Ethanol production is different when cellulosic biomass is used as the raw material. For ethanol production, fossil energy inputs into the production cycle represent about 2/3 of the energy content of the ethanol produced, and greenhouse gas emissions on a per mile basis are about 2/3 of a gasoline base case, representing an approximately 33% reduction. Ethanol from Cellulosic biomass shows a better energy balance and is sustainable as well.
The reasons why I think cellulosic ethanol can be used against corn
1. Corn is easier, and currently less expensive, to process into ethanol than is cellulosic biomass. However, cellulosic biomass is less expensive to produce than corn by a factor of roughly 2 on a per ton basis, and the amount of ethanol that can be produced per acre of land.
2. For ethanol produced from cellulosic biomass, the energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions are more favorable when compared to corn
3. Relative to corn, production of a perennial cellulosic biomass crop such as switch grass requires lower inputs of energy, fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide, and is accompanied by less erosion and improved soil fertility.
4. Finally, cellulosic biomass differs from corn kernels in that it contains substantial amounts of non-fermentable, energy-rich components that can be used to provide energy for the conversion process as well as to produce electricity.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Why Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass
This paper caught upon my eye when I was doing some research on the future prospects of cellulose ethanol. Though this paper is kinda old, it gives some useful information as to why someone should think about using Cellulosic biomass as a feedstock to produce ethanol.
Cellulosic biomass contains plant fibers + cellulose which cannot be consumed by human beings. These plant fibers gradually get hydrolyzed and yield many sugars as a result of fermentation by microorganisms. The value of cellulose as a renewable source of energy and carbon has made cellulose hydrolysis the subject of scientific investigations and industrial interest for many years.
Below, I have highlighted reasons why Cellulosic ethanol is the best choice to produce biofuels. Also, I have mentioned the names of some sources of Cellulosic biomass incase someone wants to try it out!!
1. Firstly, it is renewable. It is a sustainable resource, drastically reduces the carbon- dioxide emissions.
2. It is available everywhere, most importantly; it doesn’t include any food crops.
3. It is highly cost competitive with petroleum as well as gasoline. Apparently, it doesn’t produce any emissions either.
4. Interestingly, existing cars can run on 10 percent ethanol with no modifications.
5. The cellulosic feedstocks require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides required for cellulosic feedstocks.
A list of sources which can be used as a cellulosic biomass:
1. Grass
2. Woody Biomass
3. Agricultural waste (Citrus waste, Corn cobs, Leafy materials)
4. Waste (Municipal Waste, Forest waste, Paper Pulp)
5. Energy Crops (Miscanthus, Switchgrass)
For those interested
Cellulosic biomass contains plant fibers + cellulose which cannot be consumed by human beings. These plant fibers gradually get hydrolyzed and yield many sugars as a result of fermentation by microorganisms. The value of cellulose as a renewable source of energy and carbon has made cellulose hydrolysis the subject of scientific investigations and industrial interest for many years.
Below, I have highlighted reasons why Cellulosic ethanol is the best choice to produce biofuels. Also, I have mentioned the names of some sources of Cellulosic biomass incase someone wants to try it out!!
1. Firstly, it is renewable. It is a sustainable resource, drastically reduces the carbon- dioxide emissions.
2. It is available everywhere, most importantly; it doesn’t include any food crops.
3. It is highly cost competitive with petroleum as well as gasoline. Apparently, it doesn’t produce any emissions either.
4. Interestingly, existing cars can run on 10 percent ethanol with no modifications.
5. The cellulosic feedstocks require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides required for cellulosic feedstocks.
A list of sources which can be used as a cellulosic biomass:
1. Grass
2. Woody Biomass
3. Agricultural waste (Citrus waste, Corn cobs, Leafy materials)
4. Waste (Municipal Waste, Forest waste, Paper Pulp)
5. Energy Crops (Miscanthus, Switchgrass)
For those interested
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Solid Waste to Cellulosic Ethanol
An unused ethanol plant in Blairstown could become a demonstration plant for production of cellulosic ethanol from solid waste from the Cedar Rapids area.
