LCA of BioLCA of Bio--Oils and Energy Oils and Energy

CropsCrops

Marcelle McManusMarcelle McManus

University of BathUniversity of Bath

Drivers for BioDrivers for Bio--energyenergy

�� KyotoKyoto

�� Renewable Energy TargetsRenewable Energy Targets

�� Fuel SecurityFuel Security

�� RTFO (in Europe)RTFO (in Europe)

�� Easy to use with current infrastructure Easy to use with current infrastructure

and technologyand technology

Source: http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/last_400k_yrs.html

and http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/last_400k_yrs.html, based on publications from Nature

Changing media coverage…Changing media coverage…

�� “UK 'lacks ambition' on bioenergy““UK 'lacks ambition' on bioenergy“–– BBC News, 18 September 2006 BBC News, 18 September 2006

�� “Bioenergy: Fuelling the food crisis?” “Bioenergy: Fuelling the food crisis?” –– BBC News, 4 June 2008BBC News, 4 June 2008

�� Secret report: biofuel caused food crisisSecret report: biofuel caused food crisisInternal World Bank study delivers blow to plant Internal World Bank study delivers blow to plant energy drive (Guardian, July 4energy drive (Guardian, July 4thth 2008)2008)

Friends of the Earth Advert : 2007

Brazil: Large fields of soy

Port-au-Prince, Haiti: Residents

protest against food price rises in

front of UN peacekeepers in April

Borneo, Malaysia: A worker

harvests palm oil

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Can BioCan Bio--energy help?energy help?

�� Need to ensure we understand the impacts of Need to ensure we understand the impacts of decisionsdecisions

�� Comprehensive research on land availability, energy Comprehensive research on land availability, energy and water use, food importation, fertiliser use etc…and water use, food importation, fertiliser use etc…

�� Wider questions Wider questions –– which of these impacts, eg food which of these impacts, eg food shortages, are associated with bioshortages, are associated with bio--energy? Which energy? Which with drought, conflict etc?with drought, conflict etc?

�� AttributionalAttributional and Consequential LCAand Consequential LCA

�� Two case studies, biofuel and heatTwo case studies, biofuel and heat

Life Cycle Assessment Framework according to ISO 14040Life Cycle Assessment Framework according to ISO 14040

Four different phases of LCA can be distinguished:

Goal and scope

definition

Inventory

analysis

Impact

assessment

Interpretation

Direct application:

• product development

and improvement

• Strategic planning

• Public policy making

• Marketing

• Other

Source: ISO 14040

Biofuels from Biofuels from

cropscrops

Crop growth

Fertilisers,

herbicides,

pesticides etc

Harvesting

Processing

Displacement of

crops (food)

Displacement of

land (forest etc?)

Energy input

Soil quality and

ability to store

greenhouse gases

Energy use through

machine use

Land for storage

Emissions to water

and air

waste

Emissions to water

and air

Use

Transport to

processing plant

Emissions to land,

air and water

through processing

Energy input

Land for processing

plant

Avoided CO2

through avoidance

of fossil fuel use

Use type – biofuels

or heating?

transport

Emissions to air,

land and water

Disposal

AshEnergy use

Emissions to air,

land and water

Energy and

emissions

associated with the

importation of food

Loss of biodiversity

Different impact

regarding different

types of use

(transport fuel or

heating etc)

Security of energy

supply

Different

component wear as

a result of different

fuel?

Spillages of fuel

(comparison of bio

fuels and fossil

fuels)

Water use

Chemical or any other raw

material input

Ideal Energy CropsIdeal Energy Crops

�� high yield (maximum production of dry high yield (maximum production of dry matter per hectare)matter per hectare)

�� low energy input to producelow energy input to produce

�� low costlow cost

�� composition with the least contaminantscomposition with the least contaminants

�� low nutrient requirementslow nutrient requirements

Land Use ConflictLand Use Conflict

�� Land “squeeze” becomes more prevalent as Land “squeeze” becomes more prevalent as

land is required for food, housing and energyland is required for food, housing and energy

�� There are bioThere are bio--fuel targets, although these fuel targets, although these

might be revisedmight be revised

�� In the UK in order to meet the 5% biofuels In the UK in order to meet the 5% biofuels

blend in the RTFO targets approximately 10% blend in the RTFO targets approximately 10%

of the total agricultural land would be of the total agricultural land would be

requiredrequired

Main FeedstocksMain Feedstocks

�� Arable/AnnualArable/Annual–– Rapeseed, wheat, maize, sugar beet, potatoesRapeseed, wheat, maize, sugar beet, potatoes

