Biogas maize holds large potential in Europe: report

According to research by the 'Institut für Lebensmittel- und Ressourcenökonomik' (Institute for Food and Resource Economics, ILR) at the University of Bonn, Germany, maize destined for the production of biogas holds great potential [*German] in Europe.

Maize ('corn' in the US) is a feedstock that can be used for the production of ethanol and biogas. But the conversion into a liquid fuel is energy inefficient compared to anaerobically fermenting it into biomethane. Per hectare, corn yields an average of 20 Gigajoules (45Gj max.) per year if converted into ethanol; when the crop is converted into biogas, it yields an average of 55 Gj (125Gj max.), some two to three times more useable energy (earlier post).

Biogas has the advantage that it can be used both as an automotive fuel (in CNG vehicles) and as an energy source for stationary applications (such as in biogas fuel cells or natural gas power plants). After cleaning the biomethane, it can be fed into the natural gas grid (earlier post). In Europe, energy maize is being bred as a dedicated crop for biogas production, with a 'super' variant that yields a much larger amount of easily methanisable biomass than ordinary variants (earlier post).

On the basis of these developments and advantages, IFRE scientist Thomas Breuer ran a large series of simulations and predicts that Germany's agriculture will be dominated by energy maize in the near future. A large-scale biogas industry that can compete with natural gas is feasible. For some regions, like the Landkreis Borken, 50% of the entire agricultural hectarage will be covered with the dedicated biogas maize. A similar situation will be found in the region of Neumünster, Schleswig Holstein:
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But Breuer says that, even though the technical potential for biogas looks very promising, government policies, both at the national as well as at the EU level are decisive. Tax incentives, subsidies, policies that reward biogas producers who feed green methane or electricity derived from it to the grid, are all needed for the permanent establishment of a large-scale biogas industry that can compete with natural gas.

Breuer observes that biogas is now capable of delivering energy under 'real economic parametres'. Rising fossil fuel demand from India and China put a never-ending pressure on oil and gas prices, making longterm investments in biogas a realistic alternative. Add the EU-policies on energy security and climate change, and the framework is set: "the EU intervenes very strongly now in the issue of energy independence and has given the go-ahead to invest in biomass and bioenergy; this creates a politically secure investment climate for biogas."

The projected increase in energy maize hectarages will especially impact grain maize (used for the livestock feed industry) and other grain crop production. "Maize can now be grown much more cheaply and more easily than before by farmers", says Breuer. No longer a 'specialist crop', the biogas opportunity will lead to considerable increases in production efficiency and yields for maize, the scientist thinks. Farmers who invest in energy maize are expected to invest more (of their higher profits) in knowledge and expertise than maize growers who supply the livestock feed market, boosting their competitive advantage.