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Research article2015Peer reviewed

Replacing fossil energy for organic milk production - potential biomass sources and greenhouse gas emission reductions

Kimming, Marie; Sundberg, Cecilia; Nordberg, Åke; Baky, Andras; Bernesson, Sven; Hansson, Per-Anders

Abstract

There is a growing awareness of the climate impact of agricultural production, not least from cattle farms. Major sources of GHG emissions from milk production are enteric fermentation followed by fossil fuel use and manure/soil management systems. This study analyzes the potential to eliminate fossil fuel use from milk production farms in Sweden, by using residual farm resources of biomass to obtain self-sufficiency in fuel, heat and electricity. The change from a fossil-based energy system to a renewable system based on A) Biogas based on manure and straw and B) Biogas based on manure+RME were analyzed with consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) methodology. Focus was energy use and GHG emissions and the functional unit was 1kg of energy-corrected milk (ECM). The results show that organic milk producers can become self-sufficient in energy and reduce total GHG emissions from milk production by 46% in the Biogas system, or 32% in the Biogas+RME system compared to the Fossil system.

Keywords

Organic agriculture; Biomass; Biogas; Biodiesel; Life cycle assessment; Methane

Published in

Journal of Cleaner Production
2015, volume: 106, pages: 400-407

SLU Authors

Global goals (SDG)

SDG7 Affordable and clean energy
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production

UKÄ Subject classification

Renewable Bioenergy Research
Agricultural Science
Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.03.044

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/68946