DOCSLIB.ORG

5. Environmental Impacts of Biofuels

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
5. Environmental Impacts of Biofuels BIOFUELS: PROSPECTS, RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES 55 5. Environmental impacts of biofuels Although biofuel production remains small Depending on the methods used to produce in the context of total energy demand, it the feedstock and process the fuel, some is significant in relation to current levels crops can even generate more greenhouse of agricultural production. The potential gases than do fossil fuels. For example, environmental and social implications of its nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas with a global- continued growth must be recognized. For warming potential around 300 times greater example, reduced greenhouse gas emissions than that of carbon dioxide, is released from are among the explicit goals of some policy nitrogen fertilizers. Moreover, greenhouse measures to support biofuel production. gases are emitted at other stages in the Unintended negative impacts on land, water production of bioenergy crops and biofuels: and biodiversity count among the side-effects in producing the fertilizers, pesticides and fuel of agricultural production in general, but used in farming, during chemical processing, they are of particular concern with respect to transport and distribution, up to final use. biofuels. The extent of such impacts depends Greenhouse gases can also be emitted by on how biofuel feedstocks are produced direct or indirect land-use changes triggered and processed, the scale of production and, by increased biofuel production, for example in particular, how they influence land-use when carbon stored in forests or grasslands is change, intensification and international released from the soil during land conversion trade. This chapter reviews the environmental to crop production. For example, while implications of biofuels; the social implications maize produced for ethanol can generate will be considered in the following chapter. greenhouse gas savings of about 1.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year, and switchgrass – a possible second-generation Will biofuels help mitigate climate crop – can generate savings of 8.6 tonnes change?10 per hectare per year, the conversion of grassland to produce those crops can release Until recently, many policy-makers assumed 300 tonnes per hectare, and conversion of that the replacement of fossil fuels with forest land can release 600–1 000 tonnes fuels generated from biomass would have per hectare (Fargione et al., 2008; The Royal significant and positive climate-change Society, 2008; Searchinger, 2008). effects by generating lower levels of the Life-cycle analysis is the analytical tool greenhouse gases that contribute to global used to calculate greenhouse gas balances. warming. Bioenergy crops can reduce or The greenhouse gas balance is the result offset greenhouse gas emissions by directly of a comparison between all emissions of removing carbon dioxide from the air as greenhouse gases throughout the production they grow and storing it in crop biomass and phases and use of a biofuel and all the soil. In addition to biofuels, many of these greenhouse gases emitted in producing and crops generate co-products such as protein using the equivalent energy amount of the for animal feed, thus saving on energy that respective fossil fuel. This well-established, would have been used to make feed by other but complex, method systematically means. analyses each component of the value Despite these potential benefits, however, chain to estimate greenhouse gas emissions scientific studies have revealed that different (Figure 22). biofuels vary widely in their greenhouse The starting point in estimating the gas balances when compared with petrol. greenhouse gas balance is a well-defined set of boundaries for a specific biofuel 10 The analysis in this section draws partly on FAO (2008d). system, which is compared with a suitable 56 THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2008 “conventional” reference system – in most A limited number of studies have considered cases petrol. Several biofuel feedstocks also vegetable oil; biodiesel from palm oil, cassava generate co-products, such as press cake and jatropha; and biomethane from biogas. or livestock feed. These are considered Given the wide range of biofuels, feedstocks “avoided” greenhouse gas emissions and and production and conversion technologies, are assessed by comparing them with similar we would expect a similarly wide range of stand-alone products or by allocation (e.g. by outcomes in terms of emission reductions – energy content or market price). Greenhouse which is indeed the case. Most studies have gas balances differ widely among crops found that producing first-generation and locations, depending on feedstock biofuels from current feedstocks results production methods, conversion technologies in emission reductions in the range of 20– and use. Inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer 60 percent relative to fossil