OIL CROP SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT: THREE YEARS OF BRASSICA NAPUS L. CULTIVATION IN NORTH EAST ITALY FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION

The Renewable Energy Directive (RED - 2009/28/EC) defines values for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of each phase of biofuel production chains. The RED also claims that the Member State has to define typical GHG emissions for energy crop cultivation at a regional level. With this aim, in the framework of “Bioenergie” national project, a calculator (So.Fi.A.) was developed to determine the Life Cycle Assessment of oilseed cultivation in Italian Regions. This paper reports the results of the So.Fi.A. analysis focused on winter rapeseed cultivation in NE Italy (Veneto). Overall, during three years, 26 full field trials with different cultivation inputs were assessed. The incidence of farm inputs on GHG emissions was investigated showing how nitrogen fertilizers and diesel fuels for soil tillage provide the main contribution. Finally, despite a favourable net energetic balance, GHG emissions from the agricultural phase in 10 trials out of 26 were higher than the RED default value. In particular, defatted residual meals exploitation and, consequently, their impact allocation was necessary to keep the impact below the RED threshold. Carbon sequestration subsequent to residue soil incorporation was also evaluated, showing how further supplies of organic matter were necessary to offset natural soil organic matter depletion by mineralization.