FARM MANAGEMENT FOR BIOMASS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

1
MODULE 2
FARM MANAGEMENT FOR BIOMASS
AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

2
MODULE 2
REMARK
This module consists of two parts:
• The first part, including 20 slides, covers themes
related to the EU policy and general issues about
renewable energies. At the end of the first part it will
be a set of ten questions. For each question there
are three answers, just one of them correct. If all
your answers are right you pass the test, otherwise
you will repeat the sequence till the test is
completed without mistakes.
• The second part, including 30 slides, contains
details on use on farm of renewable energy sources
(RES).
• As for the first part, at its end there will be ten
multiple choice questions. If all your answers will be
correct, the system will allow to print a Certificate
corresponding to the 3rd Level.

3
MODULE 2
INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Module
• The threat from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG)
has become a serious issue for all governments in the world. If trends
continue, atmospheric changes due to human activities could alter our
planet's life-support systems.
• That was the background of a treaty called The United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), "the
centerpiece of global efforts to combat global warming" at the Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 1992. The convention's objective is "the
stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a
level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (man-made)
interference with the climate system."
• Kyoto Protocols started to regulate international agreements to
reduce GHG emissions.
• Renewable Energy Sources (RES) can be effective solutions to cope
threats due to pollution from conventional non-renewable energies.
• Agriculture can largely contribute to shift energy consumption to RES.

4
• Introduction to the Training Module
• Part I – Basic Knowledge - EQF Level 2
Different Kind of Energy – Renewable Energy Sources – European
Energy Policies and International Agreements – Challenges of EU
Energy Policies – EU Energy Flagship Initiatives – Climate Change
Package - Renewable Energy Sources and Agriculture
• Set of 10 multiple questions
• Part II – Detailed Knowledge – EQF Level 3
Farm Use of Renewable Energy sources – Kind of Agro-energies – On
Farm Production and Use of Biomas – On Farm Production and Use of
Biogas – Solar Energy – Wind Energy - Conclusions
• Set of 10 multiple questions
• Certificate
MODULE 2
INTRODUCTION
Table of contents

5
MODULE 2
INTRODUCTION
The main themes explained in the Module 2 are:
• The role of renewable energy sources to achieve the EU goals in
terms of supply mix security and energy demand on one hand and
reduction of greenhouse emissions on the other hand.
• Relevant policy and legal framework for the Renewable Energy
Sources and role that the European Union aims at playing in the
world to face challenges in the energy sector currently and in the
future by expanding the use of RES.
• European agriculture potential to help achieve targets in terms of
expanding RES use and tackle climate change. Flagship initiatives to
achieve ambitious goals. Expectations and objectives in the medium
term (by 2020).
• Farm use of renewable energy sources.

6
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
The conventional energy sources are:
• Fossil fuels: coal, oil, gas are all of limited amounts and they cannot
be replaced.
• Nuclear fuels: there are limited amounts of uranium for nuclear
fission reactors, even if the most advanced technologies allow to
reprocess the used fuel.
• It is difficult to estimate today how long these not renewable fuels
will last, but all of them cause problems in terms of economic and
environmental sustainability. Pollution due to emissions for fossil
fuels and storage of treated radioactive waste for nuclear fuels are
the main problems. Risks of accidents or consequences of
earthquakes for nuclear plants are also possible threats.
• Promoting the use of renewable energy sources is important both to
the reduction of the EU's dependence on foreign energy imports and
in meeting targets to combat global warming.
Conventional energy

7
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Renewable energy
• Renewable Energy is any sustainable
energy source that comes from natural
environment and can be renewed.
• It exists perpetually and in abundance in
the environment;
• It is inexhaustible and ready to be
harnessed;
• It is a clean alternative to fossil fuels;
• Energy that is derived from natural
process that are replenished constantly
– as defined by the Renewable energy
working paper of the International
Energy Agency ( http://www.iea.org/ )

8
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Renewable energy sources in the framework of the EU policies
• RES play a key role in achieving the
EU goals in terms of energy supply
and demand and for climate change
• Benefits are expected from clear,
ambitious and binding RES targets
• RES can trigger a dynamic growth in
the foreseeable future
• RES are expected to make economic
growth more sustainable