fuels, provided the and the type of electricity generation (e.g. most efficient systems are used and carbon from coal or oil, or nuclear) used to convert releases deriving from land-use change are feedstocks to biofuels may result in widely excluded. Figure 23 shows estimated ranges varying levels of greenhouse gas emissions of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for and also differ from one region to another. a series of crops and locations, excluding the Most life-cycle analyses of biofuels, to effects of land-use change. Brazil, which has date, have been undertaken for cereal and long experience of producing ethanol from oilseeds in the EU and the United States of sugar cane, shows even greater reductions. America and for sugar-cane ethanol in Brazil. Second-generation biofuels, although still FIGURE 22 Life-cycle analysis for greenhouse gas balances Life-cycle analysis for conventional fossil fuel Crude oil Conventional Transport extraction fossil fuel Use in for Refining and (petrol transport processing pre-treatment or diesel) GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Feedstock production: land, fertilizer, Biofuel Ethanol pesticides, Transport processing: or Land-use Use in seeds, for enzymes, biodiesel change transport machinery, processing chemicals, and fuel energy use co-products Life-cycle analysis for liquid biofuel Source: FAO. BIOFUELS: PROSPECTS, RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES 57 FIGURE 23 Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of selected biofuels relative to fossil fuels Sugar cane, Brazil Second-generation biofuels Palm oil Sugar beet, European Union Rapeseed, European Union Maize Maize, United States of America -100-90 -80-70 -60-50 -40-30 -20-10 0 Percentage reduction Note: Excludes the effects of land-use change. Sources: IEA, 2006, and FAO, 2008d. insignificant at the commercial level, typically in subsequent stages of production and use. offer emission reductions in the order of 70– When land-use changes are included in the 90 percent, compared with fossil diesel and analysis, greenhouse gas emissions for some petrol, also excluding carbon releases related biofuel feedstocks and production systems to land-use change. may be even higher than those for fossil Several recent studies have found that the fuels. Fargione et al. (2008) estimated that most marked differences in results stem from the conversion of rainforests, peatlands, allocation methods chosen for co-products, savannahs or grasslands to produce ethanol assumptions on nitrous oxide emissions and and biodiesel in Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia land-use-related carbon emission changes. or the United States of America releases at At present, a number of different methods least 17 times as much carbon dioxide as are being used to conduct life-cycle analysis those biofuels save annually by replacing and, as noted above, some of these do fossil fuels. They find that this “carbon not consider the complex topic of land-use debt” would take 48 years to repay in the change. The parameters measured and the case of Conservation Reserve Program land quality of the data used in the assessment returned to maize ethanol production in the need to comply with set standards. Efforts United States of America, over 300 years to are under way within, among others, the repay if Amazonian rainforest is converted Global Bioenergy Partnership, to develop for soybean biodiesel production, and over a harmonized methodology for assessing 400 years to repay if tropical peatland greenhouse gas balances. There is a similar rainforest is converted for palm-oil biodiesel need for harmonization in assessing the production in Indonesia or Malaysia. broader environmental and social impacts Righelato and Spracklen (2007) estimated of bioenergy crops to ensure that results are the carbon emissions avoided by various transparent and consistent across a wide ethanol and biodiesel feedstocks grown on range of systems. existing cropland (i.e. sugar cane, maize, In assessing greenhouse gas balances, wheat and sugar beet for ethanol, and the data on emissions emanating from rapeseed and woody biomass for diesel). land-use change are crucial if the resulting They found that, in each case, more carbon picture is to be complete and accurate. Such would be sequestered over a 30-year period emissions will occur early in the biofuel by converting the cropland to forest. They production cycle and, if sufficiently large, argue that if the objective of biofuel support may require many years before they are policies is to mitigate global warming, compensated by emissions savings obtained then fuel efficiency and forest conservation 58 THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2008 BOX 9 The Global Bioenergy Partnership The Global Bioenergy
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Potential for Biofuels Alongside the EU-ETS
