CEmailvision issue 11, March 2011

‘Green gas’ produced from biomass can help the Netherlands secure its CO2 emission reduction targets. Because this kind of gas is more expensive to produce than natural gas, though, introduction will not just happen of its own accord. CE Delft is engaged in two studies on the issue:

At the request of a think-tank on energy-transition, set by the government, CE Delft is inventorying policy measures to encourage growing use of green gas in the decade through to 2020. Using pricing mechanisms and regulatory standards, the aim is to mould the market in such a way that green gas is ultimately used in respectable volumes. There are a number of barriers standing in the way of (rapid) introduction, though, and these first need to be overcome. Temporary subsidies and extra focus on both the production and the demand side are therefore required. On the demand side the key sectors are transport and the built environment. Finally, developments in other sectors will also have to be taken into account, as biomass can be used for producing not only green gas, but also for motor fuels, electricity, biochemicals and bio-steel.
For more information, contact Frans Rooijers on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

Biomass can be used in many different applications and sectors, with widely varying impacts on the environment, land use, energy security and costs. Given the limited amount of sustainable biomass available, it would seem prudent to reserve it for applications with the greatest returns in terms of overall social welfare.

At the request of a think-tank on energy-transition, set by the government, CE Delft is inventorying the opportunities embodied in green gas, with due allowance being made for the limited volume of biomass resources available and, particularly, competition from other applications. The aim: to produce the gas above all from varieties of biomass that are less suitable for other uses (as an industrial feedstock or foodstuff) and restrict it mainly to sectors where other bio-options are less efficient.
For more information, contact Geert Bergsma on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

Over the last few years CE Delft has carried out Life Cycle Assessments for several Sara Lee products. The latest study for the company is an environmental assessment of the tea chain, from cultivation through to home consumption. The assessment seeks to yield insight into the environmental impacts of each phase of the tea lifecycle, providing an aid for defining a well-founded strategy for reducing the environmental footprint of the full production chain, ‘from leaf to cup’. LCA studies of consumer products provide a clear picture of key elements of the value chain. If the issue is in the use (consumer)  phase, for example, specific communications towards consumers can be considered.
For more information, contact Maartje Sevenster on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

At the end of 2009, version 1.0 of the online ‘Meat Guide’ was introduced in the Netherlands. The site provides consumers with information about the environmental and animal-welfare impacts of the most widely eaten kinds of meat and meat substitutes. The organisation Varkens in Nood (‘Pigs in Distress’) has commissioned CE Delft to help update the ‘Meat Guide’, and in particular the environmental ratings of meat, meat substitutes and allied foodstuffs like cheese, milk and eggs. The aim of the project is to inventory the lifecycle environmental impacts of all these products, from production through to the supermarket, to provide consumers a handy and reliable tool for comparing them.
For more information, contact Maartje Sevenster on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

CE Delft is part of a consortium with NEA as lead consultant that will provide the European Commission with a comprehensive basis for defining inland waterway transport (IWT) policy in the medium (5 years) and longer term (10-15 years). CE Delft will be responsible for the environmental analyses (energy efficiency, pollutant emissions) and recommendations for environmental policies. An analysis of the environmental performance of IWT compared with truck and rail transport will be part of the project, as well as transport pricing. The recently started project runs until the end of 2011.
For more information, contact Eelco den Boer on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is widely regarded as a promising technology for reducing CO2 emissions. At current carbon prices the technology is not cost-effective, though. Nevertheless, several pilot projects are being implemented. Rotterdam, which has committed itself to cutting its CO2 emissions by 50% in 2025, has developed a roadmap that envisages building a network linking multiple CO2 producing sites with multiple storage sites. It has asked CE Delft to assess the impacts of the CCS projects on Dutch GDP and employment. To this end CE Delft is using the E3ME model, which provides detailed results of the impacts of CCS projects on specific sectors.
For more information, contact Jasper Faber on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

In 2004, Visa introduced the Visa Greencard on the Dutch market. This credit card has the same functionality as other credit cards, but is connected to the ClimaCount CO2 programme, which offsets CO2 emissions related to purchases.

The model used to calculate the environmental impact of individual Greencard purchases was developed by CE Delft in 2004 (CE, 2004). After succesful introduction of the Greencard in the Netherlands by Repay, similar models have been developed for the European (business), US and UK market. The Dutch model has been updated regularly. RePay has requested a new update recently which will be implemented shortly.
For more information, contact Lonneke Wielders on (+31)(0)15-2150 150.

CE Delft Ban on night flights at Heathrow Airport 
Impact of biofuels on air pollutant emissions from road vehicles - Phase 2 
The Netherlands: An import nation, Land use and emissions from resource flows 
Supply chain analysis: more than LCA alone. A comparison of South America soy and European legumes 
Marginal land use changes for varying biofuels volumes