Humans Fly on Pig Fat, Starving Pets Forced to Eat Palm Oil
This is basically the plotline behind a New Scientist report on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) which declared:
Planes could soon run on pig fat – but it won't reduce emissions
Airlines have plans to use biofuels made from animal fats to meet climate targets, but a report warns this could increase emissions via effects on other sectors
Planes could soon run on pig fat – but it won't reduce emissions
Airlines have plans to use biofuels made from animal fats to meet climate targets, but a report warns this could increase emissions via effects on other sectors
The New Scientist report is based on the opinions of Chris Malins, who owns the consultancy, Cerulogy which claims that Chris is “ an expert in low carbon and clean fuels policy, with experience working on low carbon fuels in Europe, North America, Indonesia, and global aviation. At Cerulogy, we believe that environmental challenges are complex and we know that tracking and understanding an ever expanding literature is challenging. We’re interested in getting into the details, working with regulators, NGOs and industry to find common understanding and common ground, and looking for creative solutions to wicked problems.
As well as publishing research reports, Chris works with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission advising on the greenhouse gas calculation methodology for the EU’s Innovation Fund, represents Transport and Environment on sector team 6 of the EU Sustainable Finance Platform, and is a member of the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation delegation to the Fuels Task Group of the International Civil Aviation Organisation."
Chris’s client list, which includes virulently anti-palm oil groups including Transport & Environment, ICCT and Rainforest Foundation Norway, raises red flags on the veracity of his new report.
This means that if the aviation industry starts using significant amounts of animal fat to make what it terms sustainable aviation fuel, there is going to be less for these existing purposes. The cosmetic and pet food industries are likely to replace it with palm oil, says Malins, as that is the cheapest product with similar properties*.
That means more forests will be cleared to produce more palm oil**, which could lead to emissions increasing by up to 70 per cent compared with carrying on using fossil fuels to power aircraft instead, the report says.
The second major issue is that using animal fat-based fuels gives the aviation industry a relatively cheap and easy way to help it meet the very modest targets for increasing the use of “sustainable aviation fuels”, says Malins. It is an alternative to investing in more expensive but better approaches such as cellulosic biofuels***, which are made from the fibrous parts of plants, he says.
As for aviation, the fact is that, for now, there simply are no genuinely sustainable zero-emission fuels**** available in anything like the quantities required. Aside from improving energy efficiency, in the short term, the only way to reduce aviation emissions is for people to fly less.
Questionable Assumptions on SAF and Palm Oil
*Palm oil maybe the most suitable replacement of fossil fuels for aviation but its “cheap” cost is controlled by competing sources, not an intentional price discount by the palm oil industry for market share. Palm oil prices are heavily influenced by other vegetable oils but most notably, the fossil fuel industry. To verify this, simply watch how prices for palm oil are regularly impacted by fossil fuel and soy prices.
**Chris uses disproven claims that increased use of palm oil for biofuels, will lead to increased deforestation for palm oil. Transport & Environment, in its 2021 briefing on biofuels, shows an increase of palm oil in the mix from 2013, plateauing out in 2017 to 2020. If increased used of palm oil for biofuels was to lead to increased deforestation, Indonesia would have seen higher rates of deforestation from 2013 onwards.
As well as publishing research reports, Chris works with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission advising on the greenhouse gas calculation methodology for the EU’s Innovation Fund, represents Transport and Environment on sector team 6 of the EU Sustainable Finance Platform, and is a member of the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation delegation to the Fuels Task Group of the International Civil Aviation Organisation."
Chris’s client list, which includes virulently anti-palm oil groups including Transport & Environment, ICCT and Rainforest Foundation Norway, raises red flags on the veracity of his new report.
This means that if the aviation industry starts using significant amounts of animal fat to make what it terms sustainable aviation fuel, there is going to be less for these existing purposes. The cosmetic and pet food industries are likely to replace it with palm oil, says Malins, as that is the cheapest product with similar properties*.
That means more forests will be cleared to produce more palm oil**, which could lead to emissions increasing by up to 70 per cent compared with carrying on using fossil fuels to power aircraft instead, the report says.