    The potential for biofuels alongside the EU-ETS Stefan Boeters, Paul Veenendaal, Nico van Leeuwen and Hugo Rojas-Romagoza CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis Paper for presentation at the Eleventh Annual GTAP Conference ‘Future of Global Economy’, Helsinki, June 12-14, 2008 1 Table of contents Summary 3 1 The potential for biofuels alongside the EU-ETS 6 1.1 Introduction 6 1.2 Climate policy baseline 7 1.3 Promoting the use of biofuels 10 1.4 Increasing transport fuel excises as a policy alternative from the CO 2-emission reduction point of view 22 1.5 Conclusions 23 Appendix A: Characteristics of the WorldScan model and of the baseline scenario 25 A.1 WorldScan 25 A.2 Background scenario 27 A.3 Details of biofuel modelling 28 A.4 Sensitivity analysis with respect to land allocation 35 References 38 2 Summary The potential for biofuels alongside the EU-ETS On its March 2007 summit the European Council agreed to embark on an ambitious policy for energy and climate change that establishes several targets for the year 2020. Amongst others this policy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% compared to 1990 and to ensure that 20% of total energy use comes from renewable sources, partly by increasing the share of biofuels up to at least 10% of total fuel use in transportation. In meeting the 20% reduction ceiling for greenhouse gas emissions the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) will play a central role as the ‘pricing engine’ for CO 2-emissions. The higher the emissions price will be, the sooner technological emission reduction options will tend to be commercially adopted.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sustainability of Cellulosic Biofuels
    The Sustainability of Cellulosic Biofuels All biofuels, by definition, are made from plant material. The main biofuel on the U.S. market is corn ethanol, a type of biofuel made using the starch in corn grain. But only using grain to produce biofuels can lead to a tug of war between food and fuel sources, as well as other environmental and economic challenges. Biofuels made from cellulosic sources – the leaves, stems, and other fibrous parts of a plant – have been touted as a promising renewable energy source. Not only is cellulose the most abundant biological material on Earth, but using cellulose to produce biofuels instead of grain can have environmental benefits. Cellulosic biofuel sources offer a substantially greater energy return on investment compared to grain-based sources. However, environmental benefits are not guaranteed. The environmental success of cellulosic biofuels will depend on 1) which cellulosic crops are grown, 2) the practices used to manage them, and 3) the geographic location of crops. Both grain-based and cellulosic biofuels can help lessen our use of fossil fuels and can help offset carbon dioxide emissions. But cellulosic biofuels are able to offset more gasoline than can grain-based biofuels – and they do so with environmental co-benefits. Cellulosic Biofuels Help Reduce Competition for Land Cellulosic fuel crops can grow on lands that are not necessarily suitable for food crops and thereby reduce or avoid food vs. fuel competition. If grown on land that has already been cleared, cellulosic crops do not further contribute to the release of carbon to the atmosphere. Because many cellulosic crops are perennial and roots are always present, they guard against soil erosion and better retain nitrogen fertilizer.
    [Show full text]
  • Races of Maize in Bolivia
    RACES OF MAIZE IN BOLIVIA Ricardo Ramírez E. David H. Timothy Efraín DÍaz B. U. J. Grant in collaboration with G. Edward Nicholson Edgar Anderson William L. Brown NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES- NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Publication 747 Funds were provided for publication by a contract between the National Academythis of Sciences -National Research Council and The Institute of Inter-American Affairs of the International Cooperation Administration. The grant was made the of the Committee on Preservation of Indigenousfor Strainswork of Maize, under the Agricultural Board, a part of the Division of Biology and Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council. RACES OF MAIZE IN BOLIVIA Ricardo Ramírez E., David H. Timothy, Efraín Díaz B., and U. J. Grant in collaboration with G. Edward Nicholson Calle, Edgar Anderson, and William L. Brown Publication 747 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES- NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Washington, D. C. 1960 COMMITTEE ON PRESERVATION OF INDIGENOUS STRAINS OF MAIZE OF THE AGRICULTURAL BOARD DIVISIONOF BIOLOGYAND AGRICULTURE NATIONALACADEMY OF SCIENCES- NATIONALRESEARCH COUNCIL Ralph E. Cleland, Chairman J. Allen Clark, Executive Secretary Edgar Anderson Claud L. Horn Paul C. Mangelsdorf William L. Brown Merle T. Jenkins G. H. Stringfield C. O. Erlanson George F. Sprague Other publications in this series: RACES OF MAIZE IN CUBA William H. Hatheway NAS -NRC Publication 453 I957 Price $1.50 RACES OF MAIZE IN COLOMBIA M. Roberts, U. J. Grant, Ricardo Ramírez E., L. W. H. Hatheway, and D. L. Smith in collaboration with Paul C. Mangelsdorf NAS-NRC Publication 510 1957 Price $1.50 RACES OF MAIZE IN CENTRAL AMERICA E.
