The IE-NETs team is pleased to announce the availability of the WP2 workpackage report on "Mechanistic Modelling of Bioenergy Resource Potential in Ireland". From the Introduction: So-called Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is recognised as one of the more plausible potential technological pathways to achieve net negative emissions at significant global scale within this century (Smith et al. 2015). Among currently considered NETs, BECCS is particularly relevant to Ireland given the potential to substitute indigenous bio-energy for imported fossil fuel energy, thus enhancing energy security, balance of trade, and indigenous employment (assuming internationally competitive biomass production costs). However, it is unclear whether the possible indigenous biofuel production capacity could be sufficient to achieve net negative emissions (after economically preferred allocation to displacement of direct fossil fuel use in heating and transport, which would be expected to have lower marginal abatement costs than bio-energy electricity generation with or without CCS). Importation of biofuel to support BECCS operations in Ireland can also be considered; however, that would forfeit the economic co-benefits of indigenous biofuel production (security, employment etc.). International trade and emission accounting rules (to reflect the implied territorial separation of atmospheric drawdown and long-term storage) are also currently unclear. Accordingly, assessment of maximum feasible indigenous biofuel production is an essential component of assessing the potential for effective BECCS deployment in Ireland. |
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