Xethanol Biofuels says it has a proprietary process for converting solid waste into ethanol. Fiberight intends to convert the ethanol plant into a demonstration plant for the technology,. The waste feedstock would be obtained from the Cedar Rapids area. The company in February that it had opened a 50,000square-foot plant in Lawrenceville, Va., to demonstrate a process that uses municipal solid waste as a feedstock for ethanol. The process sorts and transforms waste into cellulosic fibers which are then extracted into biofuel through a "unique energy recovery system," according to the Fiberight announcement.
The Blairstown plant was producing ethanol from corn at a 5.6 million-gallon-per-year rate before production ended May 1, 2008, the company said. The sale includes a 24,728-square-foot ethanol plant on 25.5 acres of land, a 20.9-acre tract of adjoining land and a warehouse and distribution facilities. The sale price was not disclosed.
Orginal article
Xethanol Biofuels says it has a proprietary process for converting solid waste into ethanol. Fiberight intends to convert the ethanol plant into a demonstration plant for the technology,. The waste feedstock would be obtained from the Cedar Rapids area. The company in February that it had opened a 50,000square-foot plant in Lawrenceville, Va., to demonstrate a process that uses municipal solid waste as a feedstock for ethanol. The process sorts and transforms waste into cellulosic fibers which are then extracted into biofuel through a "unique energy recovery system," according to the Fiberight announcement.
The Blairstown plant was producing ethanol from corn at a 5.6 million-gallon-per-year rate before production ended May 1, 2008, the company said. The sale includes a 24,728-square-foot ethanol plant on 25.5 acres of land, a 20.9-acre tract of adjoining land and a warehouse and distribution facilities. The sale price was not disclosed.
Orginal article
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Cellulosic Ethanol Nearing Commercialisation.
Roughly 300 million gallons of planned commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants are in various stages of planning and development across the country, according to Nathan Schock, a spokesperson with Sioux Falls-based POET.
Several companies, including Coskata Inc., DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, Iogen Corporation, Lignol, POET and PureVision Technology, announced in June at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo in Denver that they have already produced cellulosic ethanol from demonstration plants or will do so within the year. Most are processing about 1 ton of material into ethanol daily. From that ton of biomass, they are producing between 70 gallons and 85 gallons of biofuels. Commercial production is expected to follow by 2010 or 2011.
Few research efforts to commercialise large-scale cellulosic production is highlighted below .
A study released earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratory found that large volumes of cellulosic biofuels could be produced from already identified biomass sources and resources without displacing crop production. The study, which was sponsored by General Motors, indicated that even without incentives cellulosic biofuels could potentially compete with gasoline with oil prices of between $70 and $90 per barrel by 2030, given the expected accelerated development of technology and feedstocks.
The report also found that the needed investment in cellulosic biorefineries would be comparable to that needed to expand domestic oil exploration and production to similar levels. It noted that building the needed transportation and distribution infrastructure presented a challenge, but was still possible.
See more
Several companies, including Coskata Inc., DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, Iogen Corporation, Lignol, POET and PureVision Technology, announced in June at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo in Denver that they have already produced cellulosic ethanol from demonstration plants or will do so within the year. Most are processing about 1 ton of material into ethanol daily. From that ton of biomass, they are producing between 70 gallons and 85 gallons of biofuels. Commercial production is expected to follow by 2010 or 2011.
Few research efforts to commercialise large-scale cellulosic production is highlighted below .
A study released earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratory found that large volumes of cellulosic biofuels could be produced from already identified biomass sources and resources without displacing crop production. The study, which was sponsored by General Motors, indicated that even without incentives cellulosic biofuels could potentially compete with gasoline with oil prices of between $70 and $90 per barrel by 2030, given the expected accelerated development of technology and feedstocks.
The report also found that the needed investment in cellulosic biorefineries would be comparable to that needed to expand domestic oil exploration and production to similar levels. It noted that building the needed transportation and distribution infrastructure presented a challenge, but was still possible.
