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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
PetroAlgae to Partner with IndianOil Company on Algae-Based Fuels
November 04, 2009
Florida-based PetroAlgae Inc. (PA) (earlier post) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into an agreement to license its proprietary micro-crop technology to IndianOil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the future commercial-scale production of biodiesel from algae. ICOL is the 18th largest petroleum company in the world, and is currently India’s largest company by sales.
IOCL and PetroAlgae will initially collaborate on adapting the algal strains and technology developed by PA to suit Indian conditions. Thereafter, IOCL will build a pilot to demonstrate the commercial viability of the technology. A commercial production facility with a capacity of 200,000 TPA of biodiesel would follow, which would also produce a high-value protein that can be used as feedstock for animal feed production as a by-product.
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Brazil to Increase Mandatory Biodiesel Blend to 5% in 2010; Mandatory Emissions Testing for Vehicles
October 28, 2009
Effective January 2010, Brazilian diesel fuel vehicles will be required to run on a 5% biodiesel blend, up from 4% at present. The announcement was made last Friday by president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and is expected to raise biodiesel production levels to 2.4 billion liters (634 million gallons) in 2010.
Meeting the higher mandate will move Brazil to being the second-largest producer of biodiesel in the world, only behind Germany, according to Brazil’s Secretariat of Social Communication of the Republic. Currently, Brazil is fourth, with Germany, the US and France in the number 1, 2 and 3 positions respectively.
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UNEP Report Calls for More Sophisticated Approach to Developing Biofuels; Limitations of Current LCA Studies
October 19, 2009
| Rapeseed biodiesel as an example of the varied environmental impacts of a particular biofuel. Here, RME show advantages for primary energy and GHG, but disadvantages in terms of acidification, eutrophication and ozone depletion. Source: “Assessing Biofuels”. Click to enlarge. |
A far more sophisticated approach needs to be taken when developing biofuels as an environmentally-friendly energy option, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. In the report, its first, the panel concludes governments should fit biofuels into an overall energy, climate, land-use, water and agricultural strategy if biofuels deployment is to benefit society, the economy and the environment as a whole.
An important analytical issue that needs to be addressed, the report notes, is the lack of lifecycle assessment studies focusing on a wider set of environmental impact indicators than greenhouse gas emissions. This lack makes it difficult to assess trade-offs between different environmental impact indicators.
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Heterogeneous Catalyst Reactor Technology Produces High-Quality Biodiesel with No Aqueous Waste Stream; Lower Capital and Operating Costs
October 10, 2009
| Yellow Diesel’s heterogeneous catalysis process. Click to enlarge. |
A spin-off from the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Yellow Diesel B.V., is commercializing a reactor technology based on heterogeneous catalysis for the production of high-quality biodiesel plus a cosmetics/food grade glycerol, with practically no waste streams. The biodiesel specifications are better than required by the European norm EN14214.
The Yellow Diesel process eliminates all the aqueous waste streams that stem from using the conventional homogeneous acid/base catalyst technology. Due to the novel catalyst and integrated process design, the process saves up to 40% of the capital costs and 30% of the operating costs compared to a conventional plant, according to the company.
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Forecast: Global Biofuels Use to Double by 2015, Second-Gen Biofuels to Lag Expectations
October 01, 2009
Despite a number of key issues such as land use and competition for feedstocks supplies for traditional food and feed uses, global use of biofuels is excepted to more than double from 2009 to 2015, according to a new global analysis released by Hart Energy Publishing’s Global Biofuels Center (GBC).
Hart’s “Global Biofuels Outlook to 2015” (GBO 2015) concludes that the US will see a growth of total biofuels use of more than 35%. Brazil will grow domestic supplies by 30% and more than double export volume. Indonesia and Malaysia will more than double production of palm oil biodiesel, while Germany will remain the largest producer of biofuels in Europe, according to the analysis. Major new contributors to the growth of global biofuels between 2009 and 2015 include Indonesia, France, China, India, Thailand, Colombia, Malaysia, Philippines and Argentina.
