Modelling Future Agricultural Mechanisation of Major Crops in China: An Assessment of Energy Demand, Land Use and Emissions

Iván García Kerdan, Sara Giarola, Ellis Skinner, Marin Tuleu and Adam Hawkes
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Iván García Kerdan: Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Sara Giarola: Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Ellis Skinner: Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Marin Tuleu: Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Adam Hawkes: Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-31

Abstract: Agricultural direct energy use is responsible for about 1–2% of global emissions and is the major emitting sector for methane (2.9 GtCO 2 eq y −1 ) and nitrous oxide (2.3 GtCO 2 eq y −1 ). In the last century, farm mechanisation has brought higher productivity levels and lower land demands at the expense of an increase in fossil energy and agrochemicals use. The expected increase in certain food and bioenergy crops and the uncertain mitigation options available for non-CO 2 emissions make of vital importance the assessment of the use of energy and the related emissions attributable to this sector. The aim of this paper is to present a simulation framework able to forecast energy demand, technological diffusion, required investment and land use change of specific agricultural crops. MUSE-Ag & LU, a novel energy systems-oriented agricultural and land use model, has been used for this purpose. As case study, four main crops (maize, soybean, wheat and rice) have been modelled in mainland China. Besides conventional direct energy use, the model considers inputs such as fertiliser and labour demand. Outputs suggest that the modernisation of agricultural processes in China could have the capacity to reduce by 2050 on-farm emissions intensity from 0.024 to 0.016 GtCO 2 eq PJ crop −1 (−35.6%), requiring a necessary total investment of approximately 319.4 billion 2017$US.

Keywords: energy; agriculture; modelling; mechanisation; land use; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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