9
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
• Share of renewable energies in
gross final energy consumption by
country (2012, for EU countries
Member States and Turkey)
Renewable energy sources: work in progress in the EU

10
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
EU energy policies meet three challenges
1. How to get a secure energy supply, predictable
and at affordable prices
2. How to have a more eco-friendly energy policy
3. How to share the above mentioned objectives
within EU Member States
White Paper on EU Energy Policy– 1995

11
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Issues on challenge n. 1
• In the EU there is a strong dependence on
fossil fuels, that is why the European Coal
and Steel Community (ECSC) and the
European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom) were founded to create a single
and stable energy market in Europe.
• From the White Paper: An Energy Policy for
the European Union. COM (95) 682 final, 13
December 1995: “ensure the welfare of
citizens and the proper functioning of the
economy, the constant physical availability
of energy products on the market, at an
affordable price to all consumers while
respecting the environment and sustainable
development”

12
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
• The energy problem is strictly connected to
climate changes (in the Amsterdam Treaty
there is mention to energy matter in the
Environment specifications –October 2nd
1997)
• On the international scenario, EU shows a
particular sensitivity to environmental
issues and this is one of the cornerstone of
the EU foreign policy.
• The Greenhouse Gases (GHG) that
contribute to global warming and climate
change have therefore to be controlled and
reduced.

13
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
• The international competition within the
energy consumption market is increasing, as
a consequence of new rising economies
(BRICS), new technologies of fossil fuel
extraction (shale-gas by fracking) and
economic uncertain trends in Europe, with
destabilizing effects on energy security.
• National policies in the EU Member are often
not coherent with the fixed objectives in
terms of increasing use of renewable energy
sources, so it was decided to target general
objectives to be reached and determine
specific targets for each country.

14
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
European energy policy and international agreements
• The Kyoto Protocol is an international
agreement linked to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(1992), which commits its Parties by setting
internationally binding emission reduction
targets.
• The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on
18 November 2004, after 55 Parties to the
Convention have ratified it, including enough
industrialized countries — who have specific
targets — to encompass 55% of that group’s
carbon dioxide emissions in 1990.

15
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
The Kyoto Protocol
• The Kyoto Protocol was the result of the "Third
Conference of the Parties" (COP-3) in December of 1997. It
represents the first time that negotiators have adopted
binding emission reduction targets and timetables for Annex I
countries (developed nations plus economies in transition). In
other words, 38 industrialized countries agreed to reduce
their collective emissions of six greenhouse gases by at least
5% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
• Once 55 countries "including a sufficient number of Annex
I countries representing 55 percent of total Annex I CO2
emissions in 1990" ratified it, the Protocol's emissions
commitments would go into effect. It was released for
signature in March 1998 and 71 countries had signed it by
January 1999.

16
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
• The European Union and its at that time 15
Member States were jointly responsible under
the Kyoto Protocol's compliance mechanism
for fulfilling the commitment to reduce their
collective GHG emissions in the 2008-2012
period to 8% below 1990 levels.
• The concerned 15 Member States were
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the
United Kingdom.
Effects of the Kyoto Protocol on the European Union

17
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
• The EU must exploit its position
as the world's second largest
energy market and as world
leader in demand management
and in the promotion of
renewable energy sources.
Energy
efficiency
Renewable
energy
Emissions
reduction
Energy and Cilmate Change Package

18
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Flagship initiatives
• Refocusing R&D and innovation policy on major challenges for
our society like climate change, energy and resource efficiency,
health and demographic change.
• Renewable energy and climate change package, known as
“Europe 2020”, several regulatory instruments aim to achieves
ambitious goals for sustainable development.
• Hydro-electricity accounts for the most compared to other
renewable energy sources, such as solar energy (photovoltaic
and heating), biomass (for heating, electricity and biofuel), wind
energy etc., because of being produced and supplied since
many years, but other RES are becoming more and more
popular and supported by governmental initiatives and modern
technologies.