�� Herbaceous PerennialsHerbaceous Perennials–– Miscanthus, switchgrass, reed canary grassMiscanthus, switchgrass, reed canary grass

�� Woody PerennialsWoody Perennials

–– Short rotation coppice, pine, spruceShort rotation coppice, pine, spruce

�� Residues and WastesResidues and Wastes–– Forest residue, straw, organic municipal waste, Forest residue, straw, organic municipal waste, waste fats and oilswaste fats and oils

Sowing

Harrowing and Seed Bed Production

Ploughing

Fertilising

Crop Protection

Rapeseed CropGrowth

Drying and Storing

Dried Rapeseed

diesel

diesel

diesel

diesel, natural gas, electricity,heavy fuel oil,

hard coal, CaSO2

To Air: NH3, NO, NO2,N2O, F, CO2, SO2.

To Water: P, P2O5, NH4+, NO3

diesel, heavy fuel oil, natural gas, hard coal.

To Air: N2O, CH4, NH3To Water: NO3-, P, K2O

Harvesting diesel

electricity, heavy fuel oil

rapeseed for sowing

straw

transportation

transportationtransportation of fertilisers

transportation ofcrop protectors

Cleaned and Passed through Magnetic

Separators

Heating and Rolling

Seeds ruptured using steam heat

Pressed in Expeller Press

Press Cake

Cooled and washedwith Hexane in

an Extractor

Miscella (solution of oil in hexane)

Solid mealsaturated with

hexane

Subject to tripleeffect evaporation in order to strip thehexane from the oil

for reuse

Desolventiser used to strip

out the hexane

Rapeseed OilMeal is dried and

cooled and stored insilos

Hexane Hexane

Characterised Data for Rapeseed Characterised Data for Rapeseed

ProductionProduction

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Car

cino

gens

Res

p. o

rgan

ics

Res

p. in

organ

ics

Clim

ate

chan

ge

Rad

iatio

n

Ozo

ne la

yer

Ecoto

xici

ty

Acidi

ficat

ion/

Eut

roph

icat

ion

Land

use

Min

eral

s

Fossi

l fue

ls

ploughing harvesting harrowing and seed preparation

drying crushing fertilising

soil emissions crop protection

Normalised Data for Rapeseed Normalised Data for Rapeseed

ProductionProduction

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

0.45

Car

cino

gens

Res

p. o

rgan

ics

Res

p. in

organ

ics

Clim

ate

chan

ge

Rad

iatio

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zone

laye

r

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ty

Acidi

ficat

ion/

Eut

roph

icat

ion

Land

use

Min

eral

sFos

sil f

uels

plouging harvesting harrow ing and seed preparation

drying crushing fertilising

soil emissions crop protection

Water Use in Crude Rape Oil Water Use in Crude Rape Oil

ProductionProduction

Total Water Consumption = 510m3 per hectare of rapeseed (produces 1188kg crude oil)

water used in crude rape oil production

ploughing

harvesting

harrowing and seed

preparation

drying

crushing

fertilisers

crop protection

Normalised Data for rapeseed based Normalised Data for rapeseed based

biobio--dieseldiesel

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Carc

inog

ens

Resp

. org

anics

Resp

. ino

rgan

ics

Clim

ate

chang

e

Radi

atio

n

Ozo

ne la

yer

Eco

toxi

city

Aci

dific

atio

n/ E

utroph

icat

ion

Land

use

Min

eral

s

Fossi

l fue

ls

People Emission Equivalents

ploughing harvesting harrowing and seed preparation

drying and transport crushing fertilising

soil emissions crop protection tranesterification chemicals

NaOH Methanol electricity for transesterification

Net Energy of rapeseed based Net Energy of rapeseed based

biodieselbiodiesel

�� Energy Content (ERSU, Strathclyde):Energy Content (ERSU, Strathclyde):

–– Diesel ~ 37.9 MJ/L. Diesel ~ 37.9 MJ/L.

–– Biodiesel ~ 35.6 MJ/L. Biodiesel ~ 35.6 MJ/L.

