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We reported previously on the Biogasdoneright™ system for on‐farm biogas production. This innovative system employs sequential (year‐round) cropping to produce both food and energy from agricultural biomass, primarily cellulosic materials. This paper uses a marginal analysis approach to estimate the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) of electricity and biomethane produced by four currently operating Italian biogas plants that process various agricultural feedstocks, residues, and by‐products. The biogas is burned on‐farm to generate electricity that is then exported to the grid. The marginal lifecycle GHGs of this farm‐produced electricity range from ‐335 to 25 grams CO2 per kilowatt hour (kWh). By comparison, the marginal GHGs of electricity generated by fossil fuels in the European Union (EU) is 752 grams CO2 per kWh. The biogas might also be upgraded to produce pipeline‐quality biomethane, a direct substitute for natural gas. The marginal lifecycle GHGs of biomethane potentially produced from the Biogasdoneright™ plants range from 10 to ‐36 grams CO2 per megajoule (MJ) while the corresponding figure for a conventional biogas plant is 27 grams CO2 per MJ. Natural gas in the EU produces 72 grams CO2 per MJ and marginal fossil fuel in the EU generates 115 grams CO2 per MJ. Negative GHG emissions arise largely from avoided emissions of agricultural effluents and residues. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Laura Valli; Lorella Rossi; Claudio Fabbri; Fabrizio Sibilla; Piero Gattoni; Bruce E. Dale; Seungdo Kim; Rebecca Ong; Stefano Bozzetto. Greenhouse gas emissions of electricity and biomethane produced using the Biogasdoneright™ system: four case studies from Italy. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 2017, 11, 847 -860.
AMA StyleLaura Valli, Lorella Rossi, Claudio Fabbri, Fabrizio Sibilla, Piero Gattoni, Bruce E. Dale, Seungdo Kim, Rebecca Ong, Stefano Bozzetto. Greenhouse gas emissions of electricity and biomethane produced using the Biogasdoneright™ system: four case studies from Italy. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. 2017; 11 (5):847-860.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Valli; Lorella Rossi; Claudio Fabbri; Fabrizio Sibilla; Piero Gattoni; Bruce E. Dale; Seungdo Kim; Rebecca Ong; Stefano Bozzetto. 2017. "Greenhouse gas emissions of electricity and biomethane produced using the Biogasdoneright™ system: four case studies from Italy." Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 11, no. 5: 847-860.
According to official figures, estimated using the UNFCCC methodology, the agricultural sector is responsible for around 10 per cent of EU‐15 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, these figures rise substantially if we consider the lifecycle of a product, from the cradle to the farm gate. This study investigates six livestock products in Italy, in order to estimate their carbon footprint and to explore their mitigation potential. The products analysed were fresh milk, milk for Parmigiano‐Reggiano cheese, beef, pork, eggs and poultry. Their carbon footprint was estimated using a Life Cycle Assessment approach. Although mitigation measures on the supply side are the focus of European agricultural and climate policies, the study shows that the potential of each individual action is quite limited, due to technical constraints. Nevertheless, some mitigation options can also reduce production costs, generating a win–win situation between public and private benefits. Dissemination programmes, which will be examined in 2015, are important to raise awareness among farmers about climate change scenarios in the agricultural sector and to build capacity for cost‐saving mitigation options. The demand side is also being explored in 2015 to evaluate the mitigation potential, through experimental auctions, of consumer willingness to pay for livestock products with a carbon footprint label.
Silvia Coderoni; Laura Valli; Maurizio Canavari. Climate Change Mitigation Options in the Italian Livestock Sector. EuroChoices 2015, 14, 17 -24.
AMA StyleSilvia Coderoni, Laura Valli, Maurizio Canavari. Climate Change Mitigation Options in the Italian Livestock Sector. EuroChoices. 2015; 14 (1):17-24.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvia Coderoni; Laura Valli; Maurizio Canavari. 2015. "Climate Change Mitigation Options in the Italian Livestock Sector." EuroChoices 14, no. 1: 17-24.