Arable farmers urged to look at growing biofuels; Farming.

Byline: Anna Lognonne

ARABLE farmers wishing to go green should look at the possibility of growing crops for biofuels. New information published by the Home Grown Cereal Authority outlines the market opportunities for farmers for these crops and also explains how they could bring environmental benefits.

Called Cereals and oilseeds for biofuels: environmental assessment, the leaflet features the latest information on growing crops in a sustainable manner to deliver energy and greenhouse gas savings.

Richard Safford, HGCA's industrial uses manager, said: "Biofuels from crops offer a way to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

"The leaflet sets out to explain how biofuels made from UK crops are able to deliver real benefits in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport, while conforming to social and environmental standards."

In 2005, the HGCA commissioned Central Science Laboratory to review the environmental impact of growing cereals and oilseeds for food and feed compared to biofuels.

The review was updated in July and the new leaflet provides an overview of the updated report.

Transport currently accounts for a quarter of all UK greenhouse gas emissions and this proportion is increasing.

The Government introduced the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April which states that 5% of transport fuel should be derived from renewable sources by 2010/11, although the date may be extended to 2013/14 if recommendations from the recent Gallagher review are adopted.

During the past decade the UK's exportable wheat availability has been up to three million tonnes a year. In 2008, compulsory set-aside was abolished, increasing the potential areas to grow wheat and oilseed rape. Together these resources can help meet growing demand for biofuels.

Using UK biofuel feedstocks may have significant environmental benefits compared to using feedstocks grown elsewhere in the world, for example on land recently cleared of forest or savannah.

The stringent sustainability criteria, being developed as part of the RTFO and acknowledged as world-leading, offer market opportunities for UK feedstocks grown under strict assurance schemes.

The leaflet looks in detail at environmental cropping impacts, and the potential savings in energy and GHG emissions from using biofuels.

"Nitrogen fertiliser manufacture and use accounts for much of the GHG emissions associated with crop production," said Richard Safford.

"The leaflet shows how optimum nitrogen applications differ for grain yield, alcohol and greenhouse gas emissions.

"Growers for the bioethanol market will be aiming to maximise alcohol yield, by increasing starch content and reducing protein content, so savings could be made by applying less nitrogen.

"The Biofuel Greenhouse Gas Calculator, developed by Imperial College with HGCA funding, offers farmers the chance to see for themselves the impact that reducing N fertiliser has on their greenhouse gas emissions and shows how they can provide low carbon feedstocks that can contribute to making UK transport greener."

"Biofuels from crops offer a way to help mitigate the effects of climate change