Efecto del cambio en el uso de la tierra devenido del cultivo de palma aceitera para la producción de biodiésel en Colombia

Abstract

The bioenergy (especially biofuels) production and use has been worldly encouraged as a possible solution for the energy crisis caused by fossil fuel extraction and burnt. However, some intrinsic features of the biofuels supply chain generate notable uncertainties. The land use change can be considered a key issue of the feedstock production stage. In this work, the carbon replacement time was calculated for the cases of the oil palm growing in soils for forest, degraded lands and marginal lands. Most cultivated lands are required to increase the biodiesel production in Colombia. Additionally, the greenhouse gas emission from the land use change was calculated, when the palm crops are extended to achieve B20 blends. The results indicated that the palm crop growing on degraded and marginal lands, as well as palm cultivated in Eastern zone, do not generate carbon debt. Moreover, oil palm growing under these conditions helps to increase the carbon captures of these lands. The Eastern zone shows the highest carbon capture power.