Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
cultivated land area, if not used for the investigated product. Their example
of the production of rapeseed methyl ester (RME) for biodiesel
demonstrates that the agricultural reference system may have a significant
effect on the results of a life cycle analysis. In
Chapter 9,
Brodersen,
Dresher and McNamara demonstrate the usefulness of a Geographical
Information System for analysing the competitiveness of hemp. Their
research shows that the use of hemp as an energy resource is more
favorable in counties in East Germany. Nevertheless, under current prices
hemp cannot compete with other fast growing plantations or with oil and
gas. In
Chapter 10,
van Kooten, Krcmar and Graham conclude the third
part of this topic with an analysis of the role of forestry in climate change
and sustainable energy production. These authors conclude that previous
research efforts have mainly focused on the role of forests in atmospheric
whereas the information about the role of other potential sinks for C
is still very limited. Furthermore, the authors provide an attempt to fill up
the large gap in information about the potential for bioenergy to replace use
of fossil fuels.
Part four of this topic deals with the relation between agriculture
and other sources of sustainable energy. In particular,
Chapter 11
of Bielsa
and Duarte provides a model of water resource allocation in Spain with a
focus on the relation between agriculture and hydropower production. The
application of the model to a specific case confirms the potential of flexible
and tradable water rights for improving water allocation compared to a
system based on administrative rules.
Chapter 12
of Hjort-Gregersen
shows that biogas has a good potential to contribute to the solution of
environmental problems and the production of energy in Denmark.
The fifth and final part of this topic focuses on future scenarios
studies and the scope for economic policies in enhancing sustainable
energy production and use in agriculture. In
Chapter 13
, Dalgaard, Halberg
and Fenger present the results of three national scenarios implying a full
conversion to organic agriculture. The authors show that emission of
greenhouse gases decreases under each of the scenarios. In
Chapter 14
Liming and van Ierland deal with projections for future production and
demand of renewable energy in rural China. Furthermore, this chapter
discusses a number of problems that are expected in meeting the rapidly
increasing demand for energy in China. The authors conclude that
renewable energy will be an important energy source in rural China and
that it is essentail to develop sustainable biomass systems to fulfil this role.
The topic concludes in
Chapter 15
with a study by Rozakis and
Vanderpooten who use a multi-criteria optimisation model to determine
optimal tax credit policies for greenhouse gas abatement. The authors show
that the current tax credits are well below the optimal tax credits
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