The potential biomass for energy production in the Czech Republic

Biomass production is a promising alternative for the Czech Republic's (CZ) agricultural sector. Biomass could cover the domestic bio-energy demand of 250 PJ a(-1) (predicted for 2030), and could be exported as bio-fuels to other EU countries. This study assesses the CZ's biomass production potential on a regional level and provides cost-supply curves for biomass from energy crops and agricultural and forestry residues. Agricultural productivity and the amount of land available for energy crop production are key variables in determining biomass potentials. Six scenarios for 2030 with different crop-yield levels, feed conversion efficiencies and land allocation procedures were built. The demand for food and fodder production was derived from FAO predictions for 2030. Biomass potential in the CZ is mainly determined by the development of food and fodder crop yields because the amount of land available for energy crop production increases with increasing productivity of food and fodder crops. In most scenarios the NUTS-3 regions CZ020, 31 and 32 provided the most land for energy-crop production and the highest biomass potentials. About 110PJ a(-1), mostly from agricultural and forestry residues, can be provided from biomass when the present Czech agricultural productivity is maintained. About 195PJa(-1) (105PJ from energy crops) can be provided when production systems are optimised with regard to fertilizer regimes and 365PJa(-1) (290PJ from energy crops) when the yield level of Dutch agriculture is reached. Costs for woody biomass decrease with increasing plantation yield and range between 2.58 and 4.76euroGJ(-1). It was concluded that Czech agriculture Could provide enough biomass for domestic demand and for export if agricultural productivity is increased. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.