The Product Carbon Footprint of EU beet sugar (Part II)

2012 ◽  
pp. 213-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Klenk ◽  
Birgit Landquist ◽  
Oscar Ruiz de Imaña
Keyword(s):  
Water Treatment ◽  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Organic Fertilizer ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Beet Sugar ◽  
Laughing Gas ◽  
The Eu

With regard to farming operations, all N-fertilizer was assumed to be in the form of mineral fertilizer, as there is no publicly available figure known for the average use of organic fertilizer (e.g. manure) in sugar beet cultivation in Europe. All the basic inputs to sugar beet cultivation were included, that is, seed, fertilisers, pesticides and diesel consumption for field work. Nitrous oxide, soil emissions (N2O, commonly known as laughing gas) from farming were included according to Biograce (i.e. 2.7% of applied N is emitted as N2O). Transport of sugar beet and adherent soil was also accounted for, and it was assumed that all transports are by 40-t truck. The emissions related to the return of empty trucks delivering beet to the factories were also accounted for in the Biograce data. GHG emissions linked to LUC (land use change, direct or indirect) were estimated to be negligible because all land used to grow beet, at least in the EU, is already arable land. With regard to factories, very small inputs were excluded. Specifically, most process chemicals used in sugar production such as NaOH or HCl for pH correction or antifoaming agents were assumed not to be significant for the overall result because they were used only in small quantities. However, as limestone is a processing aid used in larger amounts (approx. 2% per tonne of beet processed), it therefore was included.7 For surplus steam, which some factories co-produce, substitutes were difficult to establish, because they depend on the local situation. Since the resulting GHG credit for surplus steam was expected to be small as an EU average, no GHG credit for surplus steam was calculated. Potential emissions from water treatment systems were, on the other hand, not taken into account because there is insufficient data available about the different types of water treatment systems in operation in EU beet sugar factories. The emission factors of the process inputs used in the calculations are listed in Table 9.

The Product Carbon Footprint of EU beet sugar (Part I)

2012 ◽  
pp. 169-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Klenk ◽  
Birgit Landquist ◽  
Oscar Ruiz de Imana
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Cane Sugar ◽  
Average Case ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
Land Use Efficiency ◽  
Beet Sugar ◽  
The Eu

The calculations made to obtain the PCF of EU white sugar from sugar beet have revealed that the results are extremely sensitive to methodological choices and this article provides some recommendations in that regard. A comparison of EU beet sugar with two examples of raw cane sugar imported and refined in the EU, showed that the PCF range for EU refined cane sugar is on average similar, if not higher (642–760 kg CO2eq/t sugar) than the total methodological PCF range for the EU beet sugar average case (242–771 kg CO2eq/t sugar). A review of the published literature revealed, on the one hand, that land use change emissions for cane sugar can be very significant but are rarely taken into account, and on the other hand, that overseas transport and refining adds a significant amount of emissions to the PCF of raw cane sugar imported into the EU. An overall land use efficiency comparison between cane and beet production systems also concluded that significantly more land (51%) is required by cane systems to produce an equivalent set of products (sugar and co-products) with an equivalent amount of GHG emissions. Finally, the limitations of PCFs as a tool to evaluate the overall environmental sustainability of EU beet sugar were also analysed

scholarly journals Estimation of the Required Bio-fuels Substituting Petroleum-based Fuels in Vehicles in the Island of Crete, Greece

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
John Vourdoubas
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Diesel Oil ◽  
Energy Crops ◽  
Oil Consumption ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Rape Seed ◽  
The Eu

The required bio-fuels for substituting petroleum-based fuels in vehicles in the island of Crete, Greece have been estimated. The quantities of gasoline and diesel oil currently used in vehicles in Crete as well as their GHG emissions have been calculated. The quantities of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel substituting 14% of them, according to the EU goal for 2030, have been evaluated. The necessary land area for cultivating energy crops producing the required bio-fuels has been also calculated. The total quantity of gasoline and diesel oil used in vehicles in 2020 in Crete has been estimated at 273,231 tons while their CO2 emissions at 886,702 tons. The bio-ethanol required for substituting 14% of the annual gasoline consumption has been calculated at 29,709 tons while the bio-diesel required for substituting 14% of the annual diesel oil consumption at 24,802 tons. The necessary land area cultivated with sugar beet producing the abovementioned quantity of bio-ethanol has been estimated at 7,427 ha while the necessary land area cultivated with rape seed producing the abovementioned quantity of bio-diesel has been estimated at 24,802 ha. The overall necessary land area, at 32,229 ha, corresponds at 3.81% of the total area in Crete. Energy crops have not been cultivated so far in Crete while the land availability is limited. It is proposed that apart from using bio-fuels in conventional vehicles equipped with ICEs different options for reducing GHG emissions in transportation, including the use of electric vehicles, should be considered in Crete.