19
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Renewable Energy and climate change package
• Reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions: EU has adopted a binding
target of 20% reduction by 2020
compared to emissions in 1990
• Increasing renewable energy
consumption in Europe: Europe has
engaged in this area to reach a 20%
share of renewable in their energy
consumption, sharing the commitment
of the 27 MS.
• Increasing energy efficiency: the EU
has set for all of the Member States the
goal of 20% reduction in consumption
of energy in 2020

20
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Meeting the EU “20-20-20” goals by 2020
• The ongoing report on the “20-20-20” road map for the 3 goals
in the EU shows a delay for the energy consumption reduction.

21
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Energy consumption and promotion of renewable energy
• To increase the use of renewable energy sources, the EU two following
directives, under the “Energy-Climate package”:
• Directive RES (Dir. 2009/28/EC): it promotes the use of energy from
renewable sources by requiring Member States to increase the gross
final consumption percentage of renewable energy up to 20% by 2020.
HOW: through binding national targets based on the state-of-the-art and
impact, for example 10% in Malta, 49% in Sweden, and 17% for Italy.
• Directive Biofuels: the European Union sets as its objective to bring at
least 10% of the fuel used for transport in each country will have to come
from renewable sources (biofuels, hydrogen, electricity, "green", etc.).

22
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
2020 Targets for each EU Member State in Renewable Energy

23
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
2020 Green House Gas Emissions Targets (2020 vs 2005)

24
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Summarising : Renewable Energy….
• plays a key role in achieving the EU goals in terms of supply
security and demand for energy and climate change
• benefits from clear, ambitious and binding targets
• can expect dynamic growth in the foreseeable future
• makes economy sustainable making cleaner the planet
• reduces human footprint on the earth

25
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Renewable energy and Agriculture
The role of agriculture is considered very important in order to
achieve the 20/20/20 target in terms of
• reduction of the GHG emissions, contributing to the goals of
international agreements and EU targets;
• capacity of shifting energy use to Renewable Energy Sources;
• contrast to climate change effects;
• energy efficiency improvement also by contributing to reduce the
energy consumption in 2020

26
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
• Agriculture suffers because of pollution from other sectors (urban,
industrial and transport wastes and emissions, acid rains,
radioactivity, etc.), but it also produces pollution: pesticides, slurry
from fertilizers, methane gas from livestock breeding, carbon
dioxide from energy use, plastic packages, etc.. can have a negative
impact on water, soil and air.
• In any economic and social sector changes are requested in energy
use and waste saving and recycling to cut off GHG emissions.
• Producers and consumers are informed on importance of having
behaviours consisting with reduction of pollution and emissions.
• Based on international agreements the European Union has started
a road map in compliance with the 20-20-20 objectives for 2020.
• The Common Agricultural Policy 2014-2020 has included in its main
objectives, as i.e. “greening measures”, environmental friendly
behaviours and reduction of farming impact on the environment.
Renewable energy and Agriculture

27
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 1
• Which of the here below is a renewable energy source?
A. Fossil fuel 
B. Solar energy 
C. Nuclear fuel 

28
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 2
• What of these sentences is not right?
A. RES are an environment friendly alternative to fossil fuels…………….
B. RES can foster a dynamic growth in the foreseeable future..................
C. RES can not make economic growth more sustainable………………...

29
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 3
• Which of these is not a renewable energy source?
A. Natural gas ……………………...
B. Wind power ……………………...
C. Solar energy ……………………...

30
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 4
• Which sentence is not right?
A. The energy problem is strictly connected to climate change..
B. Targets were fixed for each EU Member State to decrease GHG
emissions……………………………………………………………...
C. GHG can not be reduced by increasing Renewable Energy
Sources..........................................................................................

31
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 5
• Why Energy and climate packages is well knows as “20-20-20
target”?
A. Reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases: EU has
adopted as binding target 20% reduction by 2020 compared
to 1990 emissions ……………………......................................
B. Increasing renewable energy consumption and energy
saving: 20% in the EU Member States by 2020……………. 
C. All of the above mentioned measures …………………….....