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Researchers Demonstrate Liquid-Tin Anode SOFC Operating on Biodiesel
August 28, 2009
| Schematic of the bread-board rig employed in the LTA-SOFC study. The top shows the LTA-SOFC and BOP (balance of plant). The bottom shows the JP-8 heater that transfers heat to the SOFC via a plate-style radiating heat exchanger. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers from CellTech Power and the University of Connecticut have demonstrated a liquid-tin anode solid-oxide fuel cell (LTA-SOFC) operating on pure biodiesel (B100) prepared via base-catalyzed transesterification of virgin and waste cooking oils. A paper on their work was published online 28 August in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
The LTA-SOFC was able to convert the biodiesel to electricity at commercially viable power densities, i.e., greater than 100 mW cm-2. The peak power for each cell was 3.5 W over an active area of 30 cm-2, which translates to a power density of 117 mW cm-2 and current density of 217 mA cm-2. The peak power densities correspond to 80% fuel use at the liquid-tin anode surface and overall cell efficiencies of >40%.
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US DOE Awards $300 Million in Clean Cities Grants to Support Alternative Fuels, Vehicles, and Infrastructure Development
August 26, 2009
| Geographical distribution of Clean Cities Recovery Act awards. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects put more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy-efficient light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles on the road, and establish 542 refueling locations across the country.
The vehicles and infrastructure being funded include the use of natural and renewable gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, and hybrid technologies. And with the cost share contributions from the recipients, every federal dollar spent will be matched by nearly two dollars from the project partners.
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Study Finds Water Use for Switchgrass Ethanol Production Approximately the Same as for Gasoline
August 23, 2009
| Consumptive freshwater use for ethanol and petroleum gasoline production. Data: Wu, ANL/ESD/09-1. Click to enlarge. |
In the US, producing one gallon of ethanol from switchgrass consumes approximately the same net amount of water as does producing a gallon of gasoline from conventional crude or oil sands oil, according to a study by Argonne National Laboratory researchers presented at the 238th national meeting of the American Chemical Society last week.
The production of both bio and petroleum feedstocks and fuels requires substantial water input. Biofuel feedstocks such as corn, switchgrass, and agricultural residues need water for growth and conversion to ethanol; petroleum feedstocks such as crude oil and oil sands also require large volumes of water for drilling, extraction, and conversion into petroleum products. In many cases, the Argonne team noted, crude oil production is increasingly water dependent.
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Massachusetts to Accept Only Waste-Derived Biofuels to Qualify for Mandate for Diesel and Home Heating Oil
August 20, 2009
Only biofuels derived from waste feedstocks will initially be considered to qualify as an advanced biofuel to meet the Massachusetts Biofuels Mandate for diesel and home heating oil, according to the plan unveiled by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), in coordination with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Waste feedstocks are defined in the enabling legislation specifically as “previously used or discarded solid, liquid or contained gaseous material with heating value resulting from industrial, commercial or household food service activities that would otherwise be stored, treated, transferred or disposed. Waste feedstock shall include, but not be limited to: waste vegetable oils, waste animal fats, substances derived from wastewater and the treatment of wastewater or grease trap waste.” Other forms of renewable biomass—agricultural crop residues, dedicated energy crops, or algae—are excluded.
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Algal Fuels Consortium (AFC) Wins $2.724M Australian Development Grant; Commercial Partner Sancon Has Rights for Commercialization in China
The Algal Fuel Consortium (AFC) recently won an A$2.724-million (US$2.259 million) research grant under the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism’s Second Generation Biofuels program in Australia. The grant will support the development of microalgal mass cultivation systems to generate biomass from captured CO2 emissions. This will then be used as a feedstock to a pilot-scale second generation biorefinery for sustainable production of biodiesel and value-added products.
Sancon Resources Recovery Inc., an environmental services and waste recycling company with operations in both China and Australia, is the founding commercial partner to the AFC and has the right to commercialize the technology for China.
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BP and Martek Biosciences Enter a Joint Development Agreement to Deliver Advanced Microbial Biofuels
August 11, 2009
BP and Martek Biosciences Corporation signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to work on the production of microbial oils for biofuels applications. The partnership combines a broad technology platform and operational capabilities to advance the development of a step-change technology for the conversion of sugars into renewable diesel fuels.
Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Martek and BP will work together to establish proof of concept for large-scale, cost effective microbial biofuels production through fermentation. Martek, a nutritional products company, has developed and patented two fermentable strains of microalgae which produce oils rich in docosahexaenoic acid, DHA. A similar patented process was developed for a fungus that produces an oil rich in arachidonic acid, ARA. Both DHA and ARA are important nutrients for optimal infant development.
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J.B. Hunt Transport Services Signs Cooperative Agreement with Algal Oil Producer SunEco Energy
July 30, 2009
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., one of the largest transportation logistics companies in North America, and algal oil producer SunEco Energy signed a cooperative agreement, which could lead to J.B. Hunt becoming a significant purchaser of biodiesel made from natural algae oil using SunEco Energy’s proprietary technology. J.B. Hunt runs about 10,000 tractors in its fleet, and burns some 100 million gallons of fuel per year.
The two companies conducted a series of successful tests using biodiesel made by SunEco Energy from 100% natural algae oil produced at the company’s pilot plant in Chino, California. These tests, using a 20% and 50% blend of algae biodiesel with petroleum diesel, measured an 82% reduction in particulate emissions with no loss of power compared to ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD).
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New Life Cycle Analysis Finds that Current Technology for Producing Algal Biodiesel Can Jeopardize the Overall Energetic Balance; Oil Extraction Technique Is Key
July 28, 2009
| Total energetic debt of 1 MJ of biodiesel and its distribution within the production chain. According to the study, only the wet extraction on low-N grown algae has a positive balance. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Biodiesel production from microalgae, while looked upon as an environmentally advantageous source of fuel, suffers from several drawbacks at the current level of technology that can jeopardize the overall energetic balance, according to a life cycle analysis (LCA) by a team of researchers in France. An open-access paper on their work was published online 27 July in the ACS journal Environmental Science and Technology.
Despite strong interest and investment in development, there is as yet no industrial-scale production of biodiesel from microalgae, the researchers noted, and hence no thorough LCA of the production chain from culture to fuel is currently available. The key objective of the study was not to offer a LCA of current microalgal biodiesel technology, the authors wrote, but to identify the obstacles and limitations which should receive specific research efforts to make this process environmentally sustainable.
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Study Finds Environmental and Tailpipe Pollutants Benefits in Using Biodiesel in Construction Vehicles
July 19, 2009
Using biodiesel in construction vehicles offers promising environmental benefits in terms of reduced tailpipe emissions as well as reductions in fuel cycle emissions of selected pollutants, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University. A paper on their work was published 16 July in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.
The researchers developed an updated and modified life cycle inventory (LCI) to estimate fuel cycle energy consumption and emissions of selected pollutants and greenhouse gases. Key improvements in the LCI included an update of combustion emission factors based on 2006 US national average emission rates; comparison of pre-NSPS (New Source Performance Standards) and NSPS-compliant soyoil plants; and the use of portable emission measurement system (PEMS) data for real-world tailpipe emissions factors based on 15 nonroad diesel vehicles: five backhoes, four front-end loaders, and six motor graders.
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DfT Publishes Ricardo Report on Technology Options for Reducing CO2 Emissions from Heavy Goods Vehicles; Focus on Vehicles, Powertrains and Fuels
July 18, 2009
| Representation of cost vs. benefit of low-carbon HGV technologies. Source: Ricardo/DfT. Click to enlarge. |
The UK Department for Transport has published a report prepared by Ricardo on the potential of various technologies for reducing CO2 emissions that are applicable to the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) sector. HGVs (goods transport vehicles with >3.5t GVW) represent 24% and vans 12% of total UK road transport greenhouse gas emissions.
The report presents an analysis of a number of HGV technologies with carbon saving potential and evaluates these technologies in terms of CO2 benefits, technology costs, environmental costs arising from production of the technology, safety and other limitations, and the maturity of the technology within the market. The report then summarizes which technologies are the most promising in terms of CO2 benefits when all these other factors are taken into consideration.
