[Gasification] Gallon Newsletter overviews Biofuels and Bill C-33

[Roger Samson]

The gallon newsletter is the most widely read environment newsletter from
Canada which summarizes leading environmental news stories  

http://www.cialgroup.com/gallonletter.html 

Here is their recent summary Vol. 13, No. 3, April 7, 2008 on Biofuels and
Bill C-33

roger

ps. Everybody should watch the movie :'who killed the electric car" and all
you gasification fans should promote electric cars instead of ethanol (grain
or cellulose) as a better option

 

BIOFUELS AND BILL C-33

 

Canada's Parliament is reviewing Bill C-33 to develop new renewable fuels
regulations through amendments of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act
CEPA. The regulations are intended to:

*	Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 megatonnes per year in the
transportation sector and to 
*	Benefit Canadian agriculture by boosting demand for feedstocks and
creating new markets for agricultural products.

The regulations will require minimum renewable fuel content of 5% or more in
gasoline and 2% in diesel and heating oil by 2012. 

 

REAP: Direct Heat from Pellets

 

Making a presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on
Agriculture and Agri-food on February 28 was Roger Samson, Executive
Director of REAP (Resource Efficient Agricultural Production) Canada based
on a 2008 study REAP conducted in association with BIOCAP Canada Foundation.
The study is called Analysing Ontario Biofuel options: Greenhouse Gas
Mitigation Efficiency and Costs.

 

Samson provided a lifecycle GHG emissions for bioenergy which indicated that
Canadian corn ethanol, soybean or canola biodiesel have the highest GHG
emissions compared to electrical power generation from renewable sources
such as manure and straw pellets. Electricity from wind power has the lowest
GHG emissions but close are heating directly with geothermal, switchgrass
pellets, and solar. The lifecycle analysis is highly dependent on
assumptions and available data and the report recommends better accounting
systems. For example, some studies do not account for carbon-rich forests
and grasslands converted to croplands with a net loss of carbon storage.
While governments provide incentives for green power and liquid biofuels,
there are few support programs for green heat. 

 

Issues raised by the proposed regulations are identified as:

*	Conversion of grasslands which store carbon into annual crops which
could "present a substantial risk to the global carbon cycle." 
*	Canada already imports 2 million tonnes of corn per year. Surplus
land for crop production doesn't exist so the regulations would benefit
out-of-country farmers as imports for both feed for livestock and for
ethanol will have to increase. 
*	Ethanol producers use natural gas which may have to be imported
within the next two decades according to the National Energy Board. 
*	Cellulosic ethanol may not be cost competitive because it is
inefficient to produce (a large amount of biomass is needed with only a 39%
conversion efficiency) and capital intensive. 
*	Pellet plants in contrast convert almost all of the biomass to solid
fuel pellets, a proven technology, at a fraction of the cost of the capital
cost of cellulosic ethanol plants, still not commercially viable. 
*	Biodiesel from animal fats, waste vegetable oils and off-spec feed
grains benefit both the economy and the environment but biodiesel from seed
oil crops is too expensive.

REAP recommends that the bill be withdrawn because:

1. It cannot achieve the 4 megatonnes of CO2 emission reduction.

2. It will benefit US corn growers.

3. It lacks fiscal responsibility. CO2 offsets from corn are 6-10 times more
expensive than other renewable energy sources.

 

Instead REAP recommends:

*	A results-based policy framework to ensure effective carbon offset
efficiencies and high energy output per hectare. 
*	Move towards perennial crops rather than using annual food crops as
fuel which will lead to land conversion of natural areas, food inflation and
to global food insecurity. 
*	The government should not pick winners but apply incentives using
marketplace principles. A $25/tonne carbon tax and a $25/tonne green carbon
incentive would ensure parity among all the renewable energy players, reduce
impacts on fossil fuel energy users and provide incentives to switch to
green carbon sources.

 

 

Roger Samson

Executive Director

REAP-Canada

Box 125 Centennial Centre CCB13

Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9

T: (514) 398-7743

T: (514) 398-7972

E:  <mailto:rsamson at reap-canada.com> rsamson at reap-canada.com

W:  <http://www.reap-canada.com/> www.reap-canada.com