Energy from Biological Processes: Volume Iiñtechnical And
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Energy from Biological Processes: Volume II—Technical and Environmental Analyses September 1980 NTIS order #PB81-134769 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 80-600118 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Stock No. 052-003-00782-7 Foreword In this volume of Energy From Biological Processes, OTA presents the technical and environmental analyses on which the conclusions in volume I are based. The “Part 1: Biomass Resource Base” includes forestry, agriculture, processing wastes, and various unconventional sources including oil-bearing and aquatic plants. “Part 11: Conversion Technologies and End Uses” considers thermochemical conversions, fermentation for ethanol production, anaerobic digestion, use of alcohol fuels, select energy balances, and a brief description of chemicals from biomass. In each case, appropriate technical, economic, and environmental details are presented and analyzed. JOHN H. GIBBONS Director Energy From Biological Processes Advisory Panel Thomas Ratchford, Chairman Associate Executive Director, American Association for the Advancement of Science Henry Art Robert Hodam Michael Neushul Center for Environmental Studies California Energy Commission Marine Science Institute Williams College Kip Hewlett University of California, Santa Barbara Stanley Barber Georgia Pacific Corp. William Scheller Department of Chemical Engineering Department of Agronomy Ralph Kienker Purdue University Monsanto Co. University of Nebraska Kenneth Smith John Benemann Dean Kleckner Off ice of Appropriate Technology Sanitary Engineering Laboratory President State of California University of California, Richmond Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Wallace Tyner Paul F. Bente, Jr. Kevin Markey Department of Agricultural Economics Executive Director Friends of the Earth The Bio-Energy Council Purdue University Jacques Maroni Calvin Burwell Energy Planning Manager Oak Ridge National Laboratory Ford Motor Co. Robert Hirsch EXXON Research and Engineering Co. - NOTE. The Advisory Panel provided advice and comment throughout the assessment, but the members do not necessarily approve, disapprove, or endorse the report for which OTA assumes full responsibility Working Group on Photosynthetic Efficiency and Plant Growth One Bjorkman Gary Heichel Richard Radmer Carnegie Institution North Central Region Martin-Marietta Laboratory Stanford University U.S. Department of Agriculture University of Minnesota Glenn Burton Southern Region Edgar Lemon U.S. Department of Agriculture Northeastern Region U S. Department of Agriculture Cornell University Contractors and Consultants The Baham Corp. Purdue University, Departments of University of California at Davis, College of Charles Berg Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Agricultural and Environmental Sciences California Energy Commission Engineering, and Agronomy University of California, Richmond Field Otto Doering Ill Santa Clara University, Department of Station Douglas Frederick Mechanical Engineering University of Pennsylvania, Department of Charles Hewett State of California, Office of Appropriate Chemical and Biochemical Engineering 1 E Associates Technology University of Texas at Austin, Center for Larry Jahn T B Taylor, Associates Energy Studies Robert Kellison Texas A&M University, Departments of University of Washington, College of Neushul Mariculture, Inc. Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Forest Resources Participation Publishers Engineering RonaId Zweig Princeton University, Department of Texas Tech University, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Sciences Chemical Engineering iv Energy From Biological Processes Project Staff Lionel S. Johns, Assistant Director, OTA Energy, Materials, and International Security Division Richard E. Rowberg, Energy Program Manager Thomas E. Bull, Project Director A. Jenifer Robison, Assistant Project Director Audrey Buyrn* Steven Plotkin, Environmental Effects Richard Thoreson, Economics Franklin Tugwell, Policy Analysis Peter Johnson, Ocean Kelp Farms Mark Gibson, Federal Programs Administrative Staff Marian Growchowski Lisa Jacobson Lillian Quigg Yvonne White Supplements to Staff David Sheridan, Editor Stanley Clark OTA Publishing Staff John C. Holmes, Publishing Officer Kathie S. Boss Debra M. Datcher Joanne Mattingly *Project director from April 1978 to December 1978 Acknowledgments OTA thanks the following people who took time to provide information or review part or all of the study Don Augenstein, Flow Laboratories Tim Clidden, Dartmouth College Edward Nolan, General Electric Co Edgar E. Bailey, Davy McKee Corp. Irving Goldstein, North Carolina State John Nystrom, Arthur D. Little, Inc. Richard Bailie, Environmental