LCA of EU beet sugar. Part I: Conducting a LCA of sugar production in the European Union

2015 ◽  
pp. 492-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Spoerri ◽  
Thomas Kaegi
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sugar Production ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Hotspot Analysis ◽  
Iso 14040 ◽  
Processing Data ◽  
Beet Sugar ◽  
The Eu

With this study, CEFS provides an insider view, on what the significant environmental impacts of beet sugar production in the EU are & the method best suited for allocating specific impacts to the products of sugar beet processing. Data on sugar beet cultivation, transport and processing used were collected from 11 sugar companies and 18 countries (years 2008–2013). The obtained data were found to cover approximately 90% of EU beet sugar production (CEFS Sugar Statistics, 2013). A hotspot analysis was run over 15 environmental impacts via the testing of 4 different LCIA methodologies (ILCD, ReCiPe, Eco-scarcity and Impact 2002+). In order to derive methodological recommendations for the appropriate allocation method, the consultant performed a sensitivity analysis on the 11 products comparing 6 allocation methods and substitution according to in ISO 14040. The hotspot analysis showed that sugar beet cultivation phase had the largest share of total environmental impacts. Energy allocation was chosen as the appropriate methodology as it covered the entire product range of beet sugar production, carbonation lime being the only exception. The study was representative for the factory but it could not capture the variability of the cultivation scenarios in Europe. Moreover LCAs focus only on environmental sustainability and therefore cannot be recommended as trustworthy indicators of overall sustainability.

LCA of EU beet sugar. Part II: Conducting a LCA of sugar production in the European Union

2015 ◽  
pp. 553-566
Author(s):  
Andy Spoerri ◽  
Thomas Kaegi
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sugar Production ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Hotspot Analysis ◽  
Iso 14040 ◽  
Processing Data ◽  
Beet Sugar ◽  
The Eu

With this study, CEFS provides an insider view, on what the significant environmental impacts of beet sugar production in the EU are and the method best suited for allocating specific impacts to the products of sugar beet processing. Data on sugar beet cultivation, transport and processing used were collected from 11 sugar companies and 18 countries (years 2008–2013). The obtained data were found to cover approximately 90% of EU beet sugar production (CEFS Sugar Statistics, 2013). A hotspot analysis was run over 15 environmental impacts via the testing of 4 different LCIA methodologies (ILCD, ReCiPe, Eco-scarcity and Impact 2002+). In order to derive methodological recommendations for the appropriate allocation method, the consultant performed a sensitivity analysis on the 11 products comparing 6 allocation methods and substitution according to in ISO 14040. The hotspot analysis showed that sugar beet cultivation phase had the largest share of total environmental impacts. Energy allocation was chosen as the appropriate methodology as it covered the entire product range of beet sugar production, carbonation lime being the only exception. The study was representative for the factory but it could not capture the variability of the cultivation scenarios in Europe. Moreover LCAs focus only on environmental sustainability and therefore cannot be recommended as trustworthy indicators of overall sustainability.

scholarly journals Improving the Sustainability of Dairy Slurry by A Commercial Additive Treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Borgonovo ◽  
Cecilia Conti ◽  
Daniela Lovarelli ◽  
Valentina Ferrante ◽  
Marcella Guarino
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Cattle Slurry ◽  
N Loss ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Environmental Impact Categories ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from livestock farms contribute to negative environmental impacts such as acidification and climate change. A significant part of these emissions is produced from the decomposition of slurry in livestock facilities, during storage and treatment phases. This research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the additive “SOP LAGOON” (made of agricultural gypsum processed with proprietary technology) on (i) NH3 and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, (ii) slurry properties and N loss. Moreover, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to assess the potential environmental impact associated with stored slurry treated with the additive. Six barrels were filled with 65 L of cattle slurry, of which three were used as a control while the additive was used in the other three. The results indicated that the use of the additive led to a reduction of total nitrogen, nitrates, and GHG emissions. LCA confirmed the higher environmental sustainability of the scenario with the additive for some environmental impact categories among which climate change. In conclusion, the additive has beneficial effects on both emissions and the environment, and the nitrogen present in the treated slurry could partially displace a mineral fertilizer, which can be considered an environmental credit.

scholarly journals Economic and Environmental Consequences of the ECJ Genome Editing Judgment in Agriculture

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1212
Author(s):  
Alexander Gocht ◽  
Nicola Consmüller ◽  
Ferike Thom ◽  
Harald Grethe
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Eu

Genome-edited crops are on the verge of being placed on the market and their agricultural and food products will thus be internationally traded soon. National regulations, however, diverge regarding the classification of genome-edited crops. Major countries such as the US and Brazil do not specifically regulate genome-edited crops, while in the European Union, they fall under GMO legislation, according to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). As it is in some cases impossible to analytically distinguish between products from genome-edited plants and those from non-genome-edited plants, EU importers may fear the risk of violating EU legislation. They may choose not to import any agricultural and food products based on crops for which genome-edited varieties are available. Therefore, crop products of which the EU is currently a net importer would become more expensive in the EU, and production would intensify. Furthermore, an intense substitution of products covered and not covered by genome editing would occur in consumption, production, and trade. We analyzed the effects of such a cease of EU imports for cereals and soy in the EU agricultural sector with the comparative static agricultural sector equilibrium model CAPRI. Our results indicate dramatic effects on agricultural and food prices as well as on farm income. The intensification of EU agriculture may result in negative net environmental effects in the EU as well as in an increase in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This suggests that trade effects should be considered when developing domestic regulation for genome-edited crops.

