Geographical/Ecological Assessment
and Optimisation of the Production and
Use of Biomass
PD Dr. Michael Rode
Institut für Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz
(Institute for the Preservation of the Countryside and Nature Conservation)
University of Hanover
Herrenhäuser Straße 2
30419 Hanover
PD Dr. Helga Kanning
Institut für Landesplanung und Raumforschung
(Institute of State Planning and Geographical Area Research)
University of Hanover
Herrenhäuser Straße 2
30419 Hanover
The expansion of the use of biomass for energy is linked to restructuring of agricultural production and opening up regional flows of biomass (Rode 2005, Rode et al. 2005), in which, moreover, a large number of public and private entities are involved. As was the case with the expansion of wind energy in the recent past, conflicts between the various interest groups and between nature conservation and environmental policy objectives easily arise in the actual planning of a realignment of the use of the land of this type in a particular place, which prevent an expansion of the use of biomass for energy.
To optimise the potential for producing energy from biomass with regard to the countryside and the region so that it can take up a central function in a sustainable supply of energy compatible with nature, it is necessary to evaluate and assess all the geographical/ecological consequences resulting from it and any conflicts of interest arising with other objectives of environmental and nature conservation policies. In the end, this can only be evaluated in an actual (natural) geographical context in ecological/functional interconnections and in the interplay with the respective, regionally specific socio-economic factors and entities (Rode and Kanning 2005).
To reduce these deficits, the planned project focuses on the geographical/ecological assessment and optimisation of the use of biomass for energy via inclusion of the existing area-based planning systems. To do this, at the various planning levels involved, countryside planning is suitable from a nature conservation point of view and area planning from an overall area point of view, because these already provide suitable tools for related questions in setting up ecologically orientated development of the use of areas.
In the planned project the existing nature conservation and area planning know-how is to be used on a problem-related basis and developed further. During this, possible conflicts, but also synergies, are to be worked out from a nature conservation and overall area point of view. To do this it is necessary to include both the classic, formal organisational functions of the two types of planning (indication of nature conservation and priority areas, countryside and regional development etc.) and nature conservation and socio-economic qualitative aspects (good technical practice, analyses relating to the entities involved etc.), and also their informal development functions e.g. via moderation, co-operation and interlinking services.
In detail, the planned project includes the following objectives:
- Compilation of assessment models for evaluating geographical/ecological effects of biomass generation, based on the expansion and development scenarios developed in SUNREG I plus models,
- Identification of regionally specific development and impediment factors affecting these development scenarios in three selected model regions (Wolfsburg/Hildesheim region, Soltau/Uelzen region, Emsland region),
- Derivation of recommendations for action from a nature conservation and overall area point of view for entrepreneurs in agriculture and forestry, plant operators, economic areas up- and downstream, planning experts and decision-makers on a local and regional level for the further expansion of the use of biomass for energy as a nature conservation- and use of area-based addition to the cultivation and (business) management recommendations of SUNREG I.
- Type rationalisation and transfer of the regionally specific models to other regions including the model developed in SUNREG I.
In the planned project, the competences of the research partners from the other projects participating in the project group “Biomass for SunFuel” (including SUNREG I cultivation of energy crops etc) are to be used on an interdisciplinary basis to develop geographically based assessments of the use of biomass, thus making a significant contribution to linking together areas of knowledge which have been isolated in the past for the most part.
For this purpose, particular attention is to be paid to clarifying the interactive effects which will arise between various strategies for expanding biomass and other agricultural functions and use of land according to the current state of knowledge:
- What potential conflicts arise and how can these be minimised?
- Which factors impede or favour a sustainable, ecologically compatible expansion of the use of biomass for energy? Which entities play a role in this?
- Which planning services are important for a sustainable expansion of the use of biomass for energy which is compatible with the geographical areas concerned?
- How can an ecologically compatible use of biomass for energy be promoted sustainably and secured? What criteria and recommendations for action exist for the various relevant entities (together with the recommendations in SUNREG I – building on these and harmonised with them).
Rode, M. 2005: The use of biomass for energy in the stressed area between economy and nature conservation In: Use of land in the process of change – opportunity or risk for nature conservation, 10th International Summer Academy, St. Marienthal. Edited by.: Brickwedde, F.; Fuellhaas, U.; Stock, R.; Wachendörfer, V.; Wahmhoff, W. Initiativen zum Umweltschutz [Initiatives for the protection of the environment] 61: 237-245.
Rode, M., Kanning, H. 2005: Contributions to geographical planning to promote an expansion of the biomass for energy route compatible with nature and the area. IzR-topics volume: Use of biomass for energy in agricultural areas. Currently being printed.
Rode, M., Schneider, C., Ketelhake, G., Reißhauer, D. 2005: Generation and use of biomass for producing heat and electricity in a manner compatible with nature conservation. In: BfN-documents 136: 183 pp..
Further information about Sunreg II project you will find here (only in german available).