101
Moreover, the land categorized as wastelands designated for nonedible oil seeds
production is either available only in remote locations or above 1500 m in altitude.
Wastelands in either of these cases would be unsuitable for oil seed production and
its commercial utilization. Remoteness of location would create huge additional
expenses for transportation of saplings, seeds, and human resources as well as hamper the regular maintenance of the trees which is essential to achieve a minimum
acceptable seed yield.
Finally, for a country like India, first-generation biofuels are still a luxury in the
sense that India still has severe food shortages and millions of people are suffering
from malnutrition. Every effort should be made in India to produce more foods and
edible oils by utilizing every piece of land. However, alternative sources of bioenergy could be explored such as algae. In India, algae-based biofuel production
research has been conducted for a long time, but it needs continuous encouragement
from the government as well as from the industries to make it faster. It is also not
clear how much land and water will be required.
8.4 China
8.4.1 Overview of China’s Main Policies: Promotion
of Renewable Energy
In 2010, China was the second largest energy-consuming country in the world (EIA
2010). The majority of China’s primary energy came from abundant domestic coal
to meet domestic demand, not only for households but also industrial use (Martinot
and Junfeng 2007; Zhang and Siang 2007). In response to its rapid increase in
energy use, the nation has made a major effort to gear up its use of renewable energy.
As of 2007, China received only 8% of its primary energy from renewable energy,
and its target shares were set at 10% and 15% by 2010 and 2020, respectively
(NDRC 2007). To meet these ambitious goals, China enacted the Renewable Energy
Law in 2005. This law has several objectives including improving energy structure,
diversifying energy supplies, safeguarding energy security, protecting the environment, and realizing the sustainable development of economy and society, and it covers a comprehensive list of renewable energy sources. Short-term (2010) and
long-term (2020) renewable energy targets are summarized in Table 8.4. China’s
renewable energy policies stress the large-scale provision of electricity nationwide
in the midst of rapid industrialization. As of 2010, biofuels’ contribution as a renewable energy source was relatively small in China—the large majority of investment
in renewable energy was for wind power (70%), followed by other renewables
(17%) and solar (8%), and biofuels accounted for only 3.6% (Pew Charitable Trusts
2010).
8 Socioeconomic Impacts of Biofuels in East Asia
Moreover, the land categorized as wastelands designated for nonedible oil seeds
production is either available only in remote locations or above 1500 m in altitude.
Wastelands in either of these cases would be unsuitable for oil seed production and
its commercial utilization. Remoteness of location would create huge additional
expenses for transportation of saplings, seeds, and human resources as well as hamper the regular maintenance of the trees which is essential to achieve a minimum
acceptable seed yield.
Finally, for a country like India, first-generation biofuels are still a luxury in the
sense that India still has severe food shortages and millions of people are suffering
from malnutrition. Every effort should be made in India to produce more foods and
edible oils by utilizing every piece of land. However, alternative sources of bioenergy could be explored such as algae. In India, algae-based biofuel production
research has been conducted for a long time, but it needs continuous encouragement
from the government as well as from the industries to make it faster. It is also not
clear how much land and water will be required.
8.4 China
8.4.1 Overview of China’s Main Policies: Promotion
of Renewable Energy
In 2010, China was the second largest energy-consuming country in the world (EIA
2010). The majority of China’s primary energy came from abundant domestic coal
to meet domestic demand, not only for households but also industrial use (Martinot
and Junfeng 2007; Zhang and Siang 2007). In response to its rapid increase in
energy use, the nation has made a major effort to gear up its use of renewable energy.
As of 2007, China received only 8% of its primary energy from renewable energy,
and its target shares were set at 10% and 15% by 2010 and 2020, respectively
(NDRC 2007). To meet these ambitious goals, China enacted the Renewable Energy
Law in 2005. This law has several objectives including improving energy structure,
diversifying energy supplies, safeguarding energy security, protecting the environment, and realizing the sustainable development of economy and society, and it covers a comprehensive list of renewable energy sources. Short-term (2010) and
long-term (2020) renewable energy targets are summarized in Table 8.4. China’s
renewable energy policies stress the large-scale provision of electricity nationwide
in the midst of rapid industrialization. As of 2010, biofuels’ contribution as a renewable energy source was relatively small in China—the large majority of investment
in renewable energy was for wind power (70%), followed by other renewables
(17%) and solar (8%), and biofuels accounted for only 3.6% (Pew Charitable Trusts
2010).
8 Socioeconomic Impacts of Biofuels in East Asia