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Biofuels: a Solution for Climate Change

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Biofuels: a Solution for Climate Change Biofuels A Solution for Climate Change OUROUR CHANGINGCHANGINGEarth OURClimate CHANGING “We want to see… the efficient production and use of energy, so that the products we produce and the way we produce them pose no threat to the world’s natural environment[,]… economic development… so that more and more of the world’s population can enjoy… the things which the energy industry supplies… [and] a society in which ideas and knowledge move freely… ” John Browne, Group Chief Executive, British Petroleum Company, Why not turn up the heat? presentation to the Council of Foreign Relations, New York, November 13, 1997 The greenhouse effect—the natural phenome- non by which the Earth’s atmosphere traps and holds warmth from the sun—is vital to our sur- vival. Without it, the Earth’s surface temperature The weather affects our work and play; climate would be about 90°F (33°C) cooler and unable to change can affect our survival support life as we know it. Trace gases (carbon Our lives are linked to weather and climate, and dioxide [CO2]), ozone, methane, nitrogen oxides, and others) in the atmosphere absorb and retain to energy use. Our search for and use of fossil radiated heat before it escapes into space. fuels—primarily coal and oil—could warm the Because CO2 exists in the atmosphere in far larger atmosphere enough to contribute to ever more quantities than other trace gases, it is responsible destructive floods, serious and sustained droughts, for more than half the greenhouse effect. and relentless snowfalls. One way to slow these But too much of this good thing can cause global climate change. If the amounts of CO trends is to increase energy efficiency and develop 2 and other trace greenhouse gases in the atmos- and use clean, sustainable energy sources. Political phere are increased, more heat will be trapped. and business leaders throughout the world recog- This could change climate patterns, temperature, nize that global climate change is real, and are tak- and atmospheric processes. ing steps to reduce fossil fuel emissions. The U.S. government development of ultra fuel-efficient automobiles and advocates environmental other energy-saving technologies. A cornerstone of sustainability the program would give tax credits of $3,000 to The United States has $4,000 to buyers of the next generation of fuel- less than 5% of the world’s efficient cars to boost development of the vehicles population and consumes expected to be up to three times as fuel efficient as about 25% of the world’s today’s models. petroleum (more than 18 A tax credit of $3,000 would apply to vehicles million barrels each day that get double the current mileage for their class. for transportation and For example, a midsize car that now gets 25 mpg other uses). The U.S. trans- would have to achieve 50 mpg to qualify. The portation sector presents credit would later be expanded to $4,000 for vehi- significant opportunities cles with three times the gasoline mileage of cur- for improvement, as it is rent models. responsible for about 27% of U.S. energy consump- Problem solving is big business, tion and 35% of U.S. and big business is working to solve greenhouse gas emissions. environmental problems “Weather is what The Clinton administra- Many energy-intensive industries are responding happens outside your tion disclosed a $6.3-billion to the climate change challenge. Some oil com- home this morning. package for tax incentives panies are using their best expertise and talent to Climate is what you and research to spur find better ways to extract, ship, and refine coal, can expect to happen natural gas, and petroleum to minimize their outside during your effects on the environment. Additionally, some are 30-year mortgage.” finding ways to use their own waste products to produce energy and other useful coproducts; Curt Suplee, “Untangling the Science of Climate,” National Geographic 193(5):50, 1998. 2 “We [the Administra- tion] see the need to sit down with energy intensive industries to see if they will reduce energy use or use others are looking at possi- renewable sources. What is biomass? Projected Fuel Ethanol Sales bilities associated with and Associated Carbon Savings* If we can do for The term biomass encompasses a wide alternative energy sources. renewable energy spectrum of plant materials that range 15 Many auto makers have from agricultural and forestry wastes what we have done said they plan to have cars to municipal wastes to crops grown 12 for recycled copying in showrooms that run 50 specifically to make biofuels, such as paper we can really to 70 miles on a gallon of bioethanol and biodiesel. The tech- gasoline. They are also nologies used to convert these 9 make an impact.” biomass feedstocks vary, and the alter- exploring fuel cells, hybrid Dan Reicher, Assistant Secre- native fuels produce similarly low electric vehicle