Biofuels cannot help decrease greenhouse gas emissions?

Biofuels are touted by many energy experts as one of the energy options that can lead to less greenhouse gas emissions in years to come. But not everyone is thrilled with the thought of increased biofuel production. One of the latest researches coming from Italian scientist Simone Vieri of the University of Rome argues very interestingly that biofuels will primarily serve the interests of large industrial groups rather than helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and ward off climate change.

When describing policies to combat climate change, Vieri points out that the European Union has planned to increase to 10% the share of fuel derived from biofuels on the market by 2020. The problems is that EU focused attention mainly on first-generation biofuels, made from the conversion of plant material which can be grown specifically for fuel production, such as corn, soy, sugarcane or palm oil. The second-generation biofuels, made from agricultural and woody crop biomass, including waste and by-products, is still in second plan and is not expected to play major role in achieving this goal.

By further analyzing currently available data and predicting future trend Vieri highlighted that in 2020 European Union will not be able to keep to its 10% biofuels goal focusing only at European agricultural production, but will have to continue importing the greatest part of raw materials, or biofuels from abroad.

The primary focus on first generation biofuels favors „production systems that are in competition with traditional agriculture for use of resources and production factors“. It can also lead to exploitation of human and environmental resources of poorer countries. The most important conclusion however is that the agricultural production processes that change land use can lead to zero net benefit in terms of emissions reduction.

If we look at the things from market perspective there are also several important observations. For example, financial market speculation strengthens the link between the price of oil and the price of the main agricultural raw materials, and increase in agricultural product prices also can lead to devastating impact on poorer nations and their food security.

Vieri further concluded that „the choice to promote first generation biofuels is an example of how politics places the protection of the interests and profit strategies of a restricted number of subjects before the costs and benefits to be had on a wider scale“.

Failure to achieve sustainable biofuel production would only raise the profits of multinationals and count for nothing in terms of reducing the global carbon footprint. Finding the right „green economy“model can only be achieved with the sustainable biofuel production, and focusing on first generation biofuels doesn't look to be the good solution.

Hydrothermal liquefaction facts

Hydrothermal liquefaction refers to a process that can convert all kinds of biomasses to crude bio-oil. This crude bio oil is much similar to fossil crude oil, up to a point that a simple thermal upgrade and existing refinery technology can be employed to subsequently obtain all the liquid fuels we know and use today.

Hydrothermal liquefaction is connected with very high efficiency levels. It consumes approximately 10-15 percent of the energy in the feed-stock biomass, resulting in an energy efficiency of 85-90 percent.

The big advantage of hydrothermal liquefaction is that it accepts all biomasses from sewage, manure, wood, compost and plant material along with waste from households, meat factories, dairy production and all other similar industries.

This process is said to be the most feed-stock flexible of any liquid fuel producing process (it only consumes approximately 10-15% of the energy in the feed-stock biomass), the one connected with significantly smaller costs as compared to pyrolysis, bio-ethanol, gasification with Fischer-Tropsch.

The brand new HTL method is based on flow production, where the biomass is injected into a 400 °C pre-heated reactor, then cooked under high pressure for  around 15 minutes and afterwards quickly cooled down to 70°C. The temperature of 400°C and high pressure creates so called super critical state, neither liquid nor gas, at which it easily decomposes the biomass.

HTL method is environmentally friendly, since no harmful solvents are involved (crude HTL oil has very low oxygen, sulfur and water content), and looks to be cost-effective since the energy efficiency is very high.

The water that emanates from the HTL process has low carbon contents and can either be recycled into the process or ultimately be purified to attain drinking water quality, which is the scientific long-term goal.

The crude bio-oil coming from HTL process is storage stable, and has comparatively low upgrading requirements, due in part to a high fraction of middle distillates in the crude oil. It can be used as produced in heavy engines or it can be hydrogenated or thermally upgraded to obtain diesel, gasoline or jet-fuels by the existing refinery technologies.

It is often said that bio-oil coming from HTL process is unique because it is directly comparable to fossil crude oil as it can directly enter the existing fuel distribution network for automotive transportation in any concentration.