scholarly journals Microbes: Food for the Future

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 971
Author(s):  
Matilde Ciani ◽  
Antonio Lippolis ◽  
Federico Fava ◽  
Liliana Rodolfi ◽  
Alberto Niccolai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Negative Externalities ◽  
Agriculture Soil ◽  
Global Concern ◽  
Food Commodities ◽  
Hydrogen Oxidizing Bacteria

Current projections estimate that in 2050 about 10 billion people will inhabit the earth and food production will need to increase by more than 60%. Food security will therefore represent a matter of global concern not easily tackled with current agriculture practices and curbed by the increasing scarcity of natural resources and climate change. Disrupting technologies are urgently needed to improve the efficiency of the food production system and to reduce the negative externalities of agriculture (soil erosion, desertification, air pollution, water and soil contamination, biodiversity loss, etc.). Among the most innovative technologies, the production of microbial protein (MP) in controlled and intensive systems called “bioreactors” is receiving increasing attention from research and industry. MP has low arable land requirements, does not directly compete with crop-based food commodities, and uses fertilizers with an almost 100% efficiency. This review considers the potential and limitations of four MP sources currently tested at pilot level or sold as food or feed ingredients: hydrogen oxidizing bacteria (HOB), methanotrophs, fungi, and microalgae (cyanobacteria). The environmental impacts (energy, land, water use, and GHG emissions) of these MP sources are compared with those of plant, animal, insect, and cultured meat-based proteins. Prices are reported to address whether MP may compete with traditional protein sources. Microalgae cultivation under artificial light is discussed as a strategy to ensure independence from weather conditions, continuous operation over the year, as well as high-quality biomass. The main challenges to the spreading of MP use are discussed.

scholarly journals Analysis of the New Kuznets Relationship: Considering Emissions of Carbon, Methanol, and Nitrous Oxide Greenhouse Gases—Evidence from EU Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2907
Author(s):  
Mara Madaleno ◽  
Victor Moutinho
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Kuznets Curve ◽  
Ekc Hypothesis ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
The Eu

Decreased greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are urgently needed in view of global health threat represented by climate change. The goal of this paper is to test the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, considering less common measures of environmental burden. For that, four different estimations are done, one considering total GHG emissions, and three more taking into account, individually, the three main GHG gases—carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane gas (CH4)—considering the oldest and most recent economies adhering to the EU27 (the EU 15 (Old Europe) and the EU 12 (New Europe)) separately. Using panel dynamic fixed effects (DFE), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) techniques, we validate the existence of a U-shaped relationship for all emission proxies considered, and groups of countries in the short-run. Some evidence of this effect also exists in the long-run. However, we were only able to validate the EKC hypothesis for the short-run in EU 12 under DOLS and the short and long-run using FMOLS. Confirmed is the fact that results are sensitive to models and measures adopted. Externalization of problems globally takes a longer period for national policies to correct, turning global measures harder and local environmental proxies more suitable to deeply explore the EKC hypothesis.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Dependence of GHG Emissions on the Support and Taxes in the EU Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7650
Author(s):  
Astrida Miceikienė ◽  
Kristina Gesevičienė ◽  
Daiva Rimkuvienė
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Gdp Per Capita ◽  
Environmental Taxes ◽  
Environmental Support ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Support Measures ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Eu

The reduction of GHG emissions is one of the priorities of the EU countries. The majority of studies show that financial support and environmental taxes are one of the most effective measures for the mitigation of the negative consequences of climate change. The EU countries employ different environmental support measures and environmental taxes to reduce GHG emissions. There is a shortage of new studies on these measures. The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of the environmental support measures of the EU countries with the effectiveness of environmental taxes in relation to the reduction of GHG emissions. This study is characterized by the broad scope of its data analysis and its systematic approach to the EU’s environmental policy measures. An empirical study was performed for the EU countries with the aim of addressing this research problem and substantiating theoretical insights. A total of 27 EU member states from 2009 to 2018 were selected as research samples. The research is based on a cause-and-effect relationship, where the factors affecting environmental pollution (environmental taxes and subsidies) are the cause, and GHG emissions are the effect. Statistical research methods were used in the empirical study: descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), simple regression and cluster analysis. The results show that the older member countries of the EU, which had directed the financial measures of environmental policy towards a reduction in energy consumption, managed to achieve a greater reduction in GHG emissions compared to the countries which had not applied those measures. The Central and Eastern European countries are characterized by lower environmental taxes and lower expenditure allocated to environmental protection. The countries with a higher GDP per capita have greater GHG emissions that the countries with lower GDP per capita. This is associated with greater consumption, waste, and energy consumption. The study conducted gives rise to a discussion regarding data sufficiency in the assessment and forecasting of GHG emissions and their environmental consequences.

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