    [Show full text]
  • Scheme Principles for GHG Calculation
    Scheme principles for GHG calculation Version EU 05 Scheme principles for GHG calculation © REDcert GmbH 2021 This document is publicly accessible at: www.redcert.org. Our documents are protected by copyright and may not be modified. Nor may our documents or parts thereof be reproduced or copied without our consent. Document title: „Scheme principles for GHG calculation” Version: EU 05 Datum: 18.06.2021 © REDcert GmbH 2 Scheme principles for GHG calculation Contents 1 Requirements for greenhouse gas saving .................................................... 5 2 Scheme principles for the greenhouse gas calculation ................................. 5 2.1 Methodology for greenhouse gas calculation ................................................... 5 2.2 Calculation using default values ..................................................................... 8 2.3 Calculation using actual values ...................................................................... 9 2.4 Calculation using disaggregated default values ...............................................12 3 Requirements for calculating GHG emissions based on actual values ........ 13 3.1 Requirements for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of raw material (eec) .......................................................................................13 3.2 Requirements for calculating greenhouse gas emissions resulting from land-use change (el) ................................................................................................17 3.3 Requirements for
    [Show full text]
  • Biofuel Sustainability Performance Guidelines (PDF)
    JULY 2014 NRDC REPORT R:14-04-A Biofuel Sustainability Performance Guidelines Report prepared for the Natural Resources Defense Council by LMI Acknowledgments NRDC thanks the Packard Foundation and the Energy Foundation for the generous contributions that made this report possible. NRDC acknowledges the role of LMI in preparing this report and thanks LMI for its impartial insights and key role in its analysis, design and production. LMI is a McLean, Va.-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit government management consultancy. About NRDC The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.4 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC. NRDC’s policy publications aim to inform and influence solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental and public health issues. For additional policy content, visit our online policy portal at www.nrdc.org/policy. NRDC Director of Communications: Lisa Benenson NRDC Deputy Director of Communications: Lisa Goffredi NRDC Policy Publications Director: Alex Kennaugh Design and Production: www.suerossi.com © Natural Resources Defense Council 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................4
    [Show full text]
  • Bioenergy's Role in Balancing the Electricity Grid and Providing Storage Options – an EU Perspective
    Bioenergy's role in balancing the electricity grid and providing storage options – an EU perspective Front cover information panel IEA Bioenergy: Task 41P6: 2017: 01 Bioenergy's role in balancing the electricity grid and providing storage options – an EU perspective Antti Arasto, David Chiaramonti, Juha Kiviluoma, Eric van den Heuvel, Lars Waldheim, Kyriakos Maniatis, Kai Sipilä Copyright © 2017 IEA Bioenergy. All rights Reserved Published by IEA Bioenergy IEA Bioenergy, also known as the Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) for a Programme of Research, Development and Demonstration on Bioenergy, functions within a Framework created by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Views, findings and publications of IEA Bioenergy do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the IEA Secretariat or of its individual Member countries. Foreword The global energy supply system is currently in transition from one that relies on polluting and depleting inputs to a system that relies on non-polluting and non-depleting inputs that are dominantly abundant and intermittent. Optimising the stability and cost-effectiveness of such a future system requires seamless integration and control of various energy inputs. The role of energy supply management is therefore expected to increase in the future to ensure that customers will continue to receive the desired quality of energy at the required time. The COP21 Paris Agreement gives momentum to renewables. The IPCC has reported that with current GHG emissions it will take 5 years before the carbon budget is used for +1,5C and 20 years for +2C. The IEA has recently published the Medium- Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2016, launched on 25.10.2016 in Singapore.
    [Show full text]
  • Biofuels in a Changing World
    Biofuels in a Changing World Carol Werner, Executive Director Environmental and Energy Study Institute Presentation for Biofuels and the Promise for Sustainable Energy Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil August 2007 Abstract : The twin drivers of oil security and climate change have pushed biofuels into the forefront of US national energy policy. The industry has grown rapidly, and at this point is based upon corn ethanol and soy biodiesel. A variety of policy proposals are before the US Congress in terms of major pending energy and agriculture legislation which would greatly advance the role of biofuels. At the same time concerns have been raised about the cost of such proposals, the sustainability of biofuel production, potential competition with food, animal feed and other crops as well as land use issues. Biofuels represent an important piece of the solution to the challenges of a world facing climate change and oil security concerns – but are not a silver bullet. Instead, they must be part of a ‘sustainable’ strategy that works in tandem with other policies that will allow us to address multiple issues to achieve multiple benefits at the same time. Key elements that must be addressed include diversification of feedstocks that are appropriate to given regions based upon local soil, precipitation, low inputs and climate conditions; encouragement of local ownership so that local economic activity is enhanced; and development of new technologies and biorefineries that will promote high efficiency and a low/no net carbon emission life cycle. Without addressing these issues carefully and thoughtfully – whether in the United States, Brazil or other countries moving forward on biofuels – we run the risk of jeopardizing public consensus for long-term support of biofuels as well as jeopardizing the long term environmentally sustainable economic development that is critical to the well-being of our societies and our planet.
