Biofuels thread

[RegGuheert]

New research from the University of Michigan: Biofuels increase, rather than decrease, heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions: study

The study, based on U.S. Department of Agriculture crop-production data, shows that during the period when U.S. biofuel production rapidly ramped up, the increased carbon dioxide uptake by the crops was only enough to offset 37 percent of the CO2 emissions due to biofuel combustion.

[GRA]

New research from the University of Michigan: Biofuels increase, rather than decrease, heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions: study

The study, based on U.S. Department of Agriculture crop-production data, shows that during the period when U.S. biofuel production rapidly ramped up, the increased carbon dioxide uptake by the crops was only enough to offset 37 percent of the CO2 emissions due to biofuel combustion.

Reg, that's the same study I posted above.

[GRA]

All via GCC:

KLM to operate biofuel flights out of Los Angeles

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... 9-klm.html

Gevo to supply Lufthansa with alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ)

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... -gevo.html

GoodFuels Marine and Boskalis successfully test UPM’s sustainable wood-based biofuel for marine fleet

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... 9-upm.html

ARPA-E to issue funding opportunity for advanced technologies for seaweed cultivation for fuels and chemicals

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... arpae.html

[GRA]

Via GCC:

JetBlue enters 10-year renewable HEFA SPK jet fuel purchase agreement with SG Preston; 33M gallons of 30% blend per year

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... tblue.html

. . . The airline will purchase renewable jet fuel made from rapidly renewable, bio-based feedstocks that do not compete with food production. This marks one of the largest renewable jet fuel purchase agreements yet, and the largest, long-term, binding commitment by any airline globally for HEFA (hydro-processed esters and fatty acids) SPK (synthetic paraffinic kerosene) -based renewable jet fuel. . . .

The renewable jet fuel portion produced from select plant oils is targeted to achieve a 50% or higher reduction in greenhouse gases emissions per gallon based on a life-cycle analysis. The fuel is expected to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) qualification for renewable fuel standards, as well as the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials certification standard for sustainable production of biofuels.

JetBlue is currently progressing forward and working through the process with the intent of supplying New York-metropolitan area airports with renewable jet fuel. In its blended form, the total amount of renewable jet fuel JetBlue will purchase equals approximately 20% of its annual fuel consumption at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). . . .

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Neste to begin selling 100% renewable diesel in Finland

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/10 ... neste.html

Neste plans to start selling diesel produced entirely from renewable raw materials at selected stations in Finland around the turn of the year. . . .

Neste’s proprietary NEXBTL technology makes it possible to produce top-quality renewable diesel and other renewable products out of waste and residue materials and vegetable oils. . . .

100% Neste Renewable Diesel is used in California, where it helps cities and counties to reduce traffic-related greenhouse gas emissions. Users of Neste Renewable Diesel include cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek, Carlsbad, and county of Sacramento. As for corporate customers, Google and UPS have also chosen to reduce their carbon footprint by using Neste Renewable Diesel. . . .

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Argonne LCA finds renewable diesel from algae fractionation has 63-68% lower GHG than petroleum diesel

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/10 ... gonne.html

. . . Early research on the fractionation process conducted at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) demonstrated encouraging results with high yields (~65%) for hydrolysis of algal carbohydrates to monomeric sugars, and high yields (~80%) of fermentable sugars to ethanol as well as recovery of lipids via a wet extraction process at roughly 80 wt% moisture content.

Other work has shown that the fractionation pathway is attractive economically; fractionation could achieve a selling price of $4.35 per gallon of gasoline equivalent (GGE) in 2011 dollars for a high-lipid feedstock.

The fractionation pathway is attractive economically, but it redirects biomass away from on-site renewable heat and power generation, so it is possible that GHG and energy use performance may be impaired. Performance is often assessed via a metric of emissions or energy use per unit of produced fuel. The question addressed by this paper is whether the fuel yield increase in the fractionation process compensates for the decrease in on-site heat and power production and compensates for the increase in process energy demand, e.g., for ethanol distillation.

This study presents an LCA of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for algal biofuels produced via the fractionation process… The LCA considered all operations in the fuel pathway, including upstream material and energy provisioning operations, cultivation, and final fuel use.

—Pegallapati and Frank (2016). . . .

[RegGuheert]

It seems some biofuels are worse than others. The EU continues their assault on biofuels...

Biofuels cause four times more carbon emissions:

Soybeans grown in America therefore have an indirect carbon footprint of 340kg of CO2 per gigajoule, compared to just 85kg for conventional diesel or gasoline.

