Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment » Soil, Water & Air Resources Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305432
Title: Chapter 14 -- Case studies

Author
item LEAL, MANOEL - Brazilian Bioethanol Science & Technology Laboratory
item DA CARVALHO MACEDO, ISAIAS - Interdisciplinary Center For Energy Planning (NIPE)
item VON MALTITZ, GRAHAM - Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research (CSIR)
item FUNGTAMMASAN, BUNDIT - Joint Graduate School Of Energy And Environment
item VAN DER WIELEN, LUUK - Delft University Of Technology
item Karlen, Douglas
item MUTH, DAVID - Agsolver
item YOUNGS, HEATHER - Energy Biosciences Institute
item SAMSETH, JON - Hogskolen I Oslo Og Akershus (HIOA)
item AUTREY, LOUIS - Omnicane
item DE SOUZA, ZILMAR - Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2015
Publication Date: 4/15/2015
Citation: Leal, M.R., Da Carvalho Macedo, I., Von Maltitz, G., Fungtammasan, B., Van Der Wielen, L., Karlen, D.L., Muth, D.J., Youngs, H., Samseth, J., Autrey, L.J., De Souza, Z.J. 2015. Chapter 14 -- Case studies. Book Chapter. In: G.M. Souza, R.L. Victoria, C.A. Joly, and L.M. Verdade (eds). Bioenergy & Sustainability: Bridging the gaps. SCOPE. Paris Cedex 15, France. 779 pp..

Interpretive Summary: Worldwide examples of bioenergy development programs and projects are briefly reviewed to examine the variable outcomes in terms of success and failure. Traditionally, there are tendencies to generalize either case in order to promote or oppose a certain program, and each side uses the arguments that are favorable to support its position, but this is a bad use of valuable information. Of much greater value is the serious study of bioenergy production and use around the world that will certainly provide important lessons to be learned and used for future endeavors. Driving forces for bioenergy include changes in time and space (oil prices, agricultural commodity availability and price, energy poverty, biodiversity, natural resource availability, and political preferences). All must be evaluated for local conditions, present situations, and future scenarios. It is also important that differences in biofuels be fully understood in terms of environmental, social, and economic impacts, and to realize that there is not a single solution that will fit all cases. This chapter and the entire book will be useful to scientists, engineers, and those investing in bioenergy projects around the world.

Technical Abstract: Production and use of bioenergy have increased significantly during the past few years, motivated by the global need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ensure energy security, and strengthen rural economies. Public policies have been created to enable bioenergy expansion by indicating to investors the magnitude of medium-term opportunities and creating mechanisms to help bioenergy compete with the fossil fuels during the short term as technology and learning curves advance. This expansion path has included some cases of success and identified other failures, with the latter often poorly registered in the literature. Therefore, it is important to determine the common characteristics for both cases, striving to learn lessons from each, through a process that is not trivial to the specificities of each case. Sugarcane ethanol successful experiences in Brazil and Thailand show that adequate public policies are a key issue for the development of biofuel programs and adapted to the local production model and practices. The cassava ethanol trials were quite different in both countries indicating that each case must be evaluated in the specific context, and generalizations are dangerous. The impacts of the policies and market environment can be appreciated in the cases of surplus power generation showing the strong commitments of the government in the successful case of Mauritius and the difficulties being faced in Brazil to develop this form of renewable energy. The scale of the project can play an important role in the outcome and must be analysed for the local conditions and driving force, focusing not only in the economic aspects, but also on the social impacts. The cases in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa demonstrate these aspects. Wastes are looked at today as important feedstock alternatives because they do not compete in land demand with food production. Appropriate technologies and, mainly, public policies can play a decisive role in the success of the projects, as described in the cases of Norway, biogas in California, UK, and Germany. In the harvesting of agricultural residues for energy, it is important to set limits to protect the soil against erosion and loss of fertility. Finally, although this case study chapter was able cover only a fraction of the global alternative bioenergy production experiences, it does present situations where important lessons can be leaned by scientists, engineers, and policy makers that will be useful for improving multiple sustainability aspects of bioenergy production.