32
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 6
• The European Directive referred to targeted renewable energy source
consumption is:
A. Directive 2000/13/EC..............................................................................
B. Directive 2009/28/EC ………………………………………………………..
C. Council Directives 2007/834/EC and 2008/889/EC……………………. 

33
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 7
• If we continue to use fossil fuels at the current rate, they will run out. If
they run out, which of these products shall we still be able to produce?
A. Petrol ………………………………………………………………………….
B. Plastics …………………………………………………………………….…
C. Electricity ……………………………………………………………….……

34
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Question 8
• Which of the here below renewable energy sources accounts for the
most electricity generation in the Europe Union?
A. Hydro-electricity ……………...………………………………....…..…
B. Solar electricity…………………………………………………….……
C. Wind electricity…………………………………………………………

35
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
An international agreement is intended to reduce global emissions of
greenhouse gases, which can contribute to global warming and
climate change. This is known as
A. Kyoto Protocol …………….....…………………………………………
B. Lisbon Treaty ……………....……………………………………………
C. Europa 2020 ……………...........................................................…….
Question 9

36
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
Agriculture is engaged to reduce to reduce in Europe global emissions of
greenhouse gases, which can contribute to global warming and
climate change. This engagement has been
A. Not foreseen in the Common Agricultural Policy………...……..
B. Stressed under the so called “greening” for CAP 2014-2020…
C. Postponed after the 2020 …………….....…………………………..
Question 10

37
MODULE 2
PART I – LEVEL 2
SOLUTIONS
1) b
2) c
3) a
4) c
5) c
6) b
7) c
8) a
9) a
10) b

38
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
On farm use of Renewable Energy Sources
The role of agriculture is strategic to increase use of renewable
energy sources (RES), save energy and reduce conventional energy
consumption from fossil fuels. Furthermore to produce RES can let
save money and provide interesting income from energy selling.
• Renewable energy and farming are therefore a winning
combination. Wind, solar, and biomass energy can be harvested
forever, providing farmers with a long-term source of income.
Renewable energy can be used on the farm to replace other fuels
or sold as a "cash crop."
• Biomass energy is produced from plants and organic wastes.
Crops grown for energy could be produced in large quantities.
While corn is currently the most widely used energy crop, native
prairie grasses or fast-growing trees such as poplar and willow are
likely to become popular in the future. These perennial crops
require less maintenance and fewer inputs than do annual row
crops, so they are cheaper and more sustainable to produce.

39
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
• Farmers are mostly energy consumers but can also play the role
of energy producers
• as consumers, farmers are used to set energy inputs in the
agricultural chain (fossil fuels and lubricants, fertilizers and
energy from the electric system)
• farming crop residues, pruning from trees, animal waste and other
kind of scraps, generally called biomass, can be used by the
farmer either for compost or for energy
• as energy producers farmers can contribute to decrease the
agricultural foot print and produce agro-energy from biomass as
well as from water, wind and solar energy.
Energy in agriculture

40
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
It is common to use kerosene, diesel or propane to power generators
and tractors in farming. While these systems can provide power
where needed, they can cause some significant drawbacks,
including:
• fuel has to be transported, picked up from a petrol station and
carried to the generator’s location, which may be quite a distance
over some challenging roads;
• noise from generators and fumes from fuel emissions can disturb
livestock;
• fuel consumption is a severe bill for the farmer and, in case of bad
functioning, spills can contaminate the soil;
• generators require a significant maintenance time/cost and, like all
mechanical systems, they break down and need to replace parts that
are sometimes not soon available.
Use of conventional fuels for power and possible inconveniences

41
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Environmental Sustainability
(Energy from land resources and
reduction of CO2 emissions)
Agronomic
sustainability
(Nitrates Directive
91/676/EEC)
Economic Sustainability
(income support
thanks to the incentives and
for sale on the market)
Economic and Social Development (diversify
business activity, new jobs and the
development of the area)
Agro-energy
Agro-energy and sustainable farming

42
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Raw materials that can be used are different according to their origin:
•crop production,
•livestock production,
•logging company,
•food residues from agro-tourism
•biomass from management of public parks and gardens
and according to typology:
•crops residues,
•livestock waste
•pruning and wooden biomass,
•byproducts from food laboratories and kitchen.
Kind of biomass for agro-energy

43
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Kind of agro-energy from biomass
Regardless of typologies of raw materials, residues and
transformation processes, three kind agro-energies can be available
• electricity
• heat
• biofuels (biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas)
The different forms of energy can be produced separately or
combined.
NOTE: The identification of the final product is very important because
the agro-energy policy provide incentives not for the production of
agricultural biomass, but for bio-energetic products.

