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Now I've been out for a bike ride through the fields, I realize I forgot to mention set-aside land. (Fallow) Theoretically that's 5.4 e6 ha they could turn into feedstock land. In fact only part of it could be used, (very small fields aren't easy to use), it's not the best land (which is why farmers chose to set those fields aside), there are biodiversity problems (areas that have lain fallow for ten to fifteen years have become a relative shelter for flora and fauna), and regrouping some of them into larger fields for mechanisation/irrigation reasons would involve destruction of hedges, banks, and ditches.

I don't think it would change the basic point that 1st-gen biofuels from EU-grown feedstock aren't going to supply enough biofuel.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Jul 10th, 2006 at 04:27:51 PM EST
This morning I realized I forgot another point I wanted to put in -- to counter the "phase-in" argument for subsidising first-generation biofuels. This argument says  that, though the immediate benefits of 1st-gen bfs are not obvious, they will pave the way for, and phase in, second-generation bfs. Which is hard to accept, given that 1st and 2nd gen bfs use different feedstocks from different locations and with different plant.

Of course, next time we do this kind of work, let's hope we can wind up the threshing out of ideas and data sequence some days before deadline, so the drafting can take place with a little time for reflection.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Jul 11th, 2006 at 01:58:31 AM EST
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I'd appreciate a diary reflecting on the experience and how we could do it better next time ...
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jul 11th, 2006 at 02:12:35 AM EST
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Will do after a little pause for thought. Tomorrow perhaps.
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Jul 11th, 2006 at 03:47:32 AM EST
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