Foreword
There are two important research
stories this month that add to the ongoing land-use debate surrounding biomass
crops. A recurring concern is that land utilised for growing biomass for
biofuels or materials is land that could otherwise be used for food provision,
considered a higher priority use for the land. The crux of the debate has been around
how much land is considered acceptable to be used for biomass, a value that is typically
considered to be higher by stakeholders in the bioeconomy. There is a secondary
concern, that in an effort to not impinge on food cropland, more non-cropland
will be converted in order to make way for biomass crops. This is one of the key concerns that has
focussed attention on the use of palm oil, where increased oil demand has been
linked to deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia. In a further contribution to the debate, an article recently published in
the American Journal of Agricultural Economics analysed.........
Other News this Month Includes:
Markets
- Indonesia to challenge EU palm oil ruling at
WTO
- Some biobased sectors in EU rely heavily on
feedstock imports
- Biofuel plant shutdowns felt across UK grain
market
Research & Development
- Study encourages farmers to supplement crops
with lignocellulosic biomass crops
- Novel "biosolarisation" process
for crop pest control
- UK emissions continue to fall
- Novel softwood pre-treatment technology
Wood & Crop
- Corn ethanol's effect on US crop area
negligible
- Funding for farmers who provide feedstock to
paperboard mill
- Ørsted releases biomass sustainability
report
- WWF opposes Iceland supermarket's boycott of
palm oil
- Indian crop waste seeing use as biomass
feedstock
Other Feedstocks
- Dutch pilot plant to produce products from
bio-waste and residue
Events
Feedstock Prices