44
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Statistics on use of biomass in Europe
• Renewables represent 24,2% (798,7 TWh) of EU gross electricity
generation. 18,7% of this renewable electricity comes from biomass.
EU is the biggest world pellet producer (50% of total production)
Source AEBIOM European Biomass Association Annual Report 2014

45
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Agro-energies: BIOMASS/1
Farmers can produce different kind of raw materials as biomass for
energy:
• biomass from annual plant species (sorghum, maize, kenaf)
• biomass from pluriannual species (thistle, miscanthus, reed,
poplar, black locust)
• biomass from pruning residues.
This raw material can be then transformed, through a
thermochemical conversion, in fuels (bio-oil, coal, gas, fuel gas) or
heat, which in turn can generate electricity.

46
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Agro-energies: BIOMASS/2
• Farmers can produce the same raw materials (corn, sorghum,
grasses, sugar beet), to be transformed in energy by biological
conversion (fermentation and digestion) to obtain ethanol or fuel gas.
• Farmers can also produce seed oil (sunflower, rapeseed, safflower,
soybean) and, through a process of physic-chemical conversion
(squeezing or esterification), get fuel oil or biodiesel. The fuel oil can
be transformed into electricity or heat.

47
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Bio-Energy by kind of process: chemical, biological and physical
Thermochemical
conversion
Organic
conversion
Physico-
chemical
conversion
Annual crops: sorghum,
corn, kenaf, etc
Pluriannual crops Forest
species, thistle, miscanthus,
reed, etc.
Sort rotation forestry:
poplar, black locust-tree, etc.
Agro-industrial residues
(wine chain, olive oil chain)
Corn, graminaceous plants
Sugar beet, sugar cane,
sweet sorghum
Agroindustrial waste (dairy
byproduct, vinasses, olive
pomace
Livestock effluent
Sunflower, rapeseed,
safflower, soybean, oil
palm, etc
pyrolysis
gasification
Digestion
Fermentation
Squeezing out
combustion
Esterification
heat
electric
energy
biofuels
(bioethanol)
biofuels
(biomethane)
electric
energy
Heat
Biofuels
(biodiesel)
Eletric energy
heat

48
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
News on use of raw materials for agro-energy
• The last trends on the use of raw materials for agro-energy have shifted
from mostly intensive dedicated crops to food and livestock waste, scrap
and crop chopping, logging residues, etc. Farmers’ associations,
environment experts and agriculture policy makers have re-oriented the
intensive use of crops for energy to sustainable use of waste and residues,
maintaining the essential food function of arable lands.
• Also solar energy and photovoltaic plants, as well as energy windmills,
have been reconsidered in coherence with plans aimed at protecting rural
landscapes, natural sites and traditional heritage.
• Waste recycling has been considered on the last papers of the European
institutions more sustainable than growing energy crops with consequent
wide reduction of food cultivations.

49
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Biogas
Biogas refers generally to a mixture of different gases produced by the
breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. It can be produced
from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste,
plant material, sewage, green waste or food waste. Main benefits are:
• Versatile source of renewable energy: providing electricity and heat
• Reduction of harmful methane emissions
• CO2 neutrality
• Environmental friendly way of preserving resources

50
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
• Digester is fed a mixture of water and
waste called a slurry
• Daily, fresh slurry is added, displacing
previous days load that bacteria have
started to digest
• First, digestible organic matter is
broken down by acid-producing
bacteria
• By-products are then broken down by
methane-producing bacteria
Anaerobic Digestion in a Biodigester

