UK arable farming sector’s GHG footprint lower than though, boosting biofuels sustainability

In the UK, conclusions of five years of field research in the UK show that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by the UK’s arable sector are significantly lower than previously thought. The report is positive news for the UK’s renewable fuels industry and for the national effort to meet GHG emissions reductions targets.

Previous estimates have overstated the greenhouse gases emitted from growing arable crops in the UK by about 15 percent. This means that renewable fuels produced from UK feed wheat and sugar beet actually have an even lower carbon footprint compared to fossil diesel and petrol.

The revelations provided by the Minimising Nitrous Oxide (MIN-NO) report are a welcome boost for the UK’s renewable fuels industry and the nation’s arable farmers. The study, published on the website of the AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) after five years of intensive field research, was a collaborative project between 23 organizations, including the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, the Renewable Energy Association (REA), the NFU and AHDB, Vivergo Fuels Ltd., and British Sugar.