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Tsinghua Researchers Find that Sugarcane Juice is a Good Fermentation Feedstock for Algal Biodiesel
June 28, 2009
Researchers at Tsinghua University in China have shown that sugarcane juice is a good feedstock for biodiesel production, when used to support the growth of the alga Chlorella protothecoides by heterotrophic fermentation. In fermentation in a 5-liter bioreactor, algae using sugarcane juice hydrolysate (SCH) grew faster than algae using glucose. Conversion ratios of sugar/biomass and sugar/oil using SCH were 15.2 and 8.8% higher than that using glucose, respectively. The highest oil content was 53.0% by cell dry weight.
The results suggest that sugarcane is not only a good feedstock for fuel-ethanol production but also for biodiesel production, the authors wrote in a paper on their study, published online in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
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Study Finds Water Footprint for Bioenergy Larger Than Other Forms of Energy; Bioelectricity the Smallest, Biodiesel the Largest
June 06, 2009
| Total weighted global average water footprints (blue and green) for major ethanol and biodiesel crops in m3 water per GJ fuel. The yellow marker (also left axis) indicates the total weighted global average WF for bioelectricity from the same crops. The red marker (right axis) indicates liters of water required to produce one liter of fuel. Data: Gerbens-Leenes et al. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at the University of Twente, Netherlands have calculated the water footprints (WFs) of bioenergy from 12 crops that currently contribute the most to global agricultural production: barley, cassava, maize, potato, rapeseed, rice, rye, sorghum, soybean, sugar beet, sugar cane, and wheat. In addition, their study includes jatropha, an energy crop.
In general they found that bioelectricity is more water-efficient than first-generation biofuels (due largely to the ability to use the entire biomass to produce energy, rather than just the starch or oil fraction of the yield for liquid fuel production). They also found that the WF of bioethanol on a m3 of water per GJ of fuel basis appears to be smaller than that of biodiesel. Their results appeared 2 June in an open access paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
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President Obama Establishes Biofuels Interagency Working Group; Push on Biofuel Development/Commercialization and Flex-Fuel Vehicle Use
May 05, 2009
US President Barack Obama has established a Biofuels Interagency Working Group, to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to further the research, development and commercialization of biofuels.
The announcement came in conjunction with the EPA’s release of its notice of proposed rulemaking for the Renewable Fuel Standard (earlier post), and the Department of Energy’s announcement of $787.5 million in funding to be awarded to advanced biofuels research and commercialization projects (earlier post).
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Polystyrene-Biodiesel Blends for Energy Recovery from Waste Plastics
May 04, 2009
| Comparisons of NOx, CO, soot, and engine brake power using different PS blends with the factory-set injection timings. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Iowa State University are proposing dissolving waste polystyrene (PS) in biodiesel for use as a diesel engine fuel as a mechanism for energy recovery from the waste plastic. Use of polystyrene-biodiesel blends can result in an increase an engine power with polystyrene concentrations of up to 5%, according to a new study by a team of researchers from Iowa State University. At concentrations higher than 5%, engine power decreased.
However, emissions of NOx, soot, CO and hydrocarbons increased with polystyrene concentrations if the injection timing was free to advance due to the increased bulk modulus and fuel viscosity. Varying engine operating parameters, including the fuel injection timing and exhaust gas recirculation resulted in lower NOx emissions but still resulted in higher soot, CO, and HC emissions.
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Life Cycle Analysis of Camelina-based Renewable Jet and Diesel Fuels Shows 84-89% GHG Savings Compared to Petroleum Fuels
April 28, 2009
| Greenhouse gas emissions for all fuels in this study, using one of the cultivation scenarios (Forward cultivation). Source: Shonnard and Koers (2009). Click to enlarge. |
A life cycle analysis (LCA) comparing camelina-derived renewable jet and diesel fuels to petroleum fuels and biodiesel found that the green jet and green diesel fuels are lower in fossil energy demand and also lower in GHG emissions compared to biodiesel, and that all the biofuels are lower in these impact categories compared to their fossil fuel counterparts.
