Biomass for Biofuel. Effects of Global Warming Rising sea level Submergence of low lying costal & riverbed areas Loss of wildlife habitats Warm water.

Biomass for Biofuel

Effects of Global Warming Rising sea level

Submergence of low lying costal & riverbed areasLoss of wildlife habitatsWarm water endangers plant & animal species

Climate changesHeat waves create hurricanes and floodingDrought areas increaseIncrease occurrences of wildfires

We know fossil fuel emissions are part of the global warming problem

Can we decrease or eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels?

By using biomass for biofuels it is a possibility

Biomass is anything that is alive or was alive a short time ago.

• Trees, crops, garbage and animal waste are all biomass. Biomass gets its energy from the sun.

• Plants store the suns energy in leaves and roots

• When biomass is burned it creates heat• We can also change the energy in biomass into

fuels with the help of biotechnology• Biomass energy is renewable

Types of biomass for biofuel Maize and Sugar Cane

Sugars from maize and sugar cane are fermented to ethanol to be used as a biofuel

Enzymes have been modified biotechnologically to increase the rate in which maize starch converts to sugar

Transgenic lines are being sought for an increase of total concentration of sugar in sugar cane

Types of biomass for biofuel Maize and Sugar Cane

for Ethanol

Pros- no carbon emissionsWater soluble and easily biodegradablerenewable biomass

Cons- fertilizer use, insecticide use and use of fossil fuels for farm equipment and transportUses land necessary for production of food

Types of biomass for biofuelpalm oil, soybean oil & oilseed rape

Oils go through an esterfication process which cleaves glycerol from the fatty acids. Fatty acids ( the methyl esters) are used as biodiesel.

For use as biodiesel the long fatty acid chains of the oils have to be broken. Oils can be genetically engineered to suppress elongases, shortening the fatty acid chains.

Types of biomass for biofuelpalm oil, soybean oil & oilseed rape

for Biodiesel

Pros- no carbon emissions diesel engines can run on biodiesel without any

alteration to the engineRenewal biomass

Cons-Uses land necessary for food productionEmits nitrogen oxide which causes smog and

contributes to ozone

Types of biomass for biofuelCellulosics

Corn strover (leaves & stalks), switchgrass (a perennial), poplar trees & eucalyptus

Biotechnological solutions are being sought to decrease lignin content & increase cellulose

In poplar trees genetic modification would provide dense growth with increased synthesis of cellulose and hemicellulose

Types of biomass for biofuelCellulosics for Ethanol

Pros- no carbon emissions Strover is recycled instead of being burned for

clearing. Use of switchgrass and poplars provide higher yield without fertilizers

Cons- better technologies needed to degrade or limit lignin content

Cellulosics have the potential for the greatest input/output result &

emit the least amount of greenhouse gases

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/10/biofuels/biofuels-interactive

ProposalUse of cellulosics are economically relevant

No costs for fertilizers and related agricultural costs

Abundant renewal resource – greater biomass yield per growth period

Does not compete with food sources-increases in feedstock biofuel production increases food prices 20%-30% according to the International Monetary Fund

Production plants in America would have a positive economic impact.

Use of cellulosics are politically relevant

The American Clean Energy and Security Act requires that emissions be reduced 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires the U.S. to produce 16 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels by 2022

President Obama has budgeted $150 million for clean energy research over the next ten years expecting renewable energy sources to create 300,000 jobs

Use of cellulosics are environmentally relevant

Cellulosics can grow on lands not suitable for food crops avoiding food/fuel competition for land

Cellulosic crops prevent soil erosionProvide ecosystems for plant and animal species

maintaining biodiversityThere is a variety of cellulosic sources available

for energy usage based on geographic locations

The breakdown of cellulosic biomass releases celluloses and hemicellulose hydrolyzed to 5&6 carbon chain sugars for fermentation

The challenge is the development of lignin reduction in cellulosics to take full advantage of abundant cellulosic biomass for the production of biofuel

This may be achieved transgenically by creating transformants with increased cellulose having a more biodegradable structure using the CBD gene with RNAi techniques to modulate the lignin content

RNAi changes the way the enzymes perform in the phenylpropanoid pathway that synthesizes lignin

Structure of lignocelluloses.

Additional benefits of CellulosicsCellulose is the most abundant biological

material availableCorn strover and wheat byproducts from

farming can be repurposed for biofuel leaving enough by products for farmers to enrich soil without depleting food sources

Perennial switchgrass can be cultivated increasing revenue for farmers

Modification of fast growing poplars provides biomass needed to meet federal requirements