GHG Balance of Agricultural Intensification & Bioenergy Production in the Orinoquia Region, Colombia

Nidia Elizabeth Ramírez-Contreras, David Munar-Florez, Floor van der Hilst, Juan Carlos Espinosa, Álvaro Ocampo-Duran, Jonathan Ruíz-Delgado, Diego L. Molina-López, Birka Wicke, Jesús Alberto Garcia-Nunez and André P.C. Faaij
Additional contact information
Nidia Elizabeth Ramírez-Contreras: Energy Sustainability Research Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
David Munar-Florez: Colombian Oil Palm Research Centre, Cenipalma, Bogotá 252171, Colombia
Floor van der Hilst: Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
Juan Carlos Espinosa: National Federation of Oil Palm Growers, Fedepalma, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
Álvaro Ocampo-Duran: Research Group on Sustainable Tropical Production, Universidad De Los Llanos, Villavicencio 500001, Colombia
Jonathan Ruíz-Delgado: National Federation of Oil Palm Growers, Fedepalma, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
Diego L. Molina-López: Colombian Oil Palm Research Centre, Cenipalma, Bogotá 252171, Colombia
Birka Wicke: Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jesús Alberto Garcia-Nunez: Colombian Oil Palm Research Centre, Cenipalma, Bogotá 252171, Colombia
André P.C. Faaij: Energy Sustainability Research Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-29

Abstract: Energy crop expansion can increase land demand and generate displacement of food crops, which impacts greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mainly through land-use change (LUC). Increased agricultural productivity could compensate for this. Our study aims to evaluate the regional combined GHG emissions of increasing agricultural yields for food crop and beef production and using the generated surplus land for biomass production to replace fossil fuels in the Orinoquia region of Colombia until 2030. The results show that surplus land for biomass production is obtained only when strong measures are applied to increase agricultural productivity. In the medium and high scenario, a land surplus of 0.6 and 2.4 Mha, respectively, could be generated. Such intensification results in up to 83% emission reduction in Orinoquia’s agricultural sector, largely coming from increasing productivity of cattle production and improving degraded pastures. Biofuel potential from the surplus land is projected at 36 to 368 PJ per year, with a low risk of causing indirect LUC, and results in GHG emission reductions of more than 100% compared to its fossil fuel equivalent. An integrated perspective of the agricultural land use enables sustainable production of both food and bioenergy.

Keywords: land-use change; biomass; cattle; sustainable intensification; biofuels; bioelectricity; palm oil; sugarcane; acacia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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