HTL process isn't „upgrading intensive# as this is the case with some other similar processes such as pyrolysis which needs immediate upgrading in order not to deteriorate.

Crude HTL oil is said to have high heating values of approximately 35-39 MJ/kg.

The most notable hydrothermal liquefaction comes from the Denmark, with Aarhus and Aalborg University leading the way on HTL research at all levels.

General energy facts – Part 01

China is the world's largest manufacturer of not only solar panels but also wind turbines.

Standard commercial solar panels have a lifespan of 20+years.

Coal is still the mostly used fuel to generate electricity on worldwide scale.

Approximately 40% of the world electricity production comes from coal.   

According to the study by the Michigan State University it is 36 percent more efficient to grow grain for food than for fuel.

Geothermal heat pumps are always more efficient at heating compared to being used as pure electric heaters, even when extracting heat from cold winter air.

According to the study from Brazil's National Institute hydroelectric dams hurt climate more than oil by releasing significant amounts of methane into the environment, because of the rotting vegetation submerged when the reservoir floods.

Colorado was the first U.S. state to create a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), back in 2004.

World fastest growing energy technology is photovoltaic production that is increasing by an average of 48 percent each year since 2002.

Wind power provides about 20% of electricity production in Denmark which is significantly higher proportion than in any other country in the world.

Unlike wind and solar resources, which are more dependent upon weather fluctuations, geothermal resources are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The New Hope Power Partnership, located in South Bay, Florida, is the largest biomass power plant in North America.

Currently around 90 % of all buildings in Iceland are heated with geothermal power.

Biomass is the second most common renewable energy source in United States that satisfies around 4% of nation's electricity demand.

The world's largest wind farm is located in Texas, The Roscoe Wind Farm with the capacity of 781 MW.

California has more photovoltaics installed than all other U.S. states together.

Solar panels perform optimally when placed in direct sunlight so it is always wise to position your photovoltaic array directly under the noontime sun in order to achieve maximum efficiency.

Global geothermal heat pump capacity is growing by 10% annually.

Biofuels provided 1.8% of the world's transport fuel in 2008.

Coal is mostly used energy source to generate electricity (approximately 49% of the United States electricity comes from coal) despite being the "dirtiest" energy source of them all.

In the 2010 there were more than 85,000 people employed in the US wind industry.

Chinese plan to have 5 million electric cars on the nation’s road by 2020.

Biodiesel has 10 to 12 percent lower energy density compared to standard diesel fuel meaning you get a lower mileage for biodiesel compared to ordinary diesel fuel.

In 2009 U.S. accounted for only five percent of the world’s solar cells production.

US has very long history in harnessing geothermal energy because the first U.S. geothermal power plant was opened at The Geysers in California, more than 50 years ago, in 1960.

How promising is algae biofuel?

Algae biofuel is something that is currently receiving lot of attention and many consider this as one of the most promising biofuel technologies that should in years to come significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

It is not very difficult to spot the advantages of using algae biofuel. Algae biofuel can decrease the need for fossil fuels, and expensive foreign oil, it can reduce our carbon footprint, and make our environment healthier by decreasing the climate change impact. Also, with the future development of renewable energy sources such as algae biofuel, air pollution resulting from fossil fuels burning and (upcoming) energy crisis resulting from the exhaustion of natural resources would no longer present such an imminent threat. However this would require using algae biofuel on massive scale.

Harvesting algae to manufacture algae biofuel can be a rather challenging process. Collecting algae involves the process of separating it from its growing medium which alone is connected with some difficulties. Afterwards, the algae must be dried and only then we can transform them into biofuel. Also, there are many different algae species, meaning that some species require different conditions that need to be developed prior to harvesting. The drying of algae is vital component in the harvesting process, and this also requires special conditions.

In the midst of algal growth tanks, researcher Brian Dwyer views a sample prior to a turbidity measurement. (Photo by Randy Montoya).

Oil extraction from algae is a much debated topic because it is currently connected with significant costs. In theory this process could not be easier, just harvest the algae and remove the oil from it, but the reality gets much more complicated once you include costs of this process. The mechanical method and the chemical method are the two most common methods used to extract oil from algae.