    [Show full text]
  • Modelling of Emissions and Energy Use from Biofuel Fuelled Vehicles at Urban Scale
    sustainability Article Modelling of Emissions and Energy Use from Biofuel Fuelled Vehicles at Urban Scale Daniela Dias, António Pais Antunes and Oxana Tchepel * CITTA, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra, Polo II, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal; [email protected] (D.D.); [email protected] (A.P.A.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 29 March 2019; Accepted: 13 May 2019; Published: 22 May 2019 Abstract: Biofuels have been considered to be sustainable energy source and one of the major alternatives to petroleum-based road transport fuels due to a reduction of greenhouse gases emissions. However, their effects on urban air pollution are not straightforward. The main objective of this work is to estimate the emissions and energy use from bio-fuelled vehicles by using an integrated and flexible modelling approach at the urban scale in order to contribute to the understanding of introducing biofuels as an alternative transport fuel. For this purpose, the new Traffic Emission and Energy Consumption Model (QTraffic) was applied for complex urban road network when considering two biofuels demand scenarios with different blends of bioethanol and biodiesel in comparison to the reference situation over the city of Coimbra (Portugal). The results of this study indicate that the increase of biofuels blends would have a beneficial effect on particulate matter (PM ) emissions reduction for the entire road network ( 3.1% [ 3.8% to 2.1%] by kg). In contrast, 2.5 − − − an overall negative effect on nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions at urban scale is expected, mainly due to the increase in bioethanol uptake. Moreover, the results indicate that, while there is no noticeable variation observed in energy use, fuel consumption is increased by over 2.4% due to the introduction of the selected biofuels blends.
    [Show full text]
  • Root-Hair Endophyte Stacking in Finger Millet Creates a Physicochemical Barrier to Trap the Fungal Pathogen Fusarium Graminearum
    UC Davis UC Davis Previously Published Works Title Root-hair endophyte stacking in finger millet creates a physicochemical barrier to trap the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7b87c4z1 Journal Nature microbiology, 1(12) ISSN 2058-5276 Authors Mousa, Walaa K Shearer, Charles Limay-Rios, Victor et al. Publication Date 2016-09-26 DOI 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.167 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California ARTICLES PUBLISHED: 26 SEPTEMBER 2016 | ARTICLE NUMBER: 16167 | DOI: 10.1038/NMICROBIOL.2016.167 Root-hair endophyte stacking in finger millet creates a physicochemical barrier to trap the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum Walaa K. Mousa1,2, Charles Shearer1, Victor Limay-Rios3, Cassie L. Ettinger4,JonathanA.Eisen4 and Manish N. Raizada1* The ancient African crop, finger millet, has broad resistance to pathogens including the toxigenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. Here, we report the discovery of a novel plant defence mechanism resulting from an unusual symbiosis between finger millet and a root-inhabiting bacterial endophyte, M6 (Enterobacter sp.). Seed-coated M6 swarms towards root-invading Fusarium and is associated with the growth of root hairs, which then bend parallel to the root axis, subsequently forming biofilm-mediated microcolonies, resulting in a remarkable, multilayer root-hair endophyte stack (RHESt). The RHESt results in a physical barrier that prevents entry and/or traps F. graminearum, which is then killed. M6 thus creates its own specialized killing microhabitat. Tn5-mutagenesis shows that M6 killing requires c-di-GMP-dependent signalling, diverse fungicides and resistance to a Fusarium-derived antibiotic. Further molecular evidence suggests long-term host–endophyte– pathogen co-evolution.
