Title:
Land Use Change Impacts Associated with Sugarcane Ethanol Production in Brazil
Author(s):
Petrielli, G.P., Nogueira, G.P., Henzler, D.S., Chagas, M.F., Hernandes, T.A.D.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
Biofuel production raises concerns regarding biomass availability as feedstock and land use change (LUC). Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane bioethanol in the world, and its production has been encouraged by the RenovaBio national policy. Suitable land for sugarcane expansion in the country has been identified in areas currently occupied by pastureland. This work combines LUC emissions estimation through soil and biomass carbon stock change; sugarcane yield and ethanol production modeling; and life cycle assessment to estimate carbon intensity for Brazil’s 1G ethanol production. The impact of LUC on ethanol carbon intensity in the assessed expansion area range from -2.34 to 14.08 gCO2e.MJ-1, with an average of 5.64 gCO2e.MJ-1, representing 22.2% of the total average carbon intensity, including all phases of the product value chain. Total land conversion would imply 14.1 MtCO2e of carbon stock change, mostly from soil. Strategically, ranking facilities to meet future demand leads to a range of -2.34 to 3.18 gCO2e.MJ-1, strengthening the importance of a guided sugarcane expansion for the country towards a sustainable development. In the assessed area, LUC impacts do not lead ethanol carbon intensity to be worse than its fossil-source counterpart, mainly due to prior screening of areas for expansion.
Keywords:
bioethanol, land use change, carbon intensity, biomass expansion
Topic:
Sustainability, Impacts and Policies
Subtopic:
Environmental impacts
Event:
31st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
2AV.3.6
Pages:
401 - 406
ISBN:
978-88-89407-23-3
Paper DOI:
10.5071/31stEUBCE2023-2AV.3.6
Price:
FREE
