Cost effective carbon reductions in the bioenergy setor

Bioenergy is a key element of UK and European strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address the global threat of climate change. This requires deployment of robust technologies that will actually provide real carbon emission savings. However, the actual reductions delivered by bioenergy systems can vary significantly and may be sensitive to a wide range of supply chain practices. This paper considers three very different bioenergy systems: production of first generation ethanol from wheat; utilisation of short rotation coppice in a district heating scheme and generation of electricity from imported wood chips. The greenhouse gas reduction efficiency of the schemes are compared and the options for maximizing the reductions are examined, including the likely impact of future technical developments. Techno-economic data is used to evaluate the actual cost of achieving greenhouse gas reductions with different bioenergy technologies. These figures are used to draw policy inferences relating to the cost of carbon reductions with different technology options and the strategies needed to support long term cost effectiveness.