The project is aiming to refine existing estimates on the amount of land available within the UK for bioenergy crops and/or forestry to explain any differences occurring between theoretical estimates and survey findings. The ETIs analysis shows that the exclusion of bioenergy or carbon capture and storage (CCS) from the UK’s energy mix for 2050 could double the cost of delivering climate change targets from around 1 percent of GDP to 2 percent.
This means that the value of CCS or bioenergy to the energy mix is over £200 billion. If neither of these are developed, the ETI says that it will be difficult to see how the UK could meet its climate change targets.
The project will build on the outputs of existing ETI Biomass Systems Value Chain Modelling (BVCM) and Ecosystem Land Use Modelling (ELUM) projects. It will seek to deliver an identification of the amount of UK land “available” for bioenergy crops and/or forestry as well as an explanation of any differences between theoretical estimates and survey (desk and field) findings and what “correct” and “incorrect” assumptions have been made in the theoretical assessments.
“Our analysis has consistently shown that bioenergy has a critical role to play if the UK is to deliver its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in an affordable way” said Jonathan Oxley, ETI Bioenergy Project Manager. “This project will continue our work to build an evidence base to ensure the sustainability of land use change to biomass production in the UK.”
The project will also provide an analysis of what refinements are required to improve theoretical estimates of “available” land generated by models and what steps and agencies are involved when a landowner seeks to convert existing land to bioenergy crops or forestry, along with an assessment of the opportunities and barriers to increasing land use for biomass production.
The Request for Proposals will close on 23rd March 2015 and the deadline for notification of intention to submit a proposal is 16th March 2015.
For additional information:
