GHG Benefits from Use of Vegetable Oils for Electricity, Heat, Transport and Industrial Purposes, NNFCC 10-016

This detailed fifty page report documents the findings of a study into a comparison of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions benefits resulting from the use of vegetable oils for electricity, heat, transport and industrial purposes.

Summary

The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of refined vegetable oils derived from a range of specified biomass feedstocks and their subsequent use, either as oils or derived biodiesel, in a range of end-use applications.

Total net GHG emissions savings - ranging from 18 to 100 per cent - were found to be possible when using UK-derived used cooking oil to replace fossil fuel alternatives in all end-use applications.

However, results for other biomass feedstocks were far more variable and dependent on the crop used, where it was grown and its end use application. Total net GHG emissions savings from cultivated crops ranged from a positive balance of 76 per cent to a negative balance of 109 per cent.

The report also considers the impact of irrigation, road transport distances and the choice of GHG calculation methodologies.

Workbooks

The report provides essential commentary on the use of the following six workbooks:

• Jatropha workbook
• Palm oil workbook
• Sunflower workbook
• Oilseed rape workbook
• Recycled vegetable oil workbook
• Soy bean workbook

Users are recommended to refer to the report before using the workbooks. The workbooks are provided in a non-functional format for illustrative purposes. We invite anyone interested in using the workbooks to contact Dr Geraint Evans for fully functional copies.