51
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Anaerobic Digesters…
• Enable large livestock operations and food processors to deal with
a social problem
• Are management intensive
• Economic feasibility usually rests on reducing an expense (for
disposal of waste, etc.), and substitution of the gas produced for
purchased fuel and/or use of the gas to generate electricity

52
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Diagram of a Biogas Energy Plant

53
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
• User friendly process control systems
• Control of individual plant components and documentation of the control
parameters
• Remote access to the control system
Biogas Plant Main Features

54
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Anaerobic Digestion Products
• Digestate, that is the material remaining after the anaerobic digestion of a
biodegradable feedstock. It is produced by acido-genesis and methano-
genesis, with different process characteristics;
• Biogas, that is a mixture of different gases produced by the breakdown of
organic matter in the absence of oxygen. It can be produced from raw
materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant
material, sewage, green waste or food waste.
Anaerobic digestion produces two main products:

55
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Dedicated
Crops
Digestate
Livestock
Waste
Scrap
By-products
Average area 1-1,5 km
1-1,5 km
1 MW Biogas Plant Model

56
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Digestate
Products
By-products
Scrap
Sewage
Small Farms and Central Plant
• Small farms, having size not allowing a single plant, can share as a
consortium or cooperative a centralized plant.

57
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Small is beautiful: the new wave of small size plants
Farmers, above all those of them with a property in areas far from other
farms, are also interested in the very last years to small-medium size
plants offered on the market, providing solutions for low energy needs
•200-300 kW within 0,5-0,7 km
•50-100 kW within 0,2-0,5 km
•35 kW ……. already on the market

58
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Biomethane is a new opportunity
• Biomethane is obtained from the biogas purified from carbon dioxide
(CO2) and other impurities it contains.
• Biomethane is similar to methane and may be placed in the pipeline or be
used directly as a fuel.

59
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Agro-energy, multifunctional farms and Common Agricultural Policy
• Since the years ‘80s farmers started to valorise farm houses for tourism
stays in rural areas and offer traditional food, didactic activities and
services for leisure time. This kind of duties, different of the traditional
agricultural production and called “multifunctional activities”, are
considered such as an integration of farmer’s income and linked to a new
economic, social and environmental vision of sustainable farming.
• In this framework, from the beginning of years 2000’s started the
European Common Agricultural Policy reform, not based anymore on fibre
and food production support, but on de-coupling measures for more
competitive, innovative and sustainable farming. This new support system
has also provided incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
favour renewable energy sources. Also the new CAP 2014-2020 stresses
the same objectives by the so called “greening”, consisting in
maintaining grassland, rotating cultivations and reducing intensive crops.
Agro-energy can be therefore the friendly card for more environmental
farming, also by using crop residues and scrap as well as livestock waste
and by-products.

60
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Common Agricultural Policy and Greening Regulations
• Regulation EU n. 1307/2013 establishing the rules for direct payments to
farmers under support schemes within the framework of the Common
Agricultural Policy
• Delegate Regulation supplementing Regulation EU n. 1307/2013
• Delegate Regulation supplementing Regulation EU n. 1306/2013.
The three basic elements of greening are:
1. diversifying cultivation, by growing at least two crop, where the arable
area of the farm exceeds 10 ha, and at least three crops where it exceeds 30
ha, and limiting the main crop to 75% of the arable area and the two main
crops to 95% of the area.
2. maintaining permanent grassland (at national or regional or farm level)
3. maintaining at least 5% of the arable area of farms larger than 15 ha as
ecological focus areas (field margins, hedges, trees, fallow land, landscape
features, biotopes, buffer strips, afforested area)

61
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Agro-energy integration in a farm
Agro-energy production is supposed not to substitute food crops, but, as
well as for other kind of multifunctional activities, to be integrated in the
farm business plan. Benefits for farmers consist mainly of:
• energy cost saving up to possible extra-income from agro-energy selling;
• use and valorisation of farm waste and residues;
• improve farm environmental performance in compliance with the Green
Direct Payment (“greening”)
• reduction of greenhouse gases from farming.
This integration has been
represented in official documents
of the European Commission
(source DG Agriculture and Rural
Development Dec. 2013)