    [Show full text]
  • Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: a Synthesis of the Findings of 22 Case Studies
    ISSN: 0258-8587 E C O N O M I C S W O R K I N G P A P E R 0 3 - 0 1 Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: A Synthesis of the Findings of 22 Case Studies CHERYL DOSS, WILFRED MWANGI, HUGO VERKUIJL, AND HUGO DE GROOTE Apartado Postal 6-641, 06600 México, D.F., México Worldwide Web site: www.cimmyt.org E C O N O M I C S Working Paper 03-01 Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: A Synthesis of the Findings of 22 Case Studies Cheryl Doss, Wilfred Mwangi, Hugo Verkuijl, and Hugo de Groote* * International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apartado Postal 6-641, 06600 Mexico, D.F., Mexico. The views expressed in this paper are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIMMYT. 34 CIMMYT® (www.cimmyt.org) is an internationally funded, nonprofit, scientific research and training organization. Headquartered in Mexico, CIMMYT works with agricultural research institutions worldwide to improve the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of maize and wheat systems for poor farmers in developing countries. It is one of 16 food and environmental organizations known as the Future Harvest Centers. Located around the world, the Future Harvest Centers conduct research in partnership with farmers, scientists, and policymakers to help alleviate poverty and increase food security while protecting natural resources. The centers are supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org), whose members include nearly 60 countries, private foundations, and regional and international organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • Utilization of Waste Cooking Oil Via Recycling As Biofuel for Diesel Engines
    recycling Article Utilization of Waste Cooking Oil via Recycling as Biofuel for Diesel Engines Hoi Nguyen Xa 1, Thanh Nguyen Viet 2, Khanh Nguyen Duc 2 and Vinh Nguyen Duy 3,* 1 University of Fire Fighting and Prevention, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam; [email protected] 2 School of Transportation and Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam; [email protected] (T.N.V.); [email protected] (K.N.D.) 3 Faculty of Vehicle and Energy Engineering, Phenikaa University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 16 March 2020; Accepted: 2 June 2020; Published: 8 June 2020 Abstract: In this study, waste cooking oil (WCO) was used to successfully manufacture catalyst cracking biodiesel in the laboratory. This study aims to evaluate and compare the influence of waste cooking oil synthetic diesel (WCOSD) with that of commercial diesel (CD) fuel on an engine’s operating characteristics. The second goal of this study is to compare the engine performance and temperature characteristics of cooling water and lubricant oil under various engine operating conditions of a test engine fueled by waste cooking oil and CD. The results indicated that the engine torque of the engine running with WCOSD dropped from 1.9 Nm to 5.4 Nm at all speeds, and its brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) dropped at almost every speed. Thus, the thermal brake efficiency (BTE) of the engine fueled by WCOSD was higher at all engine speeds. Also, the engine torque of the WCOSD-fueled engine was lower than the engine torque of the CD-fueled engine at all engine speeds.
    [Show full text]
  • Is Biopower Carbon Neutral?
    Is Biopower Carbon Neutral? Kelsi Bracmort Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and Natural Resources Policy February 4, 2016 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41603 Is Biopower Carbon Neutral? Summary To promote energy diversity and improve energy security, Congress has expressed interest in biopower—electricity generated from biomass. Biopower, a baseload power source, can be produced from a large range of biomass feedstocks nationwide (e.g., urban, agricultural, and forestry wastes and residues). The two most common biopower processes are combustion (e.g., direct-fired or co-fired) and gasification, with the former being the most widely used. Proponents have stated that biopower has the potential to strengthen rural economies, enhance energy security, and minimize the environmental impacts of energy production. Challenges to biopower production include the need for a sufficient feedstock supply, concerns about potential health impacts to nearby communities from the combustion of biomass, and its higher generation costs relative to fossil fuel-based electricity. At present, biopower generally requires tax incentives to be competitive with conventional fossil fuel-fired electric generation. An energy production activity typically is classified as carbon neutral if it produces no net increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a life-cycle basis. The legislative record shows minimal debate about the carbon status of biopower. The argument that biopower is carbon neutral has come under scrutiny in debate on its potential to help meet U.S. energy demands and reduce U.S. GHG emissions. Whether biopower is considered carbon neutral depends on many factors, including the definition of carbon neutrality, feedstock type, technology used, and time frame examined.
    [Show full text]