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BIOENERGY FOR EUROPE: WHICH ONES FIT BEST?

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7.1 Country specific life cycle comparisons 127<br />

Miscanthus versus light oil / natural gas for district heat production – Germany<br />

Use of fossil fuels<br />

Greenhouse effect<br />

Acidification<br />

Eutrophication<br />

Summer smog<br />

Nitrous oxide**<br />

Human toxicity**<br />

* How to interpret the diagram<br />

Advantages for<br />

biofuel<br />

Advantages for<br />

fossil fuel<br />

Light oil<br />

Natural gas<br />

-1000 0 1000 2000<br />

German inhabitant equivalents* per 100 TJ<br />

The figure shows the results of comparisons between complete life cycles where light oil and natural<br />

gas respectively are substituted by Miscanthus for heat production. The unit refers to an amount of 100<br />

TJ of heat. This is equivalent to the average heat requirement of about 25,000 inhabitants of Germany in<br />

one year or a Miscanthus production of about 450 ha/a. In this case for example the amount of fossil<br />

fuel saved if light oil is substituted by Miscanthus is equal to the amount which nearly 700 German<br />

citizens would on average consume in one year (this is what is meant by “German inhabitant equivalents”).<br />

Remarks and conclusions<br />

The results show that both Miscanthus as well as light oil and natural gas have certain ecological advantages<br />

and disadvantages.<br />

• Advantages of the biofuel: use of fossil fuels, greenhouse effect, compared to natural gas also summer<br />

smog (small)<br />

• Advantages of the fossil fuel: acidification, eutrophication, compared to light oil also summer smog<br />

(small)<br />

• Low or no significance: –<br />

The data for ozone depletion and human toxicity tend to have a high uncertainty. Therefore these categories<br />

should not be included in the final assessment. (**See Chapter 4.1.2 and for details on all impact<br />

categories 3.3 and 3.4.)<br />

A further assessment in favour of or against Miscanthus or light oil / natural gas cannot be carried<br />

out on a scientific basis, because for this purpose subjective value judgements regarding the individual<br />

environmental categories are required which differ from person to person.

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