Like with any other energy source we also need to discuss possible environmental impact of algae biofuel, whether it is a positive or negative. The environmental effects of extracting oil from algae are also quite controversial topic because some environmentalists do not think they are environmentally friendly source of energy. These negative opinions are mostly connected with solvents used to extract oil as they can if not treated properly harm not only our environment, but can also have negative impact on human health. This is the main reason why science is working hard to come up with the environmentally friendly extraction processes but so far the possible solutions have not been acceptable from the economic point of view, because of the high costs, which does not support commercial component of mass production.

What this means is that although algae biofuel is one of the most promising biofuel alternatives currently being researched, it is still far from reaching a level where it will be both economically viable, as well as environmentally friendly source of energy. This means that science still needs to provide answers to these issues, and improve environmental as well as economic component of algae biofuel.

Those are serious setbacks but these setbacks should serve as a great motivation for us to work harder, and devote our resources and expertise to overcome these challenges, and create algae biofuel that would not be connected with negative environmental impact, and in the same time making extraction less costly. The need for renewable energy sources is more than obvious, and each renewable energy source with big enough potential needs more attention, Algae biofuel is definitely one of the potential answers to cut our dependence on fossil fuels.

You can read the following article if you want to learn more about algae biofuel: Biofuel production from algae.

Biofuels given boost in United States

Many people see biofuels as one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels, as United States is trying to become greener by developing its renewable energy sector. Biofuels, together with wind energy and solar energy, are becoming leaders in U.S. renewable energy sector, and U.S. government is also doing their part to promote these renewable energy sources. One of the best examples of what U.S. government is doing to give boost to renewables is a $24m grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will be given to companies that develop technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value bio-based products using biomass as feedstock.

The conditions that these companies have to met are as follows: the awardees must contribute a minimum of 20% of matching funds for R&D projects and 50% of matching funds for demonstration projects. For bio-based products and biofuels development, there are currently chosen companies as GE Global Research, Gevo, Itaconix, Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation, and Velocys.


Gevo, one of the most prominent biofuel companies, was awarded $1.8m, their chairman said that this grant will help fund ongoing development of its yeast strain to produce biobutanol from cellulosic biomass. The company started up its biobutanol demonstration plants the first in the world just year ago. The facility was designed from adapting an existing demonstration scale ethanol plant to produce biobutanol.

Itaconix, another of these awarded companies aims to produce green polymers from itaconic acid fermented with sugars extracted from hardwood biomass. Their product polyitaconic acid is a water soluble polymer, and according to their latest reports has a 2 million ton/year market potential as a replacement for petrochemical dispersants, detergents, and super-absorbents.

Other companies that were awarded include names like include Exelus, which wants to develop a Biomass-to-Gasoline (BTG) technology; and universities such as University of Tennessee that works on switchgrass, etc.

One company that also has to be mentioned here is energy crop company Ceres also won a grant of $5m from the DOE to develop high-yielding, low-input energy grasses. The company aims to expand an advanced trait development project to increase biomass yields of several energy grasses by nearly 40%, and at the same time to decrease the use of inputs such as nitrogen fertilizers. This "amazing grass" as it was called by some energy experts could displace 1.3 billion barrels of oil and 58 million tons of coal over a ten year period, according to latest reports from Ceres.

In any case it is nice to see that federal government is investing money in development of renewable technologies. Without the adequate investment the renewable energy sector will be too weak to compete with fossil fuels, and this would significantly decrease the Obama's efforts to make U.S. greener in years to come.

Biomass energy facts

Biomass is all plant and animal matter on the Earth's surface. Biomass is anything that is alive. It is also anything that was alive a short time ago.

Biomass gets its energy from the sun. Plants store the sun’s energy in their leaves and roots. Then animals eat plants and other animals to move and grow. The energy of the sun is 'captured' through the process of photosynthesis in growing plants.

Biomass energy is renewable, which means we can make more biomass in a short time. We can always grow more plants.

Biomass can be used to make electricity. Many towns burn their garbage in waste-to-energy plants. Instead of putting the garbage in landfills, they burn it to make electricity.

