DMK Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 3

4 Main crops in German agriculture % arable der Ackerfläche land Stilllegung setaside sonst. others Ackerfutter Silomais silage maize Raps rape seead sonst. other Getreide cereals Roggen rye Gerste barley Weizen wheat Mais grain maize Kartoffeln potatoes Zuckerrüben sugar beets Source: Statistisches Bundesamt; BMELV; Gömann & Kreins, 2012 Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 4

5 Maize acreage use in % ,50 mio. ha grain milk biogas beef others Source: DMK Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 5

6 Increase of Silage maize production (1999 to 2010) Milk Beef Biogas Source: Gömann & Kreins, 2012 Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 6

7 Biogas production is part of German agriculture Biogas plants and maize acreage for energy production Acreage in ha ? Biogas plants Acreage in ha Biogas plants * Estimated * Source: DMK; Fachverband Biogas EEG 2004 (biomass bonus) EEG 2009 (slurry bonus) EEG 2012 (reduced payments) EEG 2014 (EEG amendement) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 7

8 Summary I German maize acreage is increasing for years 2nd position behind winter wheat silage maize strongly pushed by use for biogas differences from region to region linked to livestock holding high shares of maize in the rotation How sustainable is maize production? Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 8

9 The pillars of sustainability How to measure sustainability? Environmental compatibility Economical compatibility Social compatibility Criteria System of Substainable Agriculture Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 9

10 Sector environmental compatibility (criteria of environmentally compatible agriculture) Aims: protection of ecosystems = reducing the contamination of ecological subjects of protection (i.e. soil, water, air, biodiversity) to an acceptable level keeping up productivity = ensuring the necessary increase of profitability and avoiding developments limiting productivity (i.e. soil compaction, soil degradation, organic matter) preservation of ecological functions = ensuring the functions that have a positive effect on the biosphere (i.e. species and landscape diversity) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 10

11 unavoidable impacts Principle for the determination of tolerance ranges tolerable effect, desirable situation avoidable impact undesirable situation conversion into ratings tolerance range increasing risk Instruments must be established to describe and to measure a situation and its results The tolerance threshold (rating 6) separates tolerable effects or conditions from critical risks - risk increases with higher ratings Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 11

12 Example for an analysis of the environmental sustainability of a farm Criteria of environmentally compatible agriculture (KUL) Surface N balance NH 3 emission P-balance K-balance Soil-P-classification Soil-K-classification Soil-Mg-classification Soil-pH-classification Humus balance Erosion disposition Risk of compaction Plant protection intensity application index Share ÖLF Crop species diversity Median field size Nutrients balances Soil Use of pesticidesl Biodiversity Energy efficency Energy balance of farm e.b. of plant production e.b. of animal prod. specific GHG emission of farm plant prod animal produktion bio-energy GHG -balance of farm plant prod. animal produktion bio-energy GHG -Emissions Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 12

13 Sustainable maize production on farm level 9 farms participated in the study farm data over a 3-year period ( ) different types of farms: cash crop farms, livestock operations with dairy, beef or pork production, biogas production) wide range of maize in the rotation (20 % to 85) wide range of farm size (58 ha to 2600 ha) from north to south Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 13

14 Maize share/ farm (% arable land) and rating of environmental compatibility Rating 6 seperates tolerable effects from critical risks; average of 3 years Farm Maize share/ arable land N balance P balance Humus balance Risk of Risk of PPP erosion compaction intensity Bio-/ crop diversity Energy balance GHG balance grain Silage and grain Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 14

15 Additional Data 690 analyses in 395 different farms with maize analysed area: ha years: Impact of maize on - Nutrient-balance - Humus balance - Risk of erosion - PP-intensity - Energy balance - GHG emissions Source: Thüringer Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 15

16 Livestock unit / ha Nutrient-balances: Cultivation of maize and livestock holding Tierhaltung und Silomaisanbau GV/ha Maize % Silomais share in crop an der rotation LF(%) GV/ha n= % of analyses 5% Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 16

17 Nutrient balances: N-rate and N-surplus N-total (polynomisch) N-balance (polynomisch) Maize share in crop rotation (%) Total amount of nitrogen fertilizer increase with higher shares of maize in the rotation (red line), while N-surplus remains on same level (blue line) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 17

18 Nutrient balances: Phosphorus P-balance in dependence from the maize (silage) share in the crop rotation n=649 Maize share in crop rotation (%) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 18

19 Balance of organic substances in kg Carbon /ha) Humus balance Maize share in crop rotation (%) N = 640 farms Increasing share of silage maize does not effect the humus balance in the soil Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 19

20 Potential risk of erosion in t/ha Risk of erosion Maize share in crop rotation (%) N = 370 farms Increasing Maize share does not effect risk of erosion Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 20

21 Application Index Intensity of PPP managment Maize share (corn and silage) and number of applications (application-index) n=338 Growth-regulator Insecticides Fungicides Herbicides Maize share (total) in crop rotation (%) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 21

22 Energy Efficiency Maisze share (silage) and energy efficiency Balance Input Maize share (silage) in crop rotation (%) N = 659 farms Trend: Increasing Maize share leads to higher energy efficiency Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 22

23 Greenhouse gas emissions Maisze share (silage) and spezific GHG-Emissions Maize share in crop rotation (%) N = 637 farms No relation between maize share and greenhouse gas emissions (trendline: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 23

24 Summary II Data gathered on farm level show that increasing maize shares in the rotation do not increase N rates reduce N-balance lead on farm with high livestock units/ha to increasing P-surplus do not increase energy input, but improve energy efficiency (related to yield/ product unit) reduce PPP application index do not reduce organic matter in the soil (humus) and do not increase risk of erosion reduce GHG emissions related to yield/ produced unit Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 24

25 Thank you for your attention! Dr. H. Meßner Brussels, 2014 April 29 25