Estimated feedstock efficiency and environmental impacts

Energy conversion efficiency

GHG emissions* (kilograms of CO2 per MJ)

1 tonne of oil equivalent

ETHANOL Corn

High 1 to 1.1 81 to 85 High High High

1 135 to 1 900

Water use

Fertilizer use

Pesticide use

Energy inputs

(litres per hectare) Fuel yield

High Sugarcane 8 to 10.2 4 to 12

High

Medium

Medium

5 300 to 6 500

• Using an agricultural-systems approach, which integrates both biomass production for various end-uses and conservation measures. For example, one approach could be IFES designed to integrate, intensify and thus increase the simultaneous production of food and energy. Conservation agriculture is an approach for ‘resource-saving agricultural crop production that strives to achieve acceptable profits together with high and sustained production levels while concurrently conserving the environment’ (IFAD).

• Encouraging efficiency improvements in agricultural production to maximise output per unit of input.

BIODIESEL Soybean

High 1.9 to 6 49

Medium

Medium- Low

Medium- Low

225 to 350

High Oil palm 9 51

Medium

Low

Low 4 760

Source: M. Groom et al., Biofuels and Biodiversity: Principles for Creating Better Policies for Biofuel Production, Conservation Biology, 2008; CIA, The World Factbook, 2010. Note : *Greenhouse gas emissions over biofuel life cycle (gasoline = 94 kgCO2/MJ fuels; diesel =83 kgCO2/MJ fuels).

Figure 3.1.12 Estimated feedstock effi ciency and environmental impacts 29