SRI Consulting Publishes
Carbon Footprint of Biofuels & Petrofuels Report
Sometimes Farmers Should Plant Forests Rather Than Crops
for Biofuels
MENLO
PARK, CA. October 9, 2007 — Should
motorists concerned about global warming fill their
next tank with biodiesel, petrodiesel, gasoline, or
ethanol? The best choice could be any of the four,
concludes a comprehensive study just published by independent
analysts at SRI Consulting (SRIC). The new Carbon Footprint of Biofuels & Petrofuels report
compares the carbon footprints of major biofuels, biodiesel and bioethanol,
against those of 'petrofuels' diesel and gasoline.
Russell Heinen, Vice-President at SRIC, explains “Carbon
footprints of biofuels depend to some extent on crop yields
and cultivation emissions, but by far the most significant
factor is land use. What could the land be used for and how
much carbon would it store if it were not used to grow biofuel
crops?”
Recent studies by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD), California Energy Commission, and
the journal Science have pointed out the importance of land
use, but this study from SRIC is the first to calculate the
specific impact of land use on specific fuel choices.
SRIC’s Carbon Footprint of Biofuels & Petrofuels report
points out that land use is so critical that – at least
from a global warming viewpoint – northern European
farmers should plant trees and burn petrodiesel rather than
plant rapeseed for biodiesel. Greenhouse gas emissions
are reduced more by converting a Malaysian rain forest into
a palm oil plantation for biodiesel than by filling tanks
with petrodiesel. Yet, it is better to fuel with gasoline
and to preserve the Brazilian rain forest than to knock it
down to grow sugarcane for bioethanol.
Michael Arné, Assistant Director at SRIC’s
Greenhouse Gases initiative commented “Generally speaking,
where a crop is grown plays a more important role in the
biofuel/petrofuel footprint than what type of crop is grown. On
northern European land, growing a forest and burning petrodiesel
is clearly the better choice. But if rapeseed were
grown on former prairie land in the Midwest United States
normally devoted to corn and soybeans, the ‘clear choice’ becomes
a tie. The footprint is about the same whether rapeseed
biodiesel or petrodiesel is chosen for this area.”
This huge difference for the same crop, yet two alternative
land uses, is due to the difference in land carbon capacity. A
forest can store tremendously more carbon than can a prairie.
Eric Johnson, author of the report commented “Energy,
agricultural and automotive companies, as well as governments,
need to know about this study.” Mr. Johnson continues “It
has major implications for policy and for business strategies
where carbon footprints are becoming more important every
day.”
The study compares the carbon footprints, measured in kg
CO2 equivalent per 100 km driven, of petrodiesel versus biodiesel
made from rapeseed, soybeans, tallow and used cooking oil
(known as yellow grease). It also compares gasoline
against bioethanol made from sugarcane, corn (maize), and
biomass stover (stalks, leaves and cobs) left over from corn
harvesting. The study also examines ‘hydrotreater’ biodiesel
and natural gas−derived Fischer-Tropsch diesel.
For additional information about the Carbon Footprint
of Biofuels & Petrofuels report, please contact
Russell Heinen at rheinen@sriconsulting.com or
+1 281 203 6285, or visit the website at www.sriconsulting.com/GHG for
SRIC’s reports on greenhouse gases.
About SRI Consulting (SRIC)
SRI Consulting is the world’s leading business research
service for the global chemical industry. Publishing for
almost 60 years, SRI Consulting is the preeminent source
for in-depth business and process analysis. This report
was developed by the Greenhouse Gases Program group, providing
comprehensive and current information on greenhouse gas emissions.
SRI Consulting's headquarters are located in Menlo Park,
California with offices in The Woodlands, Texas; Zürich,
Switzerland; Tokyo, Japan; and Beijing, China. SRI
Consulting is a division of Access Intelligence, LLC. Additional
information is available at www.sriconsulting.com.
SRI Consulting (SRIC) is a trade name and a registered trademark
of SRI International, used under license.
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