Is the Minister investigating the possibility of bio-fuel production in Jersey

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 29th JANUARY 2008

Question

Would the Minister advise whether he is currently investigating the possibility of bio-fuel production in Jersey? If so, would he further advise:

1. whether heisworking in conjunction with the Minister for Planning and Environment, Answer

1. The Minister for EconomicDevelopment sits on the MinisterialSteeringgroupforEnergyPolicyalong with the Minister for Planning andEnvironmentand the Minister forTransport and Technical Services. TheEnergy GreenPaperFuel for Thought?' was produced with the inputof the steering groupas well as other stakeholders and was lodged in the States in October followed by a period ofconsultation between 4thOctober and 7th December 2007.

Question

2. approximately how many vergéesof land he believes maybe available for such an enterprise, Answer

2. Chapter 6, (in particular Paragraph 1.297 -1.306)ofthegreenpaperexaminesthe potential for the local production ofbio-fuelscropsin Jersey and uses the information from a study that was carriedoutbyconsultants [1]

to inform Energy Policy . In summary, it is apparent that there are two major challenges to growing bio-fuels locally :-

1. Economies of scale – the availability of sufficient appropriate land (in particular avoiding land of biodiversity value)inorder to grow and manufacture sufficient quantities of biofuels locally
2. Gross-marginsofcrops - The grossmargins from biofuel crops is low incomparison to alternative / existing land uses such as food crops grown for export.

Given this latter point it is likely that in order to be economically viable, any crops grown for biofuels would need to be on agricultural land that is currently uncultivated and/or as a second crop after the potato crop.

Bearing in mind these constraints' along with local land conditions etc, oil seed rape is considered a potential candidate for the production of biodiesel. The area available for its production are estimated to be approximately 320 hectares (1800 vergees) of spring oil seed rape as a green crop following the Jersey Royal Potato crop, with a further 220 hectares (1250 vergees) planted on other agricultural land. The total land available after the potato crop is constrained by factors such as slope and good rotational practice (with a one year in five rotation).

Using these figures it is estimated that up to 500 tonnes of biodiesel could be produced locally, although please see section c which describes work that is being carried out locally.

The potential for the production of bioethanol from wheat from the land areas shown above, has also been explored and it is estimated that up to 1,500 tonnes could be produced locally.

In addition, biofuel is produced locally from waste vegetable oil. In June 2007 the Transport and Technical Services department contracted a partner to collect waste cooking oil from commercial catering premises and convert it to biodiesel for use in local diesel vehicles. The company, Channel Island Biodiesel Products Ltd., is now in the early stages of production and will soon be marketing the product to large volume consumers such as transport and haulage companies.

Question

3. whether heiscontemplating a States' owned processing plantor a co-operative,

Answer

3. There is already a commercialpilotstudytoproducebiodiesel from oil seed rape that has been supported by the Rural Initiative Scheme. In 2007 three varieties were investigated for yield as a crop post potatoes, in partnership with the Planning and EnvironmentDepartment. The results from this first year show that oil yields per hectare are comparable to that in theUK (approx 0.9 t/ha locally compared with 0.95 t/ha in theUK, assuming 100% extraction). Thenext stage isto extract the rapeseedoilandproducebio-diesel. The completion of this pilot phase will  allow  production  costs to  be calculated  and  local feasibility  to  be  more accurately  calculated. Understanding the feasability oflocalproduction will assist energy policy developmentandtheplacementofsuch initiative.

Question

4. which type of crop he believes wouldbemostappropriate,orwhetherheis   c o n si d ering a rangeof different ones?"

Answer

4. A rangeofcrops have been considered for biofuel production. For example, in addition to oilseed rape and wheat, barley couldbe grown locally to bemanufactured into bioethanol. However, current agricultural practices appear tofavour an oilseed rape crop.Asworkon the energy White Paper continues we have not discounted any options at this stage and further work will be required in orderfortheStatesto discuss the options. In addition to the economicsthere are many factors to consider, in particular learning from elsewherewherethebenefitsof growing biofuelshavebeencounteractedby the impacton natural habitatsand the displacementof food crops.

[1]

 Development of Energy Policy (March 2007) - A Report commissioned by the States of Jersey by AEA Energy and Environment Ltd. A full copy of the AEA report is available on http://www.gov.je/PlanningEnvironment/Environment/From+global+to+local+policy/Energy+Policy+Green+Paper+Launched