See more
Friday, August 28, 2009
D1 Oils, Abundant Biofuels Report Progress in Jatropha Development
Jatropha development is moving forward as Abundant Biofuels Corp. offers long term contracts and D1 Oils plc, based in the U.K., refocuses its business. Abundant Biofuels, based in Monterey, Calif., announced the availability of long-term, five to 10 year contracts to supply jatropha oil to U.S. refiners.The company is also planting jatropha in Peru, the Dominican Republic and other developing nations.
According to the CEO and Chairman Charles Fishel reports the company will potentially have access to 6 million acres of jatropha.D1 Oils plc is reorganizing its jatropha development efforts to focus on plantings totaling about 540,000 acres in northeastern India, Malawi and Zambia where the crop has performed well and will be scalable, according to D1 Oils’ spokesman Graham Prince.They could be slated to begin in 12 months to 18 months and for any quantity up to 35 million gallons, and they planned to expand from there.
see more
According to the CEO and Chairman Charles Fishel reports the company will potentially have access to 6 million acres of jatropha.D1 Oils plc is reorganizing its jatropha development efforts to focus on plantings totaling about 540,000 acres in northeastern India, Malawi and Zambia where the crop has performed well and will be scalable, according to D1 Oils’ spokesman Graham Prince.They could be slated to begin in 12 months to 18 months and for any quantity up to 35 million gallons, and they planned to expand from there.
see more
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Jatropha Cultivation in Ethiopia - Emami Biotech
Emami Biotech, is planning to invest Rs. 400 crore within about 6 years time for the development of plantations in Ethiopia. This Emami group company has obtained land on a 45 year lease from the Ethopia government for the cultivation of this promising biofuel crop.
This company plans to extract 100,000 tonnes of crude- biofuel p.a which will be transported to West Bengal, India for the production of biodiesel in the company’s biodiesel plant. So far Jatropha has been cultivated in a 30,000 acres of land .
The initial investment of Emami Biotech will be around 120 crores. The majority of the funding would be through debt, the balance 30% would be funded by the company itself.
For those interested
This company plans to extract 100,000 tonnes of crude- biofuel p.a which will be transported to West Bengal, India for the production of biodiesel in the company’s biodiesel plant. So far Jatropha has been cultivated in a 30,000 acres of land .
The initial investment of Emami Biotech will be around 120 crores. The majority of the funding would be through debt, the balance 30% would be funded by the company itself.
For those interested
Monday, August 24, 2009
Cellulosic Ethanol - The only hope
Here is an article where in the Ethanol producers have started keeping an eye on the algal blooms as these feedstock turn out to be way to cheaper than corn stover and other similar feedstock.
These algae based feedstock, unlike the corn based feedstock don't use much water, do not occupy land and are definetely less expensive to cultivate.
Experts in this domain claim that the biomass derived hydrocarbons produced from these feedstock such as cornstalks, algae and others are identical to petroleum- derived hydrocarbon are similar or identical to petroleum-derived hydrocarbons and might be used in existing energy infrastructure.
Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association, feels that Ethanol is the only alternative to petroleum.He strongly believes none of the technology developments would have been possible without the strides from the ethanol industry that we have today.And while none of the parties want to be shut out of the future biofuels sector, all imagine a future that includes both biomass-derived hydrocarbons and cellulosic ethanol.
To read the full article
These algae based feedstock, unlike the corn based feedstock don't use much water, do not occupy land and are definetely less expensive to cultivate.
Experts in this domain claim that the biomass derived hydrocarbons produced from these feedstock such as cornstalks, algae and others are identical to petroleum- derived hydrocarbon are similar or identical to petroleum-derived hydrocarbons and might be used in existing energy infrastructure.
Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association, feels that Ethanol is the only alternative to petroleum.He strongly believes none of the technology developments would have been possible without the strides from the ethanol industry that we have today.And while none of the parties want to be shut out of the future biofuels sector, all imagine a future that includes both biomass-derived hydrocarbons and cellulosic ethanol.
To read the full article
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