technolo- 6 tary for Energy Efficiency amounts of greenhouse gas when and Renewable Energy, U.S. gies, and the use of alter- combusted. But by using alternative Department of Energy, as native fuels such as fuels we can offset the use of petro- 3 quoted by By Marc Benjamin leum products. So if we use, for exam- in The Bakersfield Califor- ethanol. They manufacture ple, ethanol produced from plant nian, April 29, 1998 flexible-fuel vehicles that 0 2010 2020 material (which is made from atmos- Billions of gallons of ethanol sold can operate on gasoline or pheric carbon) we are not putting car- Million of tons of carbon emissions any blend of ethanol in bon in the air that has been trapped avoided gasoline as high as 85%. as oil for millions of years. *Projections based on ongoing research These vehicles have been used in government fleets for several years, and now the manufacturers are modifications. Higher-level blends (85%, known as offering them for no additional cost to consumers. E85) can be used in flexible-fuel vehicles. Biofuels can be part of the solution Biofuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions Biofuels such as bioethanol contribute little or no Converting biomass feedstocks to biofuels is an environmentally friendly process. So is using bio- CO2 to the buildup of greenhouse gas emissions. Bioethanol is a versatile fuel that can be mixed fuels for transportation. When we use bioethanol with gasoline in 10% blends (E10), and potentially instead of gasoline, we help reduce atmospheric in 20% and 22% blends, known as E20 and E22, CO2 in three ways: (1) we avoid the emissions respectively. It can also be used to manufacture associated with gasoline; (2) we allow the CO2 ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), an octane-enhanc- content of the fossil fuels to remain in storage; and ing fuel additive, to produce a more efficient and (3) we provide a mechanism for CO2 absorption by relatively clean-burning fuel that requires no engine growing new biomass for fuels. Because of their compatibility with the natural carbon cycle, bio- fuels offer the most beneficial alternative for reduc- “Despite the many ing greenhouse gases from the transportation sector. remaining uncertain- Our nation’s biomass resource base is extensive ties about the nature (about 200 million dry tons of various waste feed- and the risks of the stocks are available annually). Using a fraction of process [climate this resource could probably supply the equivalent of 350,000 barrels of oil in 2010, or 3.6% of the change], I believe that projected light-duty vehicle energy demand. there is now sufficient Increasing biomass use would accelerate the dis- evidence to support placement of fossil fuels and the reduction of trans- prudent precaution- portation greenhouse gas emissions. ary action.” Bus that runs on ethanol Cor Herkströter, Senior Greater Peoria Mass Transit District/PIX03320 Managing Director, Shell Oil 3 DOE offers alternatives Because of their Projected Carbon Emissions from Light-Duty Since the late 1970s, the U.S. Department of Vehicles: Impact of Bioethanol Development compatibility with the Energy (DOE) has invested in research and tech- (in millions of metric tons per year)* natural carbon cycle, nology related to global climate change. DOE’s 400 biofuels offer the most Office of Fuels Development (OFD) manages the 390 beneficial alternative National Biofuels Program and is the lead technical advisor on the development of biofuels technolo- for reducing green- 380 gies in the United States. Together with industry house gases from the and other stakeholders, the program seeks to 370 transportation sector. establish a major biofuels industry that can provide a significant fraction of the nation’s transportation 360 fuels. Its goals are to develop and commercialize 350 technologies for producing sustainable, domestic, environmentally beneficial, and economically viable 340 fuels from dedicated biomass feedstocks. 330 2010 2020 National laboratories work to support biofuels Baseline Impact of ethanol *Projections based on ongoing research Several national laboratories—primarily Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)—are work- ting up several feedstock R&D centers to support a ing to expand the potential of biofuels technolo- greater variety of energy crops for the widespread gies in mitigating CO2. In addition to employing use of biofuels. These crops include switchgrass, world-class researchers to conduct work in house, willow, and hybrid poplars. these laboratories work with numerous subcontrac- At NREL, in-house engineers work with subcon- tors from universities, the private sector, and other tractors to increase vehicle fuel efficiency, test research institutes to improve and commercialize alternative fuels, and find alternatives to the inter- biofuels technologies. Through ORNL, OFD is set- nal combustion engine. These strategies will help reduce CO2 emissions in the transportation sector.
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