Title:
Role of National Fossil Fuel Comparators in the Nominal Emission Savings through Bioenergy under the Red - Case Study in Six EU Countries
Author(s):
Banja, M., Sikkema, R., Spijker, E., Szendrei, K.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
As part of the energy transition efforts, most bioenergy policies are strongly driven by the ambition to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and substitute fossil fuels. The challenge is to properly select the fossil fuel “baseline” comparators for each form of bioenergy for any given national context. Based on existing literature as well as data and experiences gathered within EU co-funded research projects the paper presents the methodological approach for discussing the effect on nominal GHG emissions savings due to bioenergy under RED rules taking into consideration the national fossil fuels comparators. The paper assesses this effect in the 3-bioenergy markets (electricity, heating/cooling and transport) in Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Poland. The paper assesses this effect for each sector separately without trying to compare them showing that project-specific and/or national fossil fuels comparators in the calculation of nominal GHG emission savings from bioenergy can have a more stimulating effect than generic EU comparators and the GHG reduction can be more accurately estimated depending on specific conditions in a country. The paper suggests that for including any other effects than CO2 emissions, it is relevant to select appropriate indicators and use adequate comparators, with enough reference data, for those effects.
Keywords:
bioenergy, greenhouse gases (GHG), life cycle analysis, sustainability, climate-effectiveness, energy transition, fossil fuel, comparator
Topic:
Biomass Sustainability, Impacts and Policies
Subtopic:
Climate impacts of bioenergy
Event:
27th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
4AV.5.2
Pages:
1701 - 1709
ISBN:
978-88-89407-19-6
Paper DOI:
10.5071/27thEUBCE2019-4AV.5.2
Price:
FREE