Energy University Ralph Overend, National Research Council Engineering, Inc. John Goss, University of California of Canada Weldon Barton, U.S. Department of Roy Gray, Soil Conservation Service Billy Page, U.S. Forest Service Agriculture Loren Habegger, Argonne National R. Max Peterson, U S. Forest Service Charles Bendersky, Pyres, Inc. Laboratory David Pimentel, Cornell University Edward Bentz, National Alcohol Fuels John Harkness, Argonne National L. H. Pincen, U.S. Department of Commission Laboratory Agriculture Beverly Berger, U.S. Department of Energy Sanford Harris, U.S. Department of Energy Harry Potter, Purdue University Brian Blythe, Davy McKee Corp. Marilyn Herman, National Alcohol Fuels T. B. Reed, Solar Energy Research Institute Hugh Bollinger, Plant Resources Institute Commission Mark Rey, National Forest Products Diane Bonnert, Soil Conservation Service Edward Hiler, Texas A&M University Association Carroll Bottum, Purdue University Dexter Hinckley, Flow Resources Corp. Robert San Martin, U.S. Department of Robert Buckman, U.S. Forest Service Wally Hopp, Pacific Northwest Laboratory Energy Fred Buttel, Cornell University John Hornick, U.S. Forest Service Kyosti Sarkanen, University of Washington James Childress, National Alcohol Fuels William Jewell, Cornell (University John Schaeffer, Schaeffer and Roland, Inc. Commission Fred Kant, EXXON Research and Engineer- Rolf Skrinde, Olympic Associates Raymond Costello, Mittlehauser Corp. ing Co, Thomas Sladek, Colorado School of Mines Gregory D’Allessio, U S Department of J L. Keller, Union Oil of California Research Institute Energy Don Klass, Institute of Gas Technology Frank Sprow, EXXON Research and Ray Dideriksen, Soil Conservation Service J. A. Klein, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Engineering Co. Richard Doctor, Argonne National Al Kozinski, Amoco Oil Co George Staebler, Weyerhauser Corp. Laboratory Suk Moon Ko, Mitre Corp. Terry Surles, Argonne National Laboratory James Dollard, U.S. Department of Energy Kit Krickensberger, Mitre Corp. Robert Tracy, U.S. Forest Service Warren Doolittle, U.S. Forest Service Barbara Levi, Georgia Institute of R Thomas Van Arsdall, U.S. Department Ernest Dunwoody, Mittlehauser Corp. Technology of Agriculture Ed Edelson, Pacific Northwest Laboratory Les Levine, U.S. Department of Energy R. I Van Hook, Oak Ridge National Eugene Eklund, U.S. Department of Energy Edward Lipinsky, Battelle Columbus Laboratory George Emert, University of Arkansas Laboratory Thomas Weil, Amoco Chemicals John Erickson, U.S. Forest Service William Lockeretz, Northeast Solar Energy Donald Wise, Dynatech R&D William Farrell, EXXON Research and Center Robert Wolf, Congressional Research Engineering Co Dwight Miller, U.S. Department of Service Winston C. Ferguson, Conservation Con- Agriculture Robert Yeck, U S Department of sultants of New England John Milliken, U.S. Environmental Protec- Agriculture Kenneth Foster, University of Arizona tion Agency John Zerbe, U S. Department of Douglas Frederick, North Carolina State Larry Newman, Mitre Corp. Agriculture University Ralph E C. Fredrickson, Raphael Katzen Associates vi Contents Chapter Page Part 1: Biomass Resource Base 1. Introduction and Summary . 5 2. Forestry . 9 3. Agriculture. 51 4. Unconventional Biomass Production. 91 5. Biomass Wastes . 111 Part II: Conversion Technologies and End Use 6. Introduction and Summary . ..................119 7. Thermochemical Conversion. .. 123 8. Fermentation. .159 9. Anaerobic Digester . .181 10. Use of Alcohol Fuels . ....201 11. Energy BaIances for Alcohol Fuels. ..........219 12. Chemicals From Biomass. 227 vii Part I. Biomass Resource Base Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY The biomass resource base potentially in- ward energy production is needed to compare cludes hundreds of thousands of different the options and to establish cultivation re- pIant species and various animal wastes. In quirements and yields. principle, plants can be cultivated anywhere In addition to energy crops, substantial there is a favorable climate with sufficient quantities of crop residues can be collected water, sunlight, and nutrients. In practice, and used for energy without exceeding crop- there are numerous limitations, and the most Iand erosion standards. important of these appears to be the soil type for land-based plants and cultivation and har- The third major land category is rangeland, vesting techniques for aquatic plants. which vary from highly productive wetlands to deserts. Cultivation and harvesting techniques The largest area of underutilized land that is and plant growth are uncertain, and in drier welI suited to plant growth is the Nation’s for- regions the lack of water will Iimit yields unless estland. Through more intensive forest man- the crops are irrigated. However, irrigation agement—