Dr. David Shonnard and Kenneth Koers at Michigan Technological University conducted the LCA in collaboration with UOP, a Honeywell company. The study was based on camelina grown in Montana by Sustainable Oils and processed into renewable jet and diesel fuels using UOP hydroprocessing technology. (Earlier post.)
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Group of Scientists and Economists Urge Inclusion of Indirect Land Use Change Effects for Biofuels and All Transportation Fuels in California LCFS
April 21, 2009
More than 170 scientists and economists have sent a letter to California Air Resources Board (ARB) Chairman Mary Nichols urging the board to account for greenhouse gas emissions from indirect land use change for biofuels and all other transportation fuels under the state’s proposed low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). The signatories include nine members of the National Academies of Science and two Nobel laureates.
During its meeting on 23-24 April, the Board will consider the adoption of the LCFS, which requires a 10% reduction in the carbon intensity (measured in gCO2e/MJ) of transportation fuels in California by 2020.
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New Cost-Effective Continuous Flow Technology with Solid Catalyst for Converting Algae Oil to Biodiesel
March 26, 2009
Chemists at United Environment and Energy LLC have developed an energy-efficient, high throughput continuous flow fixed-bed reactor technology for cost-effective algae oil biodiesel production. A report on what they termed “the first economical way to produce biodiesel from algae oil” was presented at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Salt Lake City, Utah.
One of the problems with current methods for producing biodiesel from algae oil is the processing cost, and the researchers say their process is at least 40% cheaper than that of others now being used.
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New 1H NMR Technique for Estimating Free Fatty Acid Content in Oil, Fats and Biodiesel
March 22, 2009
| Correlation/calibration plots of FFA content in (a) soybean-oleic acid (standard deviation = 0.12 (titration) and 0.44 (1H NMR)) and (b) standard biodiesel-oleic acid (standard deviation = 0.29 (titration) and 0.18 (1H NMR)). Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
A team of researchers from the National Chemical Laboratory in India have developed a novel proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic (1H NMR) method to quantify free fatty acid (FFA) content in vegetable oils, animal fats, and biodiesel. A paper on their work was published online 9 March in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
The free fatty acid (FFA) content of feedstocks is an important quality parameter for biodiesel, which is produced by the transesterification of the oil. Biodiesel fuel standards limit the amount of free fatty acids (by limiting the acid number) in the final product, as their presence can lead to fuel deterioration during storage as well as to significant operational problems.
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Bipartisan Group of US Senators Calls on EPA to Refrain From Including Indirect Land Use Change in Biofuel Regulations
March 17, 2009
A bipartisan group of 12 US senators led by Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to include calculations of indirect land use change (ILUC) effects as contributors to life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for biofuels in the upcoming rulemaking for implementation of the updated Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS-2) enacted in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007.
The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2) defined within the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires biofuels to meet specified life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to qualify. The law specifies that life-cycle GHG emissions are to include “direct emissions and significant indirect emissions such as significant emissions from land use changes, as determined by the Administrator.”
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EU Imposes Temporary Import Duties on US Biodiesel
March 12, 2009
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| US exports of biodiesel to Europe have surged, and represent the bulk of US production. Source: EBB. Click to enlarge. |
The European Union is imposing temporary anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on imports of biodiesel from the United States. The measures will come into effect from 13 March and will be in place for four months while the investigation and contacts with stakeholders continue.
The level of the measures, which are applied together, is set at between €211.20 to €237.00 (US$271.22 to $304.35) per tonne for the anti-subsidy duties and between €23.60 and €208.20 (US$30.31 to $267.31) per tonne for the anti-dumping measures. At the end of this time, the Commission will make a final recommendation to EU member states on whether or not to impose definitive duties in this case, which if imposed would normally last for five years. Provisional duties in anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases are imposed by the European Commission, while definitive measures are imposed by the European Council.
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Petrobras Biocombustível To Invest US$2.4B in Biodiesel and Ethanol Production
March 10, 2009
As part of its newly released business plan, Brazil’s Petrobras Biocombustível intends to invest approximately US$2.4 billion in biodiesel and ethanol production from 2009-2013; 91% of the investment is targeted for Brazil.