Biomass can be used to make an energy-rich gas called biogas. Biogas is like the natural gas we use in our stoves and furnaces.

Biomass is found in forests, fields and barns, in industrial and manufacturing facilities, and in landfills. Click on picture for full size.

Biomass can also be turned into a fuel like gasoline. Just as apples can be made into cider, corn and wheat can be made into ethanol. Ethanol is a fuel a lot like gasoline.

Biomass is part of the carbon cycle. Carbon from the atmosphere is converted into biological matter by photosynthesis.

Biomass is a sustainable and potentially environmentally sound resource.

Biomass is considered to be one of the key renewable resources of the future at both small- and large-scale levels. It already supplies 14 % of the world’s primary energy consumption.

With increases in population and per capita demand, and depletion of fossil-fuel resources, the demand for biomass is expected to increase rapidly in developing countries

Growing biomass is a rural, labour-intensive activity, and can, therefore, create jobs in rural areas and help stem rural-to-urban migration.

Extracting energy from biomass is an ancient practice, dating back to when people first burnt wood to provide heat and light.

Most biomass is in solid form, but it can also be a liquid. Biomass usually consists of a complex polymer of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with small amounts of nitrogen and inorganic elements.

Biomass is not fossilised material (like oil, coal and gas) but fresh material that can grow again after having been harvested.

Modern biomass is used to produce power and heat in large-scale facilities: solid biomass, biogas, biofuel or biodiesel.

Using biomass as a fuel means that carbon dioxide (CO2) which was absorbed from the air while the plant was growing, is released back into the air when the fuel is burned. The system is said to be carbon neutral.

Biomass power or biopower is the use of biomass to generate electricity, or heat and steam required for the operation of a refinery. Biopower system technologies include direct-firing, cofiring, gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion.

The forest biomass is currently the most expensive fuel for the power plants and the market structure will not support transport of much more than 50 miles from the forest to the biomass powerplant.

Geographic Distribution of Biomass Crops in the US. Click on picture for full size.

Example of biomass energy usage in US: Washington biomass is already producing electricity, steam and fuels while creating jobs from clean, sustainable sources of energy.

Biomass is the top candidate for oil equivalents, and indeed biodiesel has been getting more attention of late as a renewable and low-net-carbon method of fueling vehicles.

Biomass is becoming increasingly interesting as a source of heating for rural districts. Biomass will be the most important fuel for rural households particularly in their cooking and agriculture activities such as crop drying.

Like crude oil refining, it is expected that plant biomass will be fractionated into its different component parts, which will then be used for the production of a wide variety of fuels, materials and fine chemicals.

According to trials happening in Japan, if the biomass is going to be transported in from 200 km away, the amount of energy needed to transport the biomass is going to be larger than the energy that can be produced.

The manufacturing related to biomass is going to happen where biomass occurs. Biomass occurs in rural areas meaning more manufacturing jobs in rural areas.

Biodiesel facts

Biodiesel is the name for a renewable energy source manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking oils. Biodiesel can be produced at home with local inputs and biodiesel production and distribution can create jobs.

Biodiesel is both hopeful and alarming. Hopeful because it's renewable, and alarming because rising food prices (food is turned into fuel).

Biodiesel is a liquid which varies in color from golden to dark brown depending on the production feedstock.

Biodiesel is a relatively clean-burning fuel that can replace the non-renewable petrodiesel.

Biodiesel has a calorific value of around 37.3 GJ per ton (for fossil fuels it's 45.6 GJ per ton). Soybean biodiesel has higher net energy benefit than corn ethanol.

Biodiesel can be produced from any fat or oil such as sunflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil, palm oil, tallow to name a few through a refinery process called transesterification. Click on picture for full size.

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification - the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products - biodiesel (chemical name: methyl esters) and glycerin (used in soaps and other products).

Biodiesel can be readily integrated into the existing petroleum diesel supply.

Biodiesel is currently available at around 300 filling stations across the United States.

Biodiesel is now available at many normal service stations across Europe.

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that can be used directly in any unmodified existing diesel engine.

Biodiesel is about 11% oxygen by weight and contains no acid rain causing sulphur.

Biodiesel can dissolve certain types of paints, if left on a painted surface long enough.

