Title: Dr' Jonathan Scurlock National Farmers Union of England and Wales Biofuels: Opportunity or Threat
1Dr. Jonathan ScurlockNational Farmers Union of
England and WalesBiofuels Opportunity or
Threat?
- EERU / Design and Innovation Seminar
- Open University, Milton Keynes 12 March 2008
2Energy security, food and climate change
- Climate change non-stop media coverage? Not
just 2006 or 2007 we face decades of climate
change! - Oil prices and energy security 109/bbl
higher than 1980 - Rising food prices (at last!) due to
worldwide structural change, globalisation and
new markets (biofuels) - Climate change, energy and food security are all
driving policy at international, national and
regional level
3Why this is important for agriculture
- climate change is driving policy on reducing GHG
emissions at international, national, regional
level - challenging EU and UK targets for renewable
energy for electricity, transport fuels (but
not yet for heating) - agriculture is part of the solution to a
public problem CC Task Force - private sector may also become an important
driver demand for low-carbon food and
other products
Agriculture
Energy industries
Manufacturing and construction
Transport
4Biofuels one part of the solution
- With 75 of UK area, agriculture can provide
abundant land-based renewable resources - replacement of farm energy inputs
- export of electricity to the rest of the economy
- provision of renewable heat and wood fuels
- agricultural commodities for electricity or fuel
production off-site - For the first time in 50 years, farming today
offers a solution, no longer a financial burden - Back to the future? horse fodder used to occupy
large areas of land (biofuels are modern
equivalent) - Biofuels strategically important no other
pathways ready to substitute for road, rail, even
aviation fuels
5Biofuel production large scale
- Most commercial opportunities to UK growers are
at large scale through conventional grain
trading, maybe on different terms
Ethanol plant, Nebraska
Greenergy construction work
6EU and UK targets for biofuels
- EU Biofuels Directive 2 by 2005, 5.75 by 2010
indicative targets only (UK only 0.3 by 2005) - UK RTFO sets 2.5 (2008/09), 3.75 (2009/10), 5
(2010/11) by volume (Roy Soc called for 2025
target) - EU 2020 target (March 07, Jan 08 RE Directive)
10 is binding on MS much-needed long-term
signal - large biofuels plants now operational or planned
- Biofuels Seal Sands, Greenergy Immingham, D1
Oils, Argent/ESL - Ensus Teesside, BP/ABF/DuPont South Humberside,
Abengoa? - 5 UK petrol 3 million tonnes wheat to ethanol
- 5 UK diesel 2.7 million tonnes OSR to biodiesel
7Myths and Misconceptions
- Continuing media/public backlash only to be
expected? - NFU wants a mature, science-based debate
sustainability criteria could be extended to all
biomass or even all agricultural commodties in
future - (1) Food Prices
- (2) World markets and rural incomes
- (3) Not enough land?
- (4) Harming, not helping the environment?
- (5) We should wait for cellulosic technologies
- (6) Energy subsidies? Feed prices?
8Getting the message across
- Public sector procurement
- Captive vehicle fleets
- High-blend biofuels (E85, B30)
Local authorities
National Parks
9Small-scale biofuel production
- HM Revenue and Customs simplification of
regulations from Summer 2007, allow 2500
litres/year without registration or payment of
fuel excise duty
home-made biodiesel processor
commercial processor small oil
press Environment Agency guidelines allow 5000
litres/year without PPC registration 2500
litres/year is the fuel consumption of one small
commercial vehicle doing 11,000 miles at 20 mpg -
or one or more diesel cars totalling 25,000 miles
at 45 mpg
10Is this Easy?
Commercial or non-commercial production? SVO or
biodiesel? Vehicle compatibility? High-pressure
common-rail? Often determined by injector pumps
and injector system configuration Fendt,
Deutz-Fahr (also Same, Lamborghini and Hurlimann
with Deutz engines) all OK For road vehicles
only or low-carbon field operations as well?
11Farm-based business examples
www.greendragonfuel.co.uk (Notts.) www.oilsee
dpress.co.uk (Northumberland) www.vegoilservices.c
o.uk (Yorkshire)
12Perennial energy crops a new sub-sector
- SRC willow (harvested every three years) and
miscanthus (harvested annually) - Solid biomass fuel for power stations, local
heat, future transport fuels new NFU discussion
group formed - Explicit ES needs to be rewarded (biodiversity,
permeability, low inputs, low run-off, flood
control) - However poor market devt., loss of flexibility
in marketing, cannot be diverted back to
food/feed uses like grain-based feedstocks
Short rotation coppice willow
Miscanthus
13Economic evaluations and biogas
- Reports and calculators for small-scale biofuels
- Booth et al. (SAC) for NNFCC (Report 07-012)
www.nnfcc.co.uk - Andrew Martin (report for SEEDA)
farming_at_rmfarms.co.uk - Marches Energy Agency www.mea.org.uk -
spreadsheet still available?
Upgrading of biogas for transport use possible
only at medium to large scale economics
uncertain (Organic Power Ltd.)
Biogas bus in Vasteras, Sweden
14Conclusions
- Agriculture a major natural resource -
significant contribution to energy supply and
climate change mitigation - Biofuels (small and large scale) are just one of
many options - NFU supports sustainable development and the
transition to a low-carbon economy - Dr Jonathan Scurlock
- Chief Policy Adviser, Renewable
Energy and Climate Change - National Farmers Union
- Stoneleigh Park
- Warwicks CV8 2TZ
- jonathan.scurlock_at_nfu.org.uk