This investment is part of a total of $2.8 billion Petrobras earmarked for the biofuels business, which also foresees expenditures of US$400 million in infrastructure, such as ethanol pipelines. The total resources represent an 87% increase compared to the previous business plan. Petrobras also earmarked US$530 million for biofuel research in the period.
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Cold-Weather Testing of 100% Permaflo Soy Biodiesel at the Arctic Circle
March 03, 2009
The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) is partnering with University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), the Alaska Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (AFES) and Purdue University to road test Permaflo Biodiesel, a formulation of biodiesel that significantly reduces the traditional problems of biodiesel gelling in cold-weather conditions.
PermaFlow biodiesel is capable of working at temperatures below -67 °F (-55 °C) without gelling. Traditional soybean B100 crystallizes at approx. 0 °C; blending with petrodiesel lowers crystallization temperatures slightly (approx. 5 °C).
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Alberta Renewable Diesel Demonstration Shows Successful Cold-Weather Use of Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Blends
February 21, 2009
The recently concluded Alberta Renewable Diesel Demonstration (ARDD), Canada’s largest cold-weather study of bio-derived diesel fuels, demonstrated the successful on-road use of low-level blends of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester, FAME) and hydrogenated-derived renewable diesel (HDRD) in a range of Canadian climatic conditions.
Designed as a two-phased study, the ARDD involved laboratory testing followed by real-world use of the diesel blends by Alberta trucking fleets. The on-road demonstration, which ran from December 2007 to September 2008, put first- and second- generation renewable diesel fuels on the road in 59 long-haul commercial vehicles across Alberta. During winter months (16 December 2007 through 15 April 2008) 2% blends of FAME (100% canola methyl ester) and HDRD were used. During the spring and summer, 5% blends of HDRD and FAME (comprising 75% canola methyl ester and 25% tallow methyl ester) were dispensed.
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New NIST Method Accelerates Stability Testing of Soy-Based Biofuel; Validates Performance of Three Additives for High-Temp Stabilization
January 14, 2009
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) adapted a new technique to accelerate stability testing of biodiesel fuel and used the method to assess the performance of three additives that enhance soybean biodiesel stability at high temperatures. The results are described in a paper published online 2 January in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
Both oxidation and heating can cause biodiesel to break down, adversely affecting performance. These two effects usually are analyzed separately, but NIST chemists developed an advanced distillation curve method to approximate both effects at the same time while also analyzing fluid composition. NIST’s advanced distillation curve (ADC) metrology could accelerate and simplify testing of biodiesels, according to lead author Tom Bruno.
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Study Finds Biodiesel Blends with Marine Fuel Can Improve Thermal Efficiency and Reduce CO Emissions; NOx and CO2 Emissions Increase
December 30, 2008
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| Brake thermal efficiency (top) and fuel consumption (bottom) of 100% biodiesel, 100% marine fuel, and three biodiesel-marine fuel blends. Click to enlarge. Adopted from Gökalp (2008), Credit: ACS |
Blending biodiesel with marine fuel can improve the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of a diesel engine and reduce CO emissions, although it increases fuel consumption, according to a study by researchers at Sakarya University and Kocaeli University in Turkey. Use of biodiesel increased NOx emissions and slightly increased CO2 emissions (measuring actual CO2 out, not factoring in the renewable character of the fuel) in the study.
The results were among the findings of a larger study on the effects on emissions characteristics and first- and second-law efficiencies of pure soy biodiesel and three different biodiesel blends with standard No. 2 diesel and marine fuels in a diesel engine. A paper on the work was published online 24 December in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
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New LCA of Four Different Soybean-Based Fuels Finds Potential for Significant Reduction in Fossil Energy Use and GHG Relative to Petroleum Fuels
December 26, 2008
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| Well-to-wheels GHG emissions and emission changes relative to conventional fuels, using five different approaches for co-product allocation: 1, displacement; 2, energy-value-based allocation; 3, market-value-based allocation; 4, hybrid I; 5, hybrid II. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
A new energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission life-cycle analysis (LCA) by Michael Wang and colleagues at Argonne National Laboratory assesses the impacts of four soybean-derived fuels: biodiesel fuel produced via transesterification; two renewable diesel fuels produced from different hydrogenation processes; and renewable gasoline produced from catalytic cracking. A paper on their work was published online 23 December in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.