The second major issue is that using animal fat-based fuels gives the aviation industry a relatively cheap and easy way to help it meet the very modest targets for increasing the use of “sustainable aviation fuels”, says Malins. It is an alternative to investing in more expensive but better approaches such as cellulosic biofuels***, which are made from the fibrous parts of plants, he says.
As for aviation, the fact is that, for now, there simply are no genuinely sustainable zero-emission fuels**** available in anything like the quantities required. Aside from improving energy efficiency, in the short term, the only way to reduce aviation emissions is for people to fly less.
Questionable Assumptions on SAF and Palm Oil
*Palm oil maybe the most suitable replacement of fossil fuels for aviation but its “cheap” cost is controlled by competing sources, not an intentional price discount by the palm oil industry for market share. Palm oil prices are heavily influenced by other vegetable oils but most notably, the fossil fuel industry. To verify this, simply watch how prices for palm oil are regularly impacted by fossil fuel and soy prices.
**Chris uses disproven claims that increased use of palm oil for biofuels, will lead to increased deforestation for palm oil. Transport & Environment, in its 2021 briefing on biofuels, shows an increase of palm oil in the mix from 2013, plateauing out in 2017 to 2020. If increased used of palm oil for biofuels was to lead to increased deforestation, Indonesia would have seen higher rates of deforestation from 2013 onwards.
Instead, what happened was a decrease in deforestation as reported by Nusantara Atlas using an “Analysis by TheTreeMap, conducted using Sentinel-2 and Planet/NICFI satellite imagery.”
*** Chris suggests that cellulosic biofuels are a better approach but this report from the EPA would disagree.
Biofuel feedstocks grown on land cleared from tropical forests, such as soybeans in the Amazon and oil palm in Southeast Asia, generate particularly high GHG emissions (Fargione et al. 2008). Even use of cellulosic feedstocks can spur higher crop prices that encourage the expansion of agriculture into undeveloped land, leading to GHG emissions and biodiversity losses (Melillo et al. 2009).
**** This is an over-statement by Chris. If cellulosic biofuels is his preference, this 2015 study on the sustainability of bio-jet fuel from palm biomass by CIRAD should be of great interest to him.
Genuinely sustainable zero-emission fuels from palm
Research by experts have shown that even palm oil mill effluence can be converted to jet fuel.
In an argument for the use of Palm Oil Mill Effluence (POME), the Malaysian Palm Oil Council spoke out against discrimination against bioenergy sources derived from palm.
“Palm-based feedstocks in palm oil mill waste (POME) are clearly waste residues from agricultural activities that are not fit for use in the food or feed chain. These are evidenced waste products that will not cause market distortions or create additional demand for land and should not be arbitrarily excluded.”
The solutions available from the palm oil industry for a zero-emission jet fuel may not be liked by some but they represent viable solutions for zero emissions bio-jet fuel. These solutions will never be as cheap as fossil fuels but they will be a cleaner option to protect the many jobs and economical sectors in Europe.
Published June 2023-CSPO Watch
Biofuel feedstocks grown on land cleared from tropical forests, such as soybeans in the Amazon and oil palm in Southeast Asia, generate particularly high GHG emissions (Fargione et al. 2008). Even use of cellulosic feedstocks can spur higher crop prices that encourage the expansion of agriculture into undeveloped land, leading to GHG emissions and biodiversity losses (Melillo et al. 2009).
**** This is an over-statement by Chris. If cellulosic biofuels is his preference, this 2015 study on the sustainability of bio-jet fuel from palm biomass by CIRAD should be of great interest to him.
Genuinely sustainable zero-emission fuels from palm
Research by experts have shown that even palm oil mill effluence can be converted to jet fuel.
In an argument for the use of Palm Oil Mill Effluence (POME), the Malaysian Palm Oil Council spoke out against discrimination against bioenergy sources derived from palm.
“Palm-based feedstocks in palm oil mill waste (POME) are clearly waste residues from agricultural activities that are not fit for use in the food or feed chain. These are evidenced waste products that will not cause market distortions or create additional demand for land and should not be arbitrarily excluded.”
The solutions available from the palm oil industry for a zero-emission jet fuel may not be liked by some but they represent viable solutions for zero emissions bio-jet fuel. These solutions will never be as cheap as fossil fuels but they will be a cleaner option to protect the many jobs and economical sectors in Europe.
Published June 2023-CSPO Watch
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