Biofuels Science Cafe main presentation 2008

Biofuels – A solution for a low carbon future
Stuart W. Shales
School of Life Sciences
University of the West of England, Bristol
[email_address]
The current biofuels controversy: The issues and the answers

‘ The Times’ (26/02/2008)

The Need For Biofuels
Fossil fuels are limited – ‘peak oil’
Concern over carbon dioxide emissions
Reduce imports of oil into UK
New sustainable fuel sources required
Stimulation of the rural economy

UK Motor Fuel Usage
Total: 38.1 million tonnes/year
Petrol: 18.7 million tonnes/year
DERV: 19.4 million tonnes/year
(Source: DTI, 2005 data)

UK Motor Fuel Usage Data source: DTI/BERR

Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation Department for Transport - 10 November 2005 “ 5%* of all UK fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from a renewable source by 2010” * On energy basis (5.75% by volume)

EU Fuels and Energy Targets 2020 Announced 9 March 2007
20% reduction in greenhouse gases (from 1990 levels) but could be increased to 30% if USA etc come on board
20% EU energy to come from renewable sources
10% of transport fuels to be biofuels

First Generation Biofuels
Bioethanol (petrol substitute)
Produced by fermentation and distillation
Biodiesel (diesel substitute)
Produced by transesterification of vegetable oils

First Generation Biofuels: Bioethanol Brazilian Alcohol Programme Active since the mid 1970s E out / E in ~ 4.0

First Generation Biofuels: Bioethanol Ethanol from grain E out / E in ~ 1.5

First Generation Biofuels: Biodiesel: produced from vegetable oils by transesterificaion

Biodiesel Production Rapeseed oil + Methanol Methyl ester + Glycerol Catalysts: Sodium hydroxide Sulphuric acid Lipase enzymes

Biodiesel: oilseed rape E out / E in ~ 2.3

Biodiesel: sunflower

European Biodiesel Production Source: EBB

European Biodiesel Production Country 2005 Actual 2006 Actual 2007 Actual (‘000 Tonnes) (‘000 Tonnes) (‘000 Tonnes) Germany 1,669 2,662 2,890 France 492 743 872 Italy 396 447 363 Spain 73 99 168 UK 51 192 150 Total-EU 3,184 4,890 5,713 Source: European Biodiesel Board (EBB)

First Generation Biofuels The land use for food versus land use for biofuels controversy

Land Required for Biofuel Production (% total UK agricultural land) % Fuel Substitution (by volume) 5% 10% 100% Bioethanol a 2.3% 4.6% 46% Biodiesel b 5.2% 10.4% 104% Total: 7.5% 15% 150% (set aside land was ~ 3.7% of total UK agricultural land in 2006/2007 but now returning to zero with Single Farm Payment) a Petrol substitute, b Diesel substitute

Crop Prices Source: Farmers Weekly Interactive

First Generation Biofuels
Use annual crop plants (eg Wheat, Rape)
Lower biomass yields than perennial crops such as Miscanthus
Waste a large proportion of the crop
Rape: for every tonne of rapeseed oil produced there are 2 tonnes of rape meal and 3.1 tonnes of rape straw produced

Biodiesel - Alternative Crops: Jatropha
Grows in warm climates (eg India and Africa) on marginal land
Produces 1,590 kg oil/hectare (cf Rape 1,000 kg oil/hectare )
Harvesting is intensive and needs cheap labour

Biodiesel - Alternative Crops: Oil Palm
Grows in tropics (eg Malaysia and
Indonesia)
Produces 5,000 kg oil/hectare (cf
Rape 1,000 kg oil/hectare )
Harvesting is intensive and needs
cheap labour
Involves destruction of tropical
rainforests and reduction in
biodiversity
Particular threat to the Orang-Utan

Second Generation Biofuels
Bioethanol & biobutanol produced from biomass (saccharification of lignocellulose)
Fischer-Tropsch oils (eg synthetic diesel)
SunDiesel™ (Choren Industries & DaimlerChrysler)
Use perennial crop plants
Miscanthus
Short rotation coppiced Willow
Higher biomass yields than annual crops
Use complete biomass rather than part of it

Second Generation Biofuel Crops: Miscanthus (Elephant Grass)

Second Generation Biofuels: Fischer-Tropsch Oils Biomass Gasification Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Synthetic Hydrocarbons Oil Yield ~ 3-7 x higher per hectare compared to oilseed rape

Third Generation Biofuels: Microalgal Biodiesel
Microalgae have a high photosynthetic efficiency
Greater biomass production per hectare
Are photosynthetic and fix carbon dioxide; some can also grow on organic wastes (sewage, food processing wastes etc)
Can produce 50 to 100 times as much oil per hectare per annum compared to oilseed rape

Third Generation Biofuels: Microalgal Biodiesel

Third Generation Biofuels: Microalgal Biodiesel Production* *Based on 30% oil content and 23-38 tonnes algae (dry wt) produced/ha/year Motor fuel replaced Motor fuel replaced (% total use) Land required (m Ha) Land required (% UK agricultural) CO 2 saved (m Tn/year) CO 2 saved (% UK emissions) Diesel 50% 0.5-0.8 2.7-4.4% 64.6 12.2% Diesel & Petrol 100% 1.0-1.6 5.6-8.9% 129.2 24.4%

Conclusion and Targets
Use first generation biofuels to meet RTFO
Plant biomass crops for second generation biofuels schemes
Invest in research and development for third generation biofuels
Improve vehicle fuel economy
Use vehicles less

Biofuels – A solution for a low carbon future End of Presentation Thank you for Listening

Biofuels Science Cafe main presentation 2008

by BSciA on Nov 07, 2011

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Biofuels Science Cafe main presentation 2008 — Presentation Transcript