Report on typical GHG emission values for the cultivation of agricultural raw materials for NUTS 2 regions or a more disaggregated level in Germany according to RED II : final report

The report analyzes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the cultivation of agricultural raw materials in the NUTS2 regions of Germany in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). The aim is to update the typical emission values for the production of biofuels, biogas and biomethane for the cultivation phase. Current data and scientific findings are considered. The calculations are based on standardized factors and comprehensive data sources such as yields, fertilizer consumption and diesel consumption. Particular attention was paid to emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, as these cause the greatest emissions. The values are differentiated for mineral and organic soils in order to take regional characteristics into account. GHG emissions were determined for eleven energy crops in 38 NUTS2 regions. The results show significant differences in the emission values in some cases. This is due in particular to the differences in the emission factors for N₂O, the level of which is highly dependent on regional conditions. The regional differences in the proportion of farm manure are also an important factor, as for methodological reasons no upstream production processes are included in the balance for this fertilizer, unlike for mineral fertilizers. The example of emissions for rapeseed cultivation shows a range of 362 to 531 g CO2 equivalent per kilogram.The first report on typical GHG emission values for the cultivation of agricultural raw materials for NUTS 2 regions from 2010 did not show such strong regional differences. However, the earlier values were consistently higher than those determined here. The reason for this is the new calculation method for N2O based on real measurements and a number of other factors.