Bioenergy options for Asia

With least conflicts of interest

on Land, Food and Water resources

Balakrishna Gowda, Professor, University of Agricultural Sciences,Bangalore India gowdabk@yahoo.com

Back ground • The growing concern about climate change, reduced

availability of crude oil and fluctuating prices are the cause for searching alternate fuel sources

• Liquid biofuels from natural renewable sources contribute to

the energy security of rural areas as well as mitigating the green house gas emissions

• Biofuels from jatropha sugarcane, soybean and oil palm were considered to be the best bet for transport fuels

• Negative impacts on the land use change that affects the food

production and raises the issue of food vs fuels • Change in land use for biofuel crops can have social,

ecological and economical implications

Second generation biofuels

• Concerns of the use of crop lands has led to finding alternatives in the form of non edible oils from trees from non cultivated sources, agriculture wastes and residues

• Developing appropriate technologies for use of by products, intermediaries in the biofuel value chain has a ray of hope

Bioenergy and biorefinery suits well for Asian context Biodiversity and multiplicity of Bio energy resources for a sustainable energy management system in specific situations Strategic location of South and south east Asia in the world geography to meet the challenge of availability of feed stock for biofuels continuously Driven by Community participation able to absorb diverse technologies at appropriate locations

The Asian advantage

The policy commitments China – 15% biofuels target by 2015 Indonesia – 2% biofuels target by 2010 Thailand – 20% biofuels and natural gas target by 2012 India – 10% ethanol target and 20% biofuels by 2017 Philippines – 10% ethanol mandate and 2% biodiesel mandate by 2010 Malaysia – 5% palm oil mandate in diesel

The concerns sustainability due to unchecked pursuit of biofuels could lead to: - Deforestation and biodiversity loss - Marginalization of small land holders - land tenure conflicts Greenhouse gas emissions in excess of fossil fuels competition for scarce natural resources and increased food price

Bio energy - at the cross roads of multiple policy areas Any single policy to address all policy objectives simultaneously is likely to be ineffective A successful policy framework require a multifaceted approach The policy shall provide for maintenance of harmony Biodiversity – Agriculture – Development - Energy - Environment

Bioenergy development in Asia -The approach needs to be multifaceted - Due concerns on

• land • biodiversity • water

- considered in the context of the peoples participation

Components of Asian biofuels programs Bioethanol I generation – sugar cane and edible source with investment of land and water II generation – lignocelluloses use of agriculture residues and by products Biodiesel I generation - edible source with investment of land and water II generation - non edible oils, with least Investment of cultivable lands III generation - algal sources – need technology up gradation and suitability Biogas Substrate - biomass waste, Agriculture waste/ residues and byproducts

Intermediaries in biofuel value chain Valuing intermediaries - small quantities but high value chemicals of economic value plant protection chemicals, medicines etc. - High volume low returns Local utilities – Straight fuel for agriculture machines, house hold needs - Power generation to meet local requirements Technology Adoption of multi technology at origin of biomass and decentralized conversion Sustainability – Variety of biomass plant and animal

Experience from India Multispecies non edible feed stock Utilization of marginal lands, waste lands, degraded lands Rural centric farmer oriented, cooperative model Value chain activities to benefit rural economy Multilevel energy production – main product and by products Intermediaries and by products for producing high value chemicals, animal feed, medicine etc

Experience in South East Asia Zero-Waste Biomass Utilization Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia Jatropha, Palm oil based initiative trialed with small-scale oil palm and rice growers Formation of local local cooperatives who guarantee prices for a range of farmer outputs

Demand for biofuel in the region will grow to meet the government policies needs Biofuels policy problem - one policy goal likely to have unintended consequences Continued monitoring and assessment is required to mitigate risk that biofuels may unnecessarily harm biodiversity Develop tools to assist agencies to assess the risks and looking for opportunities at small-scale

Issues and challenges in biofuels program

• Large-scale biofuels production systems have found to be non economical require extensive subsidies

• Biofuels are often expensive relative to fossil fuels, unless effective utilization of co-products and wastes crucial to achieve profitability

• Ethanol from molasses and biodiesel from oil palm and waste oil tend to have the lowest production costs.

• Need to have non edible crops on marginal lands that support agriculture system in most of the Asian countries

• Establishing plantations on land that is currently not under food production

• The greatest promise for biofuels in Asia lies in decentralized production and use

• Decentralized energy production systems, when

managed by community level organizations,

• Support rural livelihoods to ameliorate local soil and water quality problems

• The small-scale decentralized pilot initiatives using

local species is desirable

Support systems for involvement of smallholders, and indigenous peoples are necessary Starter economic subsidies and incentives are needed to strengthen best practices in existing production systems Who has to support? Government and Corporate bodies for : Research and development for appropriate technology Environment issues in process technology Management of by products

Thanks