The researchers found that, although the production and combustion of soybean-based fuels might increase total energy use, they could have significant benefits in reducing fossil energy use (>52%), petroleum use (>88%), and GHG emissions (>57%) relative to petroleum fuels.
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New US EIA Energy Outlook Projects Flat Oil Consumption to 2030, Slower Growth in Energy Use and CO2 Emissions, and Reduced Import Dependence; 2% PHEV New Sales Share by 2030
December 17, 2008
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| The AEO2009 reference case projects no increase in petroleum-based liquid fuels consumption, as biofuel use grows. Click to enlarge. |
The Annual Energy Outlook 2009 (AEO2009) reference case released today by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects virtually no growth in US oil consumption through 2030, reflecting the combined effect of recently enacted CAFE standards, requirements for increased use of renewable fuels, and an assumed rebound in oil prices as the world economy recovers.
With overall liquid fuel demand in the AEO2009 reference case growing by 1 million barrels per day between 2007 and 2030, increased use of domestically-produced biofuels, and rising domestic oil production spurred by higher prices, the net import share of total liquids supplied, including biofuels, declines from 58% in 2007 to less than 40% in 2025 before increasing to 41% in 2030.
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Waste Coffee Grounds as Biodiesel Feedstock; Potential for 340M Gallons Per Year of Coffee Biodiesel
December 11, 2008
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| GC analysis of the coffee grounds-derived biodiesel showing the different methyl esters of fatty acids present. The presence of various methyl esters in coffee biodiesel obtained by MS is shown in the inset table (spectra not shown). Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
Waste coffee grounds can provide a cheap, abundant, and environmentally friendly source of biodiesel fuel, according to a study by researchers at the University of Nevada-Reno. According to the USDA, world coffee production is 16.34 billion pounds per year; the scientists estimated that spent coffee grounds can potentially add 340 million gallons of biodiesel to the world’s fuel supply. A paper on the work was published online in the ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Spent coffee grounds contain between 11-20 wt.% oil. The process developed by Mano Misra, Susanta Mohapatra, and Narasimharao Kondamudi for extracting that oil for subsequent transesterification yields 10-15% oil depending on the coffee species (Arabica or Robusta).
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Early Stage Algae Biofuel Company Closes $10.5M Funding Round; Additional $5M for Pilot Plant
November 11, 2008
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| Solix calculations on the theoretical maximum production of algal oil. (See below.) Click to enlarge. Source: Kristina Weyer, Solix Biofuels |
Solix Biofuels, a Fort Collins, Colo.-based early-stage company focused on algae-based intermediates for fuel and chemical production (earlier post), has raised $10.5 million in its first round of outside funding, and has reached an agreement with investors for an additional commitment of $5 million, to be used to build an algae biofuel facility near Durango, Colo. The pilot project is intended to showcase Solix’s ability to produce biofuel and feedstocks for the chemicals industry at commercially-feasible production levels and costs.
The funding will support Solix’s development of its fourth-generation technology, including a proprietary closed photo-bioreactor system intended to produce biocrude from algae cost-effectively. The $5 million follow-on commitment from the investor group will provide construction financing for the pilot plant, which will be developed jointly by Solix Biofuels and Southern Ute Alternative Energy LLC.
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New Process for Direct Conversion of Glycerol to Methanol
November 06, 2008
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| The new process catalytically converts glycerol to methanol using hydrogen under mild conditions. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Oxford University (UK) have developed a new method to produce methanol (CH3OH) directly from glycerol (C3H5(OH)3), a byproduct of the transesterification process that produces biodiesel.
The process, developed by Professor Edman Tsang and his group at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, uses direct catalytic hydrogenolysis of glycerol under mild conditions: 100°C and hydrogen at 20 bar pressure. Earlier this year, Tsang’s research in new catalytic materials identified a supported precious metal which efficiently converts glycerol to methanol.
