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Fossil energy and GHG saving potentials of pig farming in the EU

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  • Nguyen, Thu Lan T.
  • Hermansen, John E.
  • Mogensen, Lisbeth

Abstract

In Europe, the highly developed livestock industry places a high burden on resource use and environmental quality. This paper examines pig meat production in North-West Europe as a base case and runs different scenarios to investigate how improvements in terms of energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) savings can be feasibly achieved. As shown in the results of the analysis, pig farming in the EU has a high potential to reduce fossil energy use and GHG emissions by taking improvement measures in three aspects: (i) feed use; (ii) manure management; and (iii) manure utilization. In particular, a combination of improvements in all mentioned aspects offers the highest savings potential of up to 61% fossil energy and 49% GHG emissions. In weighing these three aspects, manure utilization for energy production is found to be the most important factor in reducing fossil energy use and GHG emissions. However, when GHG implications of land use change and land opportunity cost associated with the production of feed crops (e.g. soy meal, cereals) are considered, reducing feed use becomes the main factor in improving GHG performance of EU pork.

Suggested Citation

  • Nguyen, Thu Lan T. & Hermansen, John E. & Mogensen, Lisbeth, 2010. "Fossil energy and GHG saving potentials of pig farming in the EU," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 2561-2571, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:38:y:2010:i:5:p:2561-2571
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    1. Searchinger, Timothy & Heimlich, Ralph & Houghton, R. A. & Dong, Fengxia & Elobeid, Amani & Fabiosa, Jacinto F. & Tokgoz, Simla & Hayes, Dermot J. & Yu, Hun-Hsiang, 2008. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12881, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
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    6. Sgarbossa, Fabio & Russo, Ivan, 2017. "A proactive model in sustainable food supply chain: Insight from a case study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(PB), pages 596-606.
    7. Yazan, Devrim Murat & Fraccascia, Luca & Mes, Martijn & Zijm, Henk, 2018. "Cooperation in manure-based biogas production networks: An agent-based modeling approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 820-833.
    8. Mirade, Pierre-Sylvain & Perret, Bruno & Guillemin, Hervé & Picque, Daniel & Desserre, Béatrice & Montel, Marie-Christine & Corrieu, Georges, 2012. "Quantifying energy savings during cheese ripening after implementation of sequential air ventilation in an industrial cheesemaking plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 248-258.
    9. Ali, Beshir Melkaw & Berentsen, Paul & Bastiaansen, John W.M. & Oude Lansink, Alfons, 2017. "A Stochastic Bio-Economic Farm Model for Brazilian Farrow-to-finish Pig Production System," 2017 International Congress, August 28-September 1, 2017, Parma, Italy 261431, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
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    11. Lucas A. C. Esteves & Alessandra N. T. R. Monteiro & Natália Y. Sitanaka & Paula C. Oliveira & Leandro D. Castilha & Vinicius R. C. Paula & Paulo C. Pozza, 2021. "The Reduction of Crude Protein with the Supplementation of Amino Acids in the Diet Reduces the Environmental Impact of Growing Pigs Production Evaluated through Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, April.
    12. Lehmann, Richard J. & Fritz, Melanie & Schiefer, Gerhard, 2011. "Information Reference Models for European Pork Supply Networks," 2011 International European Forum, February 14-18, 2011, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 122014, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    13. Nguyen, Thu Lan T. & Hermansen, John E. & Mogensen, Lisbeth, 2013. "Environmental performance of crop residues as an energy source for electricity production: The case of wheat straw in Denmark," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 633-641.
    14. Esteve Nadal-Roig & Adela Pagès-Bernaus & Lluís M. Plà-Aragonès, 2018. "Bi-Objective Optimization Model Based on Profit and CO 2 Emissions for Pig Deliveries to the Abattoir," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-13, May.
    15. Mayerle, Sérgio Fernando & Neiva de Figueiredo, João, 2016. "Designing optimal supply chains for anaerobic bio-digestion/energy generation complexes with distributed small farm feedstock sourcing," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 46-54.
    16. Antonia Katharina Ruckli & Sabine Dippel & Nora Durec & Monika Gebska & Jonathan Guy & Juliane Helmerichs & Christine Leeb & Herman Vermeer & Stefan Hörtenhuber, 2021. "Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Pig Farms in Selected European Countries: Combining LCA and Key Performance Indicators for Biodiversity Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    17. Nelė Jurkėnaitė, 2023. "Analysis of the Nexus between Structural and Climate Changes in EU Pig Farming," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-19, September.
    18. Glover, J.L. & Champion, D. & Daniels, K.J. & Dainty, A.J.D., 2014. "An Institutional Theory perspective on sustainable practices across the dairy supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 102-111.

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