...and at the same time power plants in Denmark convert to burning wood pellets:

The energy company Dong Energy has now announced that Denmark's largest power plant in Avedøre will be completely transitioned to wood pellets by 2016, making it the largest biomass power plant in the country.

There still is a debate raging in Europe over this issue:

The European Commission insisted that biofuels is a complex issue and further studies need to be done.

But Kenneth Richter, Friends of the Earth campaigner, said the report proves that biofuels are not the answer to tackling climate change.

"Most of the crops used for biofuels at the moment produce more emissions than fossil fuels therefore biofuel targets in Europe make no sense and are doing opposite of what they are supposed to be doing," he said.

[GRA]

Via GCC:

BETO report identifies biofuel/bioproducts opportunities from wet and gaseous waste: ~22.2B GGE/year

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2017/01 ... -beto.html

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office has published a report, titled Biofuels and Bioproducts from Wet and Gaseous Waste Streams: Challenges and Opportunities. The report is the first comprehensive assessment of the resource potential and technology opportunities provided by wet and gaseous feedstocks, including wastewater treatment-derived sludge and biosolids, animal manure, food waste, inedible fats and greases, biogas, and carbon dioxide streams.

These feedstocks can be converted into renewable natural gas, diesel, and aviation fuels, or into valuable bioproducts.

Direct link to DoE report here: https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/biofuels_and_bioproducts_from_wet_and_gaseous_waste_streams_full_report_2.pdf

[RegGuheert]

"Green Guzzler" power plant blamed after 1000 fish die in one of Britain's best-loved salmon and trout rivers:

A supposedly 'green' power plant has been blamed for killing more than 1,000 fish on one of Britain's best-loved salmon and trout rivers.

Officials are investigating if a fault caused hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic waste to be discharged from an anaerobic digester and into the picturesque River Teifi in West Wales, killing every single fish along an eight-mile stretch.

Two weeks ago The Mail on Sunday highlighted the growing risk to the environment posed by the 'green guzzlers', which convert slurry from dairy herds into methane.

They have been responsible for 12 serious pollution incidents since 2015, but the contamination of the River Teifi just before Christmas could be the worst yet, according to anglers and environmentalists.

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines release aviation biofuel infrastructure findings

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2017/01 ... eatac.html

The Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines released a first-of-its-kind study that identifies the best infrastructure options for delivering aviation biofuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. In pursuit of its goal to power every flight at Sea-Tac with sustainable aviation biofuel, Sea-Tac is among the first airports in North America to work with aviation, energy and research partners to systematically evaluate all aspects to developing a commercial-scale program from scratch.

The objective of the study was to identify the best approach to deliver up to 50 million gallons (and to double to 100 million after 2025) of aviation biofuel per year into the fuel hydrant delivery system at Sea-Tac International Airport. A total of 29 sites across the state were identified and screened. The sites were located in King, Pierce, Whatcom, Skagit, Grays Harbor and Franklin Counties, Washington.

The original 29 sites were narrowed to six locations based on a number of criteria, such as access to fuel transportation modes (pipeline, rail, marine and truck), zoning, wetlands and other environmental considerations, etc. The application of additional criteria, including infrastructure development costs, focused the analysis to the three properties best suited to meet project goals.

Conceptual infrastructure development improvements and costs were developed for a total of six options for the three sites, and a feasibility evaluation scorecard was completed to compare the six options. . . .

Also GCC:

Neste launches Neste MY Renewable Diesel made 100% from waste and residues in Finland; initial customers

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2017/01 ... neste.html

Neste recently launched a renewable diesel made entirely from waste and residues under the brand name Neste MY Renewable Diesel at select service stations in the Helsinki region today, 9 January 2017. The product enables up to 90% lower greenhouse gas emissions throughout the life cycle of the fuel compared to conventional fossil diesel.

Production of Neste MY Renewable Diesel is based on Neste’s proprietary NEXBTL technology which can be used for producing premium-quality renewable diesel and other renewable products from almost any waste fat or vegetable oil. . . .

The product is priced somewhat higher than Neste Pro Diesel, which contains at least 15% of renewable diesel. During January, sales of Neste MY will also expand to select Neste Truck stations for heavy traffic in Finland. . . .

Neste’s renewable diesel is already used in California, among others . . . Customers that use Neste’s renewable diesel include San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek, Carlsbad and the county of Sacramento.

Companies such as Google and UPS in the United States and DB Schenker and Lassila & Tikanoja in Finland have also decided to reduce their carbon footprint with Neste MY Renewable Diesel. . . .