62
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Decision approach to integrate agro-energy in a farm
Agro-energy is to be considered an opportunity of saving on energy bill,
adding an extra-income to farm balance and contributing to reduce
emissions of greenhouse gases. These combined effects have to be
estimated through a business-plan including an excel tool allowing to
calculate:
• xsl matrix supporting data entry of fixed and variable costs for energy
production;
• xsl matrix supporting data entry of planned investments for energy
production;
• xsl matrix with expected incomes from energy production;
• xsl matrix with investment payback and break-even point;
• integration of the final results in the general business-plan including
farm assets, loan costs and profit and loss balance.

63
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
COSTANT
The farmer sets a constant in the project:
a) the power to be installed;
or,
b) the actual availability of biomass in the farm.
VARIABLE
Starting from the constant (power or biomass) the
farmer must :
a) find the biomass needed for the functioning of
the installation
or,
b) build a plant having regard to the actual
availability of biomass in the farm.
Risk levels are different.
Strategy A
BIOMASS
ENERGY
ENTREPRENEUR
POWER
PLANT
Strategy B
BIOMASS
POWER
PLANT
TRANSFORMER
ENTREPRENEUR
RISK LEVEL
HIGH LOW
KIND OF ENTERPRISE
Decision according to kind of agro-energy enterprise

64
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
• Biofuels (short term for “biomass fuels”) are liquid fuels that
substitute conventional petroleum products such as gasoline or
diesel.
• They include ethanol and biodiesel (green oil products) made from
agricultural crops and residues, or other kind of plant-based
biomass.
• Ethanol, currently produced from fermented sugary crops, such as
corn, sugarcane, or sweet sorghum can be used as fuel for vehicles
in its pure form, but it is more usually used as a gasoline additive to
increase octane and improve vehicle emissions. Biodiesel,
produced from oils or fats, using transesterification can also be
used as a pure fuel, but it is usually used as a diesel additive to
reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons
from diesel-powered vehicles.
Commodities for producing biofuels

65
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
• Sources for ethanol production include: wood, wood waste, paper,
corn stover, sugar cane bagasse, rice and wheat straw,
switchgrass, etc.
• Biodiesel is made from oil-seed crops such as soybean, corn,
sunflower, cottonseed and canola.
• Soon, new technologies will be economically viable for converting
plant fiber to ethanol. A portion of the agricultural and forestry
residues (stalks, leaves, branches) which are presently burned or
left in the field may therefore be harvested for biofuel production.
Use of biomass for biofuels and new technologies

66
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
• For many agriculture needs, the alternative is solar energy.
Modern, well-designed, simple-to-maintain solar systems can
provide the energy that is needed, where it is needed, and when it
is needed. These are systems that have been tested and proven
around the world to be cost-effective and reliable, and they’re
already raising levels of agricultural productivity worldwide.
• Implementation of solar energy for heating is also easily available,
clean and cost saving.
Solar energy

67
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Two types of solar systems
• In general, there are two kinds of solar systems – those that convert
solar energy to D.C. power and those that convert solar energy to
heat. Both of these solutions have many applications in agricultural
settings, making life easier and helping to increase farm productivity.
• Classic use for heating is that for greenhouse cultivations,
permitting to produce early or late fruit and vegetables.
• Photovoltaic panels are the most widespread tools for solar electric
energy but with a specific recommendation to be placed in locations
not disturbing environmental and rural landscapes.

68
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Solar-electricity generated by photovoltaic panels
• Solar-generated electricity is also called photovoltaic (PV in short).
Photovoltaic energy is produced by solar cells that convert
sunlight to DC (Direct Current Converter) electricity . The solar
cells in a PV module are made of semiconductor materials. When
sun light radiates the cell, electrons are emitted by the atoms in
form of energy. Electrical conductors placed in correspondence of
the positive and negative poles of the material allow the electrons
to be captured as D.C. current. This electricity can be used on the
spot to power a load, such as a water pump, or it can be stored
and put on circulation in the electric plants and grids. For this
production the energy company pays a price higher than ordinary
price, because of State incentives mostly linked to Kyoto Protocol
objectives.

