Michele Rasetti

A Comparison Between Ethanol and Biodiesel Production: The Brazilian and European Experiences

Industrialized countries’ dependence on fossil fuels has been distressing for a long time for countries that do not have self-sufficiency, whether for environmental, economic, geopolitical, or other reasons. In this context, it is understood that the burning of fossil fuels contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) increasing the risk of intensifying climatic disturbances that can deteriorate the processes of production, consumption, and welfare in the world. Therefore, the development of alternative energy sources can provide solutions for the gaps, since reducing exposure to the vulnerability of supply and price volatility, environmental issues, and even the development of new investment opportunities in these countries. This is due to the possibility of developing innovations in the production and processing industry, which would contribute to the economic activity. Thus, increasing the use of bioenergy is one of the existing ways to reconcile the need to expand the supply of energy with the slowdown in global warming, i.e., the most important and disseminated use would be the biomass power generated by the consumption of biofuels, once it reduces GGE emissions.

Biofuel sustainability: review of implications for land use and food price

This article reviews the main findings, obtained from the literature, on two aspects that question first generation biofuel sustainability: the consequences of increased biofuel production on indirect land use change (ILUC) and related emissions and the impact of biodiesel on food-commodities prices. The measurement of ILUC, although necessary, is currently highly uncertain as demonstrated by the wide variation in estimates; in any case it seems that none of the first generation biofuels will be able to fulfill the sustainability criteria imposed by the RE Directive. Regarding the food-fuel debate, even if discrepancies in results have been observed, this review suggests that changes in biofuel prices have little impact on food prices. On the other hand, the impact of an increasing production of biofuel on food prices is not negligible.

GHG balance of biodiesel production and consumption in EU

The promotion of biofuels as energy for transportation in the industrialised countries is mainly driven by the perspective of oil depletion, concerns about energy security and global warming. Nevertheless, the production of biofuels entails emissions to the environment coming from the different stages in the product life cycle. This paper evaluates the environmental impact of pure rapeseed biodiesel (B100) production and consumption in the public transport sector, in terms of GHG emissions released by every stage in the life cycle, in order to identify proper interventions to reduce the emissions. The methodology applied to this purpose is an Attributional Life Cycle Analysis (ALCA). The Agricultural phase results to be the process that produces the highest GHG emissions, mainly because of the production and the use of nitrogen fertiliser.

Feasibility of the income stabilization tool in Italy at regional level

European common agricultural policy (CAP) reforms, in the pillar 2, increase the importance of agricultural risk management as a means to stabilize farm household incomes. The one considered in this paper, the Income stabilization tool (IST), consists in providing co-financing support to mutual funds compensating farmers who experience a severe drop in their farm income. The strategic objective of the research is to analyse the potential of IST for the Marche Region in Italy. Income losses and consequent fundings are quantified elaborating individual farm data (FADN-RICA) in 2010. The results of the analysis show the relation between commodities price volatility and the increasing risk exposure. For public and private stakeholders analyses and reflections can be used in debating the domain of policy reforms, risk exposure and risk management in Italian agriculture.

Biofuel sustainability and certification schemes.

Biofuels represent nowadays the most used renewable energy source to replace fossil fuels. Their rapid expansion has been encouraged by international and European policies in order to achieve the objectives of security and independence of energy supply, to mitigate climate change and to diversify agricultural income. The European Directive 28/2009 (RED) has introduced a range of sustainability criteria that biofuels must meet to achieve the objective of 10% of total fuel consumption by 2020. To verify these criteria, the Directive introduces the possibility for economic operators to use voluntary certification schemes or other national or international initiatives. The paper aims, therefore, to produce an analysis of the state of the art of certification schemes approved by the European Union and internationally, comparing them and highlighting their individual characteristics. This analysis may be useful to highlight potential problems and strategies to improve sustainability by integrating the existing schemes with additional criteria not considered yet.