Biodiesel is safe to handle and transport because it is as biodegradable as sugar, 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a high flashpoint of about 125°C compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 55°C.

Colza on the left is used for biodiesel, wheat for food. Click on picture for full size.

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.

Biodiesel is often more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel but this is expected to diminish due to economies of scale and agricultural subsidies versus the rising cost of petroleum as reserves are depleted. In some countries biodiesel is already less expensive than conventional diesel.

Biodiesel is widely used in Europe and in the U.S. Midwest. In Europe biodiesel is often the lowest-priced fuel at pumps because of government policies based on its environmental profile.

Biodiesel is generally not stored for long periods of time, but can be stored for years provided that it is kept free of condensation and bacteriological growths.

The direct source of the energy content of biodiesel is solar energy captured by plants during photosynthesis.

Biodiesel is considered readily biodegradable under ideal conditions and non-toxic.

The overall ozone (smog) forming potential of biodiesel is less than diesel fuel.

Biodiesel is now being included in major state and nation-wide legislative efforts.

Biodiesel is now available at many normal service stations across Europe and United States. Click on picture for full size.

Biodiesel has a higher cetane number than U.S. diesel fuel, but slightly lower energy content than diesel.

Biodiesel has better lubricity than that of today's diesel fuels. Biodiesel adds significant lubricant functions to the fuel, reducing engine wear and reportedly extending engine life.

Biodiesel has been produced on an industrial scale in the European Union since 1992.

Biodiesel has a positive energy balance, meaning that more energy is produced with the fuel than is used to create a fuel.

Increased use of biodiesel has created some handling challenges for bringing blended fuels to the consumer.

Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with petroleum in any percentage.

Biodiesel fuel can also be used in combination with heating oil to heat residential and industrial buildings. This can reduce dependence on non-renewable and increasingly expensive heating oil.

Biodiesel fuel can damage rubber hoses in some engines, particularly in cars built before 1994-5.

Biokerosene to be used in aviation

Biokerosene and biodiesel are both biofuels, both refined from oleaginous crops. At first it looked like the biodiesel will be the most significant of all alternative fuels and first one to find its place on the international market. But apparently it looks like that won't be the case because biokerosene looks to be adapting more quickly because of its potential use in aviation. As we all know planes are very fuel-hungry (jet plane needs about 10000 liters of fuel to take off) and petroleum-based fuel won't last for eternity, it costs too much, and its price will probably rise even higher so it's important to find some kind of alternative and that alternative could be biokerosene.

This is what Brasilian inventor of biokerosene and biodiesel, Expedito Parente stressed out and he also added how biofuel is being tested "throughout the air transport chain, including in the manufacturing of planes, turbines and accessories, and the network of aeronautical fuel distribution". Parente says that biodiesel, which is intended for local consumption, making use of available raw materials and biokerosene for aviation "has to be international, shared" and free from national protectionisms, although this is yet to be seen.

Biofuels and the carbon circle. Click on picture for full size.

So far this biofuel alternative seems to be only alternative that seems economically viable and biofuels are also emiting less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However biofuel isn't perfect alternative fuel as Jean Ziegler, UN Special Rapporteur recently said, pointing out how production of biofuels will cause even more hunger in the world because biofuel production is direct transformation of food to a fuel and this will not only cause more hunger in the world but will also increase the price of food .

It is a very thin line between positive and negative sides of biofuel and this hunger problem will certainly need more attention because it's morally unacceptable to produce fuel from food that could easily mean salvation of many hungry people despite positive economic reasons. Looking at the other side, aviation like all other transport sectors it's not possible to be without, so some sort of compromise will have to be find to sort out the difference between hunger on one side and need for fuel on another. Especially since planes will need much more fuel than cars do, meaning much more food will be transformed to a fuel and the cost of this could be very high indeed, especially in Africa.

