Refining the category agriculture in the emission model for off-road mobile machinery (OFFREM2)

The OFFREM2 project aims to improve the reporting of agriculturally-related emissions to the European Commission. Each Member State must report to the EC about emissions from all industry sectors, including agriculture. Part of these emissions is associated with off-road mobile machinery. For Flanders, this is modelled in the OFFREM model (2008-2009) (research by VITO and ILVO done upon request of the Flemish Department of Environment, Nature and Energy). The existing model is still incomplete and certain subcategories do not mesh with the previously used emission model. We calculate additional indicator numbers for diesel consumption by off-road mobile machinery such as tractors. At the same time, we try to explain the differences in emissions reported as based on the two calculation models. This project is an assignment of the Flemish Department of Environment, Nature and Energy.

We calculate additional indicator numbers for diesel consumption (e.g. for orchards). We refine existing indicator numbers (e.g. for animal husbandry). These indicator numbers for diesel consumption are put into the model made by VITO and the associated emissions of particulate matter, NOX, CO2 etc. are calculated. We investigate the (bigger) differences in reported emissions between the previous and the current model.

The two questionable emission models are balanced and the category of agriculture in the current OFFREM model is refined (or supplemented) by the research results. The emissions report to the European Commission is more accurate for agriculture. The indicator numbers for diesel consumption are of direct use for the exergy- and LCA-based model developed at ILVO in the SUSTAINTOOL research cluster.

External partner(s)
VITO - Vlaams Instituut Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek NV