ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY
ENERGY CROPS
Agricultural Accounts and Prices
Working Party
2- 3 DECEMBER 2013
DOC. ASA/AAP/156
The aim of this presentation is to:
• raise the topic of the on-farm Renewable energy
production, biomass, biofuels and energy crops in
the EAA; and
• discuss about the “short rotation coppice” as a
borderline issue between EAA and EAF
BACKGROUND
On-farm RE production has the potential to play a
crucial role in the transition of European agriculture,
In the last CPSA meeting held on 7-8 November 2013
in Eurostat, the issue of energy crops was highlighted
by several delegations as one of the main priorities for
discussion in the future
Borderline issues between agricultural and forestry
statistics
ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY (1/2)
Renewable Energy is defined here as energy derived
from natural resources which are renewable (being
naturally replenished, e.g. sunlight, wind, rain, tides,
geothermal heat, biomass)
• represents an additional and stable income source,
• often guaranteed for longer periods of time
• farmers are not being subject to future energy
price increases,
• contribute to environmentally friendly energy
production
ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY (2/2)
On-farm Renewable Energy is produced on farms and covers
energy generated by installations paid and/or operated by
farms as well as by installations paid and/or operated by
other legal entities (whether owned and/or managed by the
farmer or not),
• primary, intermediate and final Renewable Energy that is both
produced and consumed on the same farm,
• final or intermediate Renewable Energy that is consumed on
one farm but produced on other farms,
• final energy that is produced on the farm and that is exported,
• final or intermediate Renewable Energy produced on farms
from biomass or waste from non-farming activities,
• intermediate and final Renewable Energy produced not on
farms but using biomass or waste produced on farms
ENERGY CROPS (1/3)
As regard the supply of energy crops in the EU, the main
species concerned are:
- Esterification to biodiesel production: Oilseeds, and
specifically rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, castor, palm,
Brassica jarinata; Jatropha spp;
- Fermentation to bioethanol production: Starchy crops
(wheat, maize, barley, rye, sugar beet, sugar cane, sugar
sorghum, potatoes);
- Energy crops for biomass (including short rotation
coppice): Reed canary grass (Phalaris spp), Willow,
Poplar, Sycamore, Eucalyptus, Miscanthus, Hibiscus,
Cynara cardunculus, Phalaris, Panicum,...
ENERGY CROPS (2/3)
In many of these cases the farmer does not necessarily know
whether the agricultural products will be used for food, feed or
energy production, when the farmer sells the production.
In other situations, associations of farmers set up their own
processing plants.
Eurostat would welcome the opinion of the delegates about
the general treatment of this issue, having in mind the variety
of
situations
(“pure”
contracts,
own-processing
by
cooperatives of farmers, vertical integration).
ENERGY CROPS (3/3)
1. Most of the crops used for energy purpose are classified in
the same NC code as the same crop used for food or feed,
e.g.: Barley for bioethanol in NC 01300 Barley
2. The specific energy crops are not used for purposes other
than energy production and are cultivated on arable land,
e.g. Miscanthus and Phakaris spp should be include in
NC 02900 “Other Industrial Crops” as part of the aggregate
NC 02000 'Industrial crops'.
SHORT ROTATION COPPICE (SRC) (1/2)
SRC consists of densely planted, high-yielding varieties of
either willow or poplar,
grown on previously arable land, and
harvested on a 2 to 5 year cycle, (commonly 3)
SRC is a woody, perennial crop, and a plantation could be
viable for up to 30 years before re-planting.
SRC are classified as woody energy crops and due to the fact
that the land on which the SRC plantation is established
remains in agricultural use,…
SRC output value should be recorded in the EAA or in the EAF?
SHORT ROTATION COPPICE (SRC) (2/2)
(Two TF Eurostat): As regard the approach followed by other
domains (agriculture/ forestry), no definitive conclusions were
reached.
In general further clarifications are needed because in some
countries the area concerned is considered as part of the UAA,
in others as part of woodland.
It was agreed to do further work on clarifying whether it
should be counted in agricultural or forestry statistics.
However it was agreed as a starting point that:
· Statistics on short rotation coppice are needed; and
· Should be counted only once, either in forestry or agricultural
statistics
Questions to the delegates:
•
Eurostat is interested in the practice followed by the
Member States concerning the register of both the
production of on-farm renewable energy and biomass/
energy crops in the EAA.
•
Do the delegates agree with the proposed principles for the
classification of crop output used for energy production? If
not, which could be the most appropriate method for its
recording?
•
Eurostat is in particularly interested to know the opinion of
the AAP Working Party about the most appropriate way of
recording of Short Rotation Coppice in the EAA/EAF.
Thank you
for your attention!
Eurostat