Biodiesel and food prices

Recently there's more and more talk about the biodiesel and ethanol (biofuels) as the replacements for the traditional fossil fuels and majority of politicians are saying how biodiesel and ethanol are the perfect renewable energy sources which can be manufactured by literally anyone and therefore decrease the energy import dependence. Despite the fact that there are significant benefits in decreased oil importing dependence, things must be observed on the more detailed way. When we look at origin, properties and methods of using biodiesel or ethanol more closely, it all results with the conclusion that biodiesel and ethanol are extremely dangerous for the further development of the humanity. Basically, biodiesel or ethanol production is in fact direct transformation of food to an fuel, so additional demands for some types of food will increase the price of that food causing direct increase of hunger spreading in the world because bigger price means also smaller availability of that food to poor countries.

Colza on the left is used for biodiesel, wheat for food. Click on picture for full size.

Jean Ziegler, UN Special Reporter from program "Right to food" said it on Friday 26th October 2007 that the production of biofuels will increase the hunger in the world and he's basing his statement on the fact that production of biodiesel and ethanol had a significant role in increasing the price of some types of the food to a record level. He also suggested a five year moratorium on biodiesel and ethanol production because he thinks in five years it will be possible to make biodiesel and ethanol from agricultural waste, and not from the food itself. He also said that "the effect of transforming hundreds and hundreds of thousands of tones of maize, of wheat, of beans, of palm oil, into agricultural fuel is absolutely catastrophic for the hungry people." Also he added that "wheat prices doubled in one year and the price of corn quadrupled, leaving poor countries, especially in Africa, unable to pay for the imported food needed to feed their people". At the end he concluded that the production of biodiesel and ethanol is actually the crime against humanity.

The influence of biodiesel and ethanol production on food prices is probably the most noticeable in the USA where farmers are paying more and more attention to corn production which is later transformed to ethanol, and increased production of corn means decreased production of other food and therefore increasing the price of that food. With increased production of other food there's also the competition between the ethanol manufacturers and meat manufacturers of who'll get more corn, so price of the corn, as well as its production is also increasing because of the high profit, and with this development meat price will rise in years to come as well.

Food or fuel? US farmers are paying more and more attention to corn production which is later transformed to ethanol. Click on picture for full size.

European Union

While the European Commission invites political leaders to debate an international approach to biodiesel and ethanol, the food and drink industry welcomes this dialogue which needs to work also towards the development of sustainability criteria for the production of biodiesel and ethanol. CIAA – the voice of the European food and drink industry – believes it is equally important to ensure availability and competitiveness of agricultural raw material supplies for the production of food and drink products.

“The development of biofuels (biodiesel and ethanol) bears important challenges for the food and drink industry,” said Jean Martin, President of CIAA. “The launch of many biodiesel and ethanol programmes around the globe is contributing to increased tension and high price volatility on agricultural markets. The diversification of biodiesel and ethanol sources is one of our objectives in trying to reduce tensions in certain sectors.”

Biodiesel production in Member states and in EU-25 (Source: EBB, 2006). Click on picture for full size.

To maintain a competitive EU food and drink sector, industry must rely on sufficient feedstock availability. CIAA has called on the European Commission to ensure regular monitoring of the availability of agricultural markets and to put into place safeguard mechanisms to prevent or counter any crisis situation.

Mr. Martin added: “In developing sustainable biofuel schemes, it is essential that any approach strikes a balance between the objective of reducing green house gas emissions, protecting the wider environment, including bio-diversity, and the need for practical solutions that are easy to enforce and to control. Imported feedstock for biofuel use will have to comply with the same system, calling for reference to existing international standards including good agricultural practices and specific biofuels sustainability criteria. It is important to allow trade flows to continue without impediments.”

At EU level, the impact a 10% legally binding target will have on the supply in agricultural raw materials for the food and drink industries in terms of availability and price has raised concern within CIAA. It must be recalled that any binding character of a target is conditional to production being sustainable and to second-generation biofuels becoming economically viable.

Conclusion

Biodiesel and ethanol are at this moment mostly produced out of the canola, corn, sugar cane and soybean. In the same time there are about 850 million people that don't have enough food to eat. And when we look at the current trend of transforming the food into a fuel that is currently happening in rich countries, it is much easier to understand the words of Jean Ziegler, UN Special Reporter from program "Right to food", from his speech in 2006 when he said: "Every child who dies of hunger in today's world has been murdered".