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BIOENERGY FOR EUROPE: WHICH ONES FIT BEST?

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7.2 Comparisons between the countries for each biofuel 161<br />

7.2.4 Miscanthus versus light oil for district heat production:<br />

relative impact differences related to fossil fuels<br />

1600%<br />

1400%<br />

1200%<br />

1000%<br />

800%<br />

600%<br />

400%<br />

200%<br />

0%<br />

-200%<br />

Use of fossil fuels<br />

Greenhouse effect<br />

How to interpret the diagram<br />

Ozone Depletion by N2O<br />

Acidification<br />

Eutrophication<br />

Summer smog<br />

Human toxicity<br />

Denmark<br />

France<br />

Germany<br />

Netherlands<br />

Europe<br />

Environmental advantages and disadvantages of Miscanthus compared to light oil for each country involved<br />

as well as for Europe are shown by relative differences between the biofuels and the fossil fuel:<br />

(biofuel – fossil fuel) / fossil fuel. The zero line indicates the level for fossil fuels. Therefore negative<br />

values indicate advantages for Miscanthus and positive ones represent advantages for light oil. For example,<br />

assuming the production and combustion of fossil fuel causes an emission of 1 kg of N2O<br />

(Ozone depletion), then a value of -100 % means no net N2O emissions in the case of the biofuel, 0 %<br />

means 1 kg N2O (i.e. the same as the fossil fuel), 100 % means 2 kg N2O and so on.<br />

Remarks and conclusions<br />

Regarding the parameters use of fossil fuels and greenhouse effect, the results are similar for all four<br />

countries. Regarding ozone depletion, caused by very different ratios N fertiliser/yield Denmark shows<br />

the highest value and France the lowest. For eutrophication Germany stands out with an exceptionally<br />

high impact by using the defaults from the data collection guideline for nitrate emissions to water; for<br />

the other countries a more complex model was used (the Netherlands) or other assessments were done<br />

(all of these countries: higher nitrate emissions from fallow than from the crop). Most of the other differences<br />

are rather small and to be regarded as less significant.

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