Smart use of agricultural residues for advanced biofuels
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Source: wwf.panda.org 
Advanced biofuels from crop wastes are a “cleaner and greener” alternative to fossil fuels and conventional biofuels, but more research is needed to specify how much waste can be sustainably used, according to WWF’s study “Smart Use of Residues”.
Advanced biofuels produced from agricultural residues have a role to play in cutting our greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, and they need strong EU support.
Ambitious EU action on advanced biofuels would also help relieve concerns over indirect land use change effects that increase greenhouse gas emissions and compete for productive land resources or with food production.
Recent research states that through the sustainable use of agricultural residues it would be possible to replace around half of global gasoline consumption by 2030.
But any energy source produced at large scale, or without sufficient care, the report warns, can have environmental impacts. There are some aspects that need further investigation at regional level, to draw the line between sustainable and unsustainable amounts of residues being taken away from the field to produce advanced biofuels.
The study, based on research from Öko-Institut and the German Biomass Research Center (DBFZ) shows that the extraction of agricultural residues from the field may influence the humus balance of the soil, and greenhouse gas emissions may occur through soil carbon changes. The study highlights research gaps, including about the impacts on biodiversity because of changed habitat functions like shelters or nesting places, or possible evaporation and erosion risks.















