Energy for Sustainability

Randolph & Masters, 2008

Chapter 14:
Biofuels, Biomass, and other
Alternative Fuels
Reducing Oil and Carbon in Transport,
Step 2: Alternative Fuels
Alternative Fuel Stations
Alternative Fuel Prices, 2005 to 2007
 Biomass and Biofuels Potential
Current use in U.S : 190 dry tons, 3% of U.S. energy consumption
Integrated agro-biofuel-biomaterial-biopower cycle
(Ragausjas, et al., Science, 27 January 2006)
Biomass as a Feedstock:
The Technical Potential of a Billion Ton Supply

 Oak Ridge National Laboratory study (2005)

assessed the potential of forest and agriculture land
resources to sustainably supply biofuels to offset
petroleum consumption in the U.S.
 The study found that more than 1.3 billion tons per
year of biomass energy materials could be produced
that could replace more than one-third of the
nation’s current petroleum consumption.
 This includes 370 million dry tons on forest lands
and nearly 1 billion dry tons from agricultural lands.
These production targets could be achieved while
meeting expected food, feed, fiber, and export
demands.
Potentially available forest resources
Wood Fuel Plantation
Waste-to-Energy Cogeneration Plant
Potential Forest Resources: 0.37 Btons
Potential Agriculture Resources: 1.0 Btons
Potentially available agricultural resources
Agricultural Productivity, 1948-96
Key Facts about Biofuels

 Ethanol
 Can be blended to at least 10% in all gas vehicles; is blended up to
25% in Brazil
 Additional costs of “fuel-flexible” vehicles (can run on any mixture of
ethanol and gasoline) are on the order of $200 per vehicle; many such
vehicles in U.S.
 Minnesota requires a 10% ethanol blend (E10) in all its gasoline, and
E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) is available at more than 300 fueling
stations statewide.
 Low-level ethanol blends reduce emissions of most pollutants, but
can increase some (e.g. NOx, hydrocarbons, aldehydes). Appears
positive on net, especially for CO2.
 Biodiesel
 Can be blended up to 100% with petroleum diesel in most engines,
though some minor modifications may be required
 Biodiesel blends reduce emissions of most pollutants compared to
petroleum diesel fuel, with reductions increasing with percent share
of biodiesel
 33% U.S. Ethanol
Production
26%

14%

21%

32%
 Currently, 94 ethanol plants nationwide have the
capacity to produce over 4 billion gallons annually.
There are 27 ethanol plants and eight expansions
under construction with a combined annual
capacity of more than 1.5 billion gallons. 3.4 billion
gallons in 2004.
U.S. Ethanol Refineries
2005 Energy Policy Act
Renewable Fuels Standard for Ethanol
2007 Act
RFS and
various
projections
 Ethanol Fuel
 Ethanol, the clean fuel:
 Ethanol is a clean-burning fuel that reduces carbon monoxide and
hydrocarbon tailpipe emissions.
 Ethanol is an oxygenate, and that oxygen allows it to burn more
cleanly and more completely than gasoline.
 Ethanol, the renewable fuel:
 Ethanol is made from corn and other crops, renewable resources
that derive their energy from the sun, rain, and soil.
 A new supply of ethanol can be "grown" each year, in contrast to
the millions of years needed to produce fossil fuel-based energy
sources.
 Ethanol, the high performance fuel:
 Pure 100% ethanol has an octane rating of 113, so adding 10%
ethanol to gasoline raises the overall octane by 2 to 3 points.
 Ethanol has a lower BTU value than gasoline, meaning that ethanol
burns cooler and is gentler on the vehicle's engine - less wear and
tear leads to longer engine life, but has less mpg.
 …but achieving ethanol’s potential requires transitioning
from corn to cellulosic perennial grasses, crop residues,
and wood.
Why? 1. Competition with Food Crops
2. Potentially available agricultural resources
Minor growth in grains major growth in residues, perennials
3. Net Energy & GHG emissions: gasoline and ethanol
(Farrell, et al., Science, 27 January 2006)
3. Net Energy & GHG emissions: gasoline and ethanol
(Farrell, et al., Science, 27 January 2006)
Net Energy & Petroleum: gasoline and ethanol
(Farrell, et al., Science, 27 January 2006)
Net Energy & Petroleum: gasoline and ethanol
(Farrell, et al., Science, 27 January 2006)
Primary Energy Pathways, Alternative Metrics
(Farrell, et al., Science, 27 January 2006)

Gasoline, Ethanol Today, CO2 Intensive, Cellulosic

Biodiesel:
Fastest % growth of all energy sources

80%

233%
 2007: 7.9 Bg
U.S.: <6%
Measures to Reduce CO2 Emissions from
Heavy Trucks
Existing Biodiesel Production Plants
2.24 billion gal/y
Biodiesel Production Plants under Construction
1.23 billion gal/y
Making Biodiesel: must meet ASTM stds for diesel
…but like ethanol, biodiesel is now dependent on food
crops: soybean, rapeseed, palm oil.
This is not sustainable.
As ethanol must move to cellulosic grasses,
biodiesel much move to microalgae
Lifecycle considerations
 Net Fossil Energy: 3.5:1 (diesel: 0.83:1)
 CO2 emissions: nearly net zero
 Air pollution:
Other alternative fuels:
Gas to Liquids (GTL), Coal-to-Liquids (CTL):
Fischer-Tropsch Process 66% efficient
14% more CO2 than gasoline
100% more CO2 than gasoline
 Other
biomass
Landfill Gas (LFG) Recovery