69
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Wind energy power
• Finally, other renewable energy sources can also be used in
agriculture. Small wind systems can provide power that can be
used directly or stored in batteries. These systems are very
reliable in areas that get enough consistent wind. The systems
can be very cost-effective and reliable for many power needs on
farms and ranches, but the critical point is due to landscape
impact and noise under conditions of strong winds.

70
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNT
• The agro-energies are not a homogeneous sector,
but a mix of processes, products, sectors,
technologies, whose benefits and impacts are
completely different.
• There are many possibilities: use of livestock
effluents; use of dedicated crops; photovoltaic on
the roofs of farm buildings; photovoltaic parks on
cultivable soils.
• A specific and careful evaluation is required to
understand benefits and impacts of different
business decisions.
• A first advice can be given by the farmers' unions,
but then it is better to be supported by specialized
associations and companies (www.aiel.cia.it)

71
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 1
What are biodiesel fuels made from?
A. Leaves …………………………………………………… 
B. Corn and other seeds containing bioethanol ………….… 
C. Animal and vegetable fats ………………………………… 

72
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 2
Agro-energies can offer to farmers good opportunities for:
A. Agronomic sustainability …………….............................................. 
B. Economic sustainability ………………………………………………. 
C. Agronomic and economic sustainability…………………………… 

73
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 3
The biggest world pellet producer is:
A. Europe…………………………………………………….. 
B. United States of America ……………………………….
C. Japan………………………………………………………. 

74
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 4
Choose the right sentence from the following:
A. Agro-energy is just a kind of energy like from fossil fuels……… 
B. Agro-energy is not economically sustainable……………………... 
C. Agro-energy is linked to Nitrates Directive91/676/EEC ………….. 

75
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 5
What kind of agro-energy can provided from different raw materials?
A. Agro-energy is supposed to be produced just as biofuels……… 
B. Agro-energy can provide heat, electricity and biofuels…..……... 
C. Agro-energy can strongly damage environment by GHG………...

76
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 6
Choose the right answer of the following
A. Biomass can be only obtained from specific crops…………………... 
B. Biomass is produced just for heating………………………..……......... 
C. Biomass can be produced from crops as well as waste and scraps 

77
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 7
A. Bio-energy can be only obtained from organic conversion…............. 
B. Bio-energy can be obtained from organic, thermochemical and
physical conversion………………………………………………………….. 
C. Bio-energy can be only obtained from thermochemical conversion.. 

78
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 8
A. Only big bio-energy plants are available for big companies............... 
B. A business plan to take a decision on agro-energy investments is not
useful………………………………………………………………..………….. 
C. Different size bio-energy plants are available and a business plan is
necessary to take the decision for the right investment…………….... 

79
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 9
What is biomethane?
A. Biomethane is obtained from the biogas purified from carbon
dioxide (CO2) and other impurities it contains…………………… 
B. Biomethane is produced as a result of chemical transformation
of fossil fuels…………………………………………………….……… 
C. Biomethane is a gas from a mixtures of biofuels and crop
residues…………………………………………………………. ……… 

80
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
Question 10
How do photovoltaic cells work?
A. Photovoltaic cells transform directly heating in electricity……… 
B. Photovoltaic cells get solar energy that is transformed in
electricity by small circuits contained in each panel……...……… 
C. Photovoltaic energy is produced by solar cells that convert
sunlight to DC (Direct Current Converter) electricity……………… 

81
MODULE 2
PART II – LEVEL 3
SOLUTIONS
1)b
2)c
3)a
4)c
5)b
6)c
7)b
8)c
9)a
10)c

82
MODULE 2
LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE

FARM MANAGEMENT FOR BIOMASS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (8)

Similar to FARM MANAGEMENT FOR BIOMASS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Similar to FARM MANAGEMENT FOR BIOMASS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (20)

More from palotas

More from palotas (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (7)

FARM MANAGEMENT FOR BIOMASS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES