Engaging the bioenergy sector to improve NERC's capability to address soil sustainability challenges of land-based bioenergy cultivation

低碳能源的安全和低成本供应是英国政府碳计划的目标之一，预计到2050年，生物能源将占英国一次能源需求的12%左右。然而，已经确定的是，对于一些生物能源作物生命周期的碳排放可能是显著的，损害了生物能源提供净碳节约的能力。生物能源作物的土地利用变化可导致从土壤中吸收和释放的碳水平发生变化，其变化取决于耕种的土地类型和种植的作物。这些影响可以测量和调节，但缺乏关于土地利用变化对特定地点的土壤C和温室气体排放的直接影响的知识（RFA, 2008）。全球工业界和英国政府认为，生物能源节省碳排放的不确定性是制约生物能源部署扩张的主要瓶颈。在英国，大部分用于发电的生物能源原料都是进口的。这一趋势预计将持续到2050年，尽管预计国内生物质供应将在2030年以后做出更大的贡献。在英国和国际范围内，提高对土地利用变化对生物能源的直接影响的认识，将有助于巩固英国政府的能源政策，使更明智的决策得以制定，法规得以实施，以确保英国使用生物能源的可持续性。NERC- ceh在该领域的高质量研究方面享有声誉，领导和合作了NERC、RCUK和行业资助的项目，重点研究生物能源的可持续性以及土地利用变化对生物能源对土壤C和温室气体排放的影响。两个关键项目是ETI- elum项目和NERC碳生物作物（ETI / McNamara LoS）。通过这些项目，NERC的科学家和ELUM的合作伙伴开发了严格的生物能源土壤温室气体测量方法和基于生物能源土地利用变化影响的最先进的过程建模，为在特定地点水平上对土地利用变化对生物能源的直接影响进行可靠评估的问题提供了潜在的科学解决方案。这些研究成果的潜在影响和应用需要与利益相关者进行传播和讨论，以促进对这些方法、模型和专业知识的吸收。这将通过与利益相关者建立双向对话来实现，以便：(1)了解利益相关者的需求以及NERC生物能源科学如何帮助他们实现目标；(2)建立机制，促进对这项研究的吸收，以实现经济、环境和社会效益；(3)研究NERC生物能源研究有助于支持国际生物能源可持续性标准的机制；(4)通过“行业知识俱乐部”向利益相关者展示参与这项研究活动的价值。如果可持续生物能源要对英国的能源结构做出重大贡献，那么减少土地利用变化对生物能源作物对土壤温室气体排放的直接影响的不确定性对工业和政府来说是至关重要的。然而，为了获得经济、环境和社会效益，研究界和最终用户之间需要强有力的合作。该奖学金将通过刺激行业和政策制定者的参与以及研究成果（包括数据、模型和专业知识）的使用，最大限度地发挥NERC生物能源科学的影响。这将涉及旨在将跨委员会研究团体与利益相关者聚集在一起的活动，以确定NERC科学的实际应用，并为人类社会目前面临的紧迫问题（包括气候变化、能源利用和可持续资源的开发）的研究探索新的资助途径。RFA (2008) Gallagher评论生物燃料生产的间接影响

A secure and cost-effective supply of low-carbon energy is one of the goals of the UK government's Carbon Plan with bioenergy expected to deliver around 12% of the UK's primary energy demand by 2050. However, it has been identified that for some bioenergy crops lifecycle C emissions can be significant, compromising the capacity of bioenergy to deliver net C savings. Land-use change to bioenergy crops can result in a change in the level of C sequestered and released from the soil, with changes dependant on the type of land cultivated and the crop grown. These impacts can be measured and regulated against but knowledge of the direct effects of land-use change to bioenergy on soil C and GHG emissions at a location-specific level has been lacking (RFA, 2008). This uncertainty over the C savings delivered by bioenergy has been identified by global industry and the UK government as a major bottleneck constraining the expansion of bioenergy deployment. In the UK, the majority of bioenergy feedstocks for power generation are imported. This is expected to continue through to 2050, although domestic biomass supplies are predicted to make a more significant contribution beyond 2030. Improved knowledge of the direct effects of land-use change to bioenergy in both a UK and international context will help to underpin UK government energy policy, enabling more informed decisions to be made and regulation put in place to ensure the sustainability of bioenergy used in the UK. NERC-CEH has developed a reputation for high-quality research in this field, leading and collaborating on NERC, RCUK and industry-funded projects focused on bioenergy sustainability and the effects of land-use change to bioenergy on soil C and GHG emissions. Two key projects have been the ETI-ELUM project and NERC Carbo-BioCrop (ETI / McNamara LoS). Through these projects, NERC scientists and ELUM partners have developed rigorous methodologies for bioenergy soil GHG measurements and state-of-the art process based modelling of bioenergy land-use change effects which provide a potential scientific solution to the problem of robust assessment of direct effects of land-use change to bioenergy at a location-specific level.The potential implications and applications of these research outcomes need to be disseminated and discussed with stakeholders in order to stimulate uptake of these methods, models and expertise. This will be done by establishing two-way dialogue with stakeholders in order to: (1) understand the needs of stakeholders and how NERC bioenergy science can help them achieve their goals; (2) develop mechanisms by which uptake of this research can be facilitated to deliver economic, environmental and societal benefits; (3) investigate mechanisms by which NERC bioenergy research could help to underpin international sustainability standards for bioenergy; and (4) demonstrate to stakeholders the value of being part of this research activity through an "Industry Knowledge Club".Reducing uncertainty over the direct effects of land-use change to bioenergy crops on soil GHG emissions is essential for industry and government if sustainable bioenergy is to contribute significantly to the UK energy mix. However to reap the economic, environmental and societal benefits a strong cooperation between the research community and end-users is needed. This KE fellowship will maximise the impact of NERC bioenergy science, by stimulating industry and policymaker involvement and use of the research outcomes including data, models and expertise. This will involve activities designed to bring together the cross-council research community with stakeholders to identify practical applications for NERC science and explore novel funding routes for research on this urgent issue currently facing human society which encompasses climate change, energy use and the development of sustainable resources. RFA (2008) Gallagher Review of the indirect effects of biofuels production