�� Embodied energy of bioEmbodied energy of bio--diesel is diesel is

calculated to be 29.75MJ/Lcalculated to be 29.75MJ/L

Performance of BiofuelsPerformance of Biofuels�� BiodieselBiodiesel–– At blends lower than 20% there is an At blends lower than 20% there is an increase in efficiency and improved fuel increase in efficiency and improved fuel economy without an impact on economy without an impact on performanceperformance

–– Specific fuel consumption is higher for Specific fuel consumption is higher for engines using high blends of biodieselengines using high blends of biodiesel

–– Problem with thickening at high blends Problem with thickening at high blends due to higher viscositydue to higher viscosity

22ndnd generation biofuelsgeneration biofuels

�� Energy produced from lignocellulosic Energy produced from lignocellulosic

materialmaterial

�� More energy obtained per hectareMore energy obtained per hectare

�� Technology still in developmentTechnology still in development

The boiler has been

estimated to save

over 100 tonnes of

CO2 each year

Normalised Boiler Production Normalised Boiler Production

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Ca

rcin

og

en

s

Re

sp

.

org

an

ics

Re

sp

.

ino

rga

nic

s

Clim

ate

ch

an

ge

Ra

dia

tion

Oz

on

e la

ye

r

Ec

oto

xic

ity

Ac

idifi

ca

tion

/

Eu

tro

ph

ica

tion

La

nd

us

e

Min

era

ls

Fo

ss

il fu

els

People Emission Equivalents

Steel Fireclay High alloy steel Synthetic rubber Stainless Steel Transport

Fossil fuel use and avoidance in a Fossil fuel use and avoidance in a

small biomass boilersmall biomass boiler

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

avoided annual

energy

boiler production insulated piping annual emissions w oodchips

Fossil fuels

Normalised data for a small Normalised data for a small

woodchip biomass boilerwoodchip biomass boiler

Respiratory inorganics - effects resulting from winter smog caused by emissions of dust,

sulphur and nitrogen oxides to air.

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

Car

cino

gens

Res

p. o

rgan

ics

Res

p. in

organ

ics

Clim

ate

chan

ge

Rad

iatio

n

Ozo

ne la

yer

Ecoto

xici

ty

Acidi

ficat

ion/

Eut

roph

icat

ion

Land

use

Min

eral

s

People Emission Equivalents

avoided annual energy boiler production insulated piping annual emissions w oodchips

Normalised data for the boiler with Normalised data for the boiler with

differing loading ratingsdiffering loading ratings

Using other impact assessments the impact of winter and summer smog is negligible

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Car

cino

gens

Res

p. o

rgan

ics

Res

p. in

organ

ics

Clim

ate

chan

ge

Rad

iatio

n

Ozo

ne la

yer

Ecoto

xici

ty

Acidi

ficat

ion/

Eut

roph

icat

ion

Land

use

Min

eral

sPeople Emission Equivalents

avoided annual energy boiler and piping annual low load emissions

annual partial load emissions annual full load emissions w oodchips

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

�� Need to understand the wider Need to understand the wider

implicationsimplications

�� Everything has some negative impactEverything has some negative impact

�� BioBio--energy could be used to help meet energy could be used to help meet

renewable energy and carbon reduction renewable energy and carbon reduction

targetstargets

�� This is not a new conceptThis is not a new concept

“I foresee the time when industry shall no longer denude the forests which require generations to mature, nor use up the

mines which were ages in the making, but shall draw its raw

material largely from the annual products of the fields,” he

declared.

“I am convinced that we shall be able to get out of the yearly

crops most of the basic materials which we now get from forest

and mine. We shall grow annually many if not most of the

substances needed in manufacturing.

“When that day comes, and it is surely on the way, the farmer

will not lack a market and the worker will not lack a job. More

people will live in the country. The present unnatural condition

will be naturally balanced again. Chemistry will reunite

agriculture and industry. They were allowed to get too far apart

and the world has suffered by the separation.”

Henry Ford (1863 – 1947)

Contact DetailsContact Details

Dr. Marcelle McManusDr. Marcelle McManus

Department of Mechanical EngineeringDepartment of Mechanical Engineering

University of BathUniversity of Bath

BathBath

BA2 7AYBA2 7AY

M.McManus@bath.ac.ukM.McManus@bath.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1225 383877+44 (0) 1225 383877