Environmental Impacts and Economic Performance of Major Oil Crops in Italy

The promotion of the use of biofuels for transport is one of the main objectives of the European Union (EU) energy policy of recent years, in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, diversify fuel supply sources, and decrease dependency on fossil fuels. •Vegetable oil is the main raw material used to produce biodiesel. Sunflower and rapeseed are the most important oil crops cultivated in Italy, and their areas are expected to grow over the next years. •Over the whole biodiesel supply chain, the cultivation represent the highest negative environmental impact both for sunflower and rapeseed. •This study aims to assess the environmental performance of both sunflower and oilseed rape using the Life Cycle Assessment method, and their economic return using the eco-efficency method, in Italy