water for bioenergy or food?

2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009

Water for Bioenergy or Food?Topic Introduction

Nadine McCormick International Union for Conservation of Naturewww.iucn.org/[email protected]


Bioenergy context

Volatile oil prices

Climate change

Energy security

Rural development


Real bioenergy context?

Voltatile oil

prices

Climate change

Energy security

Rural development


Key definitions

• Bioenergy - any energy sourced from non-fossil biomass used for heat, electrical power, or transport.

• Biofuels – liquid fuels derived from biomass that can be used for transport or heating purposes – bioethanol – produced from crops such as sugarcane,

sugarbeet, corn, wheat and barley – biodiesel – produced from seeds such as palm, jatropha,

rapeseed, sunflower and soy

• “1st generation” biofuels – traditional production from sugars, starches and oils contained in plants

• “2nd generation” biofuels – produced from cellulose contained in wood, grasses and agricultural waste


Biomass in world energy use • More than 2.5bn people depend on traditional forms of

biomass WEO (2008)

• Biomass accounts for approx.10% world primary energy demand, 7% if traditional biomass use is excluded (6% for heat, 1% for transport)

• Biofuels: 1.5% in 2006, predicted up to 5% in 2030

Source: OECD/IEA, 2008


Global biofuel policy targets

• More than 50 targets/mandates worldwide

Source: As at March 2008 Petersen (ERAE, 2008)

http://erae.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/jbn016v1


Global biofuel policy targets

• Some revisions down but all targets and mandates maintained

New Zealand M 2.5 per cent ethanol share by 2012

Queensland M 5% 2008 biodiesel mandate blocked, set for 2010 introduction

USA M Will fall short of mandate by 20%

Thailand M Reduction in price of B5 biodiesel

Germany M biodiesel blend for 2009 reduced from 6.25% to 5.25%


Source: Guardian, 22 Nov 2008 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/22/food-biofuels

World food, feed, fibre and energy production will require a 10% increase in farmland by 2030 (OECD, 2008)


Rising food prices?

http://seekingalpha.com/article/116558-global-slowdown-to-hit-low-income-countries-hard-in-2009

• Historically low food prices

• Lower stocks as growth in demand greater than supply (higher meat consumption, stagnating yields, etc.)

• Low investment

• PLUS shocks of:

– Droughts

– Higher input costs

– Biofuel policies – responsibility for approx. 30% of 2008 price spike (FAO)


Availability

Access

Stability Utilization

It’s not just the price


Food security assessmentsPotential negative effects Potential positive effects

• Reduced access to food due to price increases driven by competition for biomass for energy

• Decreased food availability due to replacement of subsistence farm land by energy plantations

• Increased environmental pressure due to introduction or expansion of unsustainable bioenergy systems (water pollution, biodiversity loss, land degradation)

• Price pressure on other goods and services related to land-use and biomass

• Competition for resources – land use, water and labour

• Diversification of feedstock crops• Infrastructure development and

employment (rural)• Diversification of domestic energy

supply• Reduced household energy burden

(women and children)• SME energy access improved• Increased agricultural investment and

technological advances• Climate change mitigation• Revenue from payment for

environmental services and monetization of carbon credits

Based on FAO Bioenergy and Food Security Project Proposal (2006)

?


Win-win-win-win?

• E.g. Decentralised biodiesel resource centers for improving rural energy services and poverty alleviation (India)

• Resource assessment identified indigenous tree species- Callophyllum inophyllum – IUCN Red List Species AND– potential for renewable energy

development (Straight Vegetable oil-SVO(55%)

Applied Environmental Research Foundation (www.aerfindia.org)


Water/energy relationships

Source: International Water Association


Comparing water footprints

• uranium (0.09 m3/GJ)• natural gas (0.11 m3/GJ)• coal (0.16 m3/GJ• crude oil (1.06 m3/GJ). • wind energy (negligible)• solar thermal energy (0.30

m3/GJ)• hydropower 22.3 m3/GJ• Biomass: 24 - 143 m3/GJ

Source: UNESCO-IHE (2008)


Different pathways


Not all crops are the same!

• uranium (0.09 m3/GJ)• natural gas (0.11 m3/GJ)• coal (0.16 m3/GJ• crude oil (1.06 m3/GJ). • wind energy (negligible)• solar thermal energy (0.30

m3/GJ)• hydropower 22.3 m3/GJ• Biomass: 24 - 143 m3/GJ

Source: UNESCO-IHE (2008)

• Feedstock and location make a difference


0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

Barley Wheat Corn Sugar beet Sugarcane

Soybean Castorbeans

Sunflowerseed

Rapeseed Jatropha Palm oil

Lit

ers

pe

r H

ec

tare

S o u rc e : F u lto n e t a l.

Ethanol Feedstock

Biodiesel Feedstock

Biofuel yields of selected feedstock


Differing GHG lifecycle emissions


Factors for determining impact • Scale of production – industrial vs small scale/intensive or

extensive

• Crop used and how it’s grown and harvested (e.g. rain-fed, irrigation efficiency, etc.)

• Competition vs. substitution effect

• Local ecosystem and climate

• Other policy areas (energy, environment, agriculture, rural development)

• Governance effectiveness and stakeholder engagement

• Future variability of factors - climate change, financial crisis, etc.

Need integrated decision-making


Priorities and trade-offs

• Economies of scale vs. poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation

• Resource competition avoidance vs. high yields

• Food crop avoidance vs. market flexibility and reduced risks

• Greenhouse gas reduction vs. need for liquid fuels for transportation

• Efficient water use vs. high yields Need to identify real policy priorities and incentivise accordingly


Apply existing tools

• Environmental flows allow allocation through negotiation by stakeholders within the limits of availability, to including for ecosystem services

• Lessons from agriculture and other sectors?

www.iucn.org/energy


Main messages1. Water key for both energy and agriculture

– need coordinated of policies and integrated decision-making on bioenergy

2. Not all biofuels are the same – need to tools to distinguish better from worse and promote best practice

3. Focus on real priorities and adjust risk assessment accordingly

4. Biofuels is a new market for agriculture – apply the lessons and tools we know now, don’t wait!


Key issues to considerPolicies• Is there really a food vs. food

dilemma? • Should bioenergy policies differ

from agricultural policies?Implementation• Are multi-purpose crops better for

food security? • If and how can we avoid conflict in

resource use, especially for water?

water for bioenergy or food?

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