Advanced Biofuels: Why Do We Want Them?

July15,2015

ADVANCED BIOFUELS:WHY DO WE WANT THEM?

JessieStolarkPolicyAssociate

• Foundedin1984byabipartisanCongressionalcaucusasanindependentnon‐profitorganization(butreceivesnoCongressionalfunding)

• Sourceofnon‐partisaninformationonenergyandenvironmentpolicydevelopmentforCongressandotherpolicymakers

• Climatechange isoneofthemostseriousproblemsfacingcivilizationtoday―impactinginfrastructure,watersupply,agriculture,publichealthandnaturalecosystems

Outline:

• Dowestillneedbiofuels?

• Whatisanadvancedbiofuel?

• GHGprofileofbiofuelsvs.oil

• Otherbenefitsofbiofuels

U.S. Department of Energy. Transportation Energy Data Book 2014, U.S. DOE

Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector in 2013, U.S. EPA

GHGEmissionsfromTransportation

BiofuelsNeedtobeDoneSustainably

B. Dale et al., Take a Closer Look: Biofuels Can Support Environmental, Economic & Social Goals, Enviro. Sci & Tech., 2014.

Fuel GHG thresholdreduction (%)

RFS 2022Volumes

Conventional biofuel 20 15 bgalAdvanced biofuels 50

21 bgalBiomass based‐diesel 50 Cellulosic biofuel 60

RenewableFuelStandard:EPAFuelCategories

AdvancedBiofuels:Ethanol,Biodiesel,Jet&Marine

Wikipedia via a Creative Commons license

Texas A&M via a Creative Commons license

“Wastes”:• CropResidue• Organicwastes• Forestrywaste

Purposegrown:• Perennialgrasses• Fastgrowingwoodycrops• Grasses• Legumes• Algae,cyanobacteria

Idaho National Lab via a Creative Commons license

WelltoWheelsGHGAccounting

• Directinputs:• Fertilizer• Energy

• Outputs:• Main:fuel• Co‐products:electricity,

highproteinanimalfeed,oils.

• Indirectinputs:• Landusechange

WelltoWheelsGHGAccountingforFuelFeedstocks – gCO2/mj

M. Wang et. al., “Well-to-Wheels Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ethanol from Corn, Sugarcane, and Cellulosic Biomass for US Use.” Enviro. Research Letters, 2012.

Company/Fuel Feedstock RFS GHG ReductionMandate (%)

EPA Pathwayactual (%)

Poet Laddonia: Ethanol 

Corn starch

20 28.2%

High Plains Bioenergy: Biodiesel

Waste fats & oils

50 78%

ENVIA:Biogas

Landfillgas

60 77%

Algenol:Ethanol

Algae 60 69%

GHGWell toWheels:Mandatedvs.Actual

U.S. EPA, Approved Pathways

BioJet feedstock GHG reductionpotential relative to 

jet fuel (%)Cellulosic  (algae, crop wastes etc.)

41 – 63%

Oil seed crops 68 ‐76%corn stover (100%) 89%

GHGWelltoWheels:BioJet Fuel

J. Han et. al., “Life-cycle analysis of bio-based aviation fuels.” BioresourceTech., 2013.

• Conventionalcrude:– Easytoextract&refine– Naturallyoccurringinliquidform

• Unconventionalcrude:– Energyintensivetoextract&refine– Examples:fracking,tarsands,offshoredrilling– Canadiantarsands:18– 21%higheremissionsthanconventionalcrudeoil.

GHGWelltoWheels:Oil

• Understanding Unconventional Oil, Carnegie Endowment for Peace, 2012

• C. Hai et. al, Well-to-Wheels Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Canadian Oil Sands Products: Implications for U.S. Petroleum Fuels, Enviro Sci. & Tech., 2015

FuelChoiceEffectsBeyondGHGs

45millionAmericanslive,gotoschoolorworkwithin300feetofamajorroadway,airportorrailway.‐‐ U.S.EPA

• Gasolinecontains~25%byvolumegasolinearomatics

• Gasolinearomatics benzene,toluene,ethylbenzene&xylene

• Increasingthevolumeofethanolingasolinelowerstoxicgasolineadditives

• Biofuelsareanecessarypieceinde‐carbonizingthetransportationsector

• SustainabilityisKEY– andgoesbeyondGHGs

• Progressonsustainabilityisbeingmade,andneedstocontinue

• Renewablefuelsaremorethanjustcornethanol

Takeaways:

• ArgonneNationalLaboratory

• OakRidgeNationalLaboratory

• NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory

• USDOEBioenergyTechnologiesOffice

• Dr.BruceDale,MichiganStateUniversity

• SteveVanderGriend,UrbanAirInitiative

Acknowledgements:

JessieStolarkPolicyAssociate,SustainableBiomass

[email protected]‐662‐1885

THANK YOU