Rapeseed for energy production: Environmental impacts and cultivation methods

This study involves an environmental impact analysis of rapeseed production in Italy to identify the highest and lowest impact of the method of cultivation. The environmental analysis included five farming units, which were extracted from a sample of 251 rapeseed farm units (2751 ha) using cluster analysis. Using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, we evaluated the environmental performance of the five units, showing how the cultivation practises and the type/quantity of input can cause environmental impact. Practises of intensive farming with high fertilization and mechanization (machinery and fertilizers production and application) are responsible for the greatest environmental impact. When the level of productivity is low, the impact is still higher. The most damaged environmental category is “human health”, even if the impact on “ecosystem” and “resource depletion” is critical. The potential feasibility to integrate economic cost with the environmental results was just approached

Coltivazione della colza per scopi energetici. Valutazione della sostenibilità ambientale attraverso la metodologia LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)

Questo contributo presenta i risultati di uno studio sugli impatti ambientali legati alla coltivazione della colza per scopi energetici basato sul metodo del Life Cycle Assessment. Questo ha permesso di identificare la coltivazione con il minor impatto ambientale secondo il tipo e la quantità di fattori produttivi utilizzati. L’analisi è stata condotta su cinque modelli colturali valutati su un campione rappresentativo di aziende distribuite su un totale di 2.751 ha nel periodo 2009-2010

The eco-efficiency of rapeseed and sunflower cultivation in Italy. Joining environmental and economic assessment

This paper aims to assess and compare the sustainability of rapeseed and sunflower crop cultivation for energy purposes in Italy, by considering environmental and economic performances at the farm level. The analysis focused on twelve representative farming units that were extracted from a sample of 396 farms by applying a cluster analysis. Using an Attributional Life Cycle Assessment method, the values of midpoint environmental impact categories and the carbon footprint of the twelve farms were assessed. The economic performance of rapeseed and sunflower per 1 Mg of biomass cultivation was measured in terms of the value added. In order to combine an environmental and economic assessment, the eco-efficiency ratio was applied to measure the value added per Mg of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere. Three rapeseed farms had the lowest GHG emissions of the whole sample. Practices of intensive farming with high fertilization and mechanization (fertilizer and machinery production and usage) are known to have a negative environmental impact. When the level of productivity is low, the impact is still higher. Regarding the eco-efficiency ratio, of the twelve representative farming units, results showed again that the three rapeseed farms had the highest eco-efficiency ratio. Summarizing both perspectives, findings from the eco-efficiency analysis gave a premium to rapeseed over sunflower crop in terms of the economic value added per kg of GHGs emitted into the atmosphere. The study findings presented a complex picture of the crops and of agricultural practices of each farm that underlines the variability and sensitivity of results in specific case studies. Indeed, the complexity of the matter, including the implications of bioenergy crops for energy and food safety beyond the environmental and economic assessment of the cultivation phase, cannot be ignored. Further studies are needed to apply a multiple perspective to the joint analysis of the sustainability of agricultural processes related to first generation bioenergy crops

LCA of oilseed rape production for energy purposes: sensitivity analysis

After the introduction of the EU mandated sugar reform, several plans for the conversion of the sugar-beet industry into different agro-energetic chains were undertaken across the Italian national territory. Among these, the Rape-industry is considered one of the most strategic cultures to be used for biofuel production. Studies carried out on the conversion of existing production chains into agro-energetic ones highlighted the importance to focus on economic and environmental sustainability for changing the land use. This study aimed to carry out an environmental impact analysis of the rape cultivation models to identify the lower impactful characteristics. The environmental analysis was carried out considering five typical cultivation realities. These were identified by using a cluster analysis, starting from a sample of 251 Oilseed rape-cultivated plots (2751 ha) in different Italian Regions for the biennium 2009-2010. The methodology of the life Cycle Assessment was used to evaluate the environmental performance of the five realities considered. It allowed to evaluate which cultivation has caused the lower environmental impact according the cultivation method used, and the type/quantity of productive factors involved