WORKING PAPER 2017-12 Indirect greenhouse gas emissions of molasses ethanol in the European Union Authors: Sammy El Takriti, Stephanie Searle, and Nikita Pavlenko Date: 27 September 2017 Keywords: biofuel, Renewable Energy Directive, lifecycle analysis, indirect land use change (ILUC) Introduction Annex IX is limited to 1.7%, to ensure a with significant indirect GHG competitive advantage for advanced emissions (ICF International, 2015). On November 30, 2016, the fuels in Part A of the Annex, which So far, diversion effects have not been European Commission (2016c) are at an earlier stage of commer- accounted for in biofuels regulation, in published a proposal to the Council cialization. The greenhouse gas the EU or elsewhere. Considering that of the European Union (EU) and (GHG) emission savings from Annex the EU is looking to promote advanced the European Parliament to recast IX biofuels would be required to be biofuels from waste, residues, and Renewable Energy Directive (RED) at least 70% for installations starting byproducts, such effects should be 2009/28/EC (European Parliament operation after January 1, 2021. taken into consideration in assessing & Council of the European Union, GHG emissions. 2009), which will expire at the end Within the Annex IX, Part B in the of 2020. The proposed new directive proposed RED II, molasses is defined In this context, the purpose of this (henceforth referred to as RED II) as follows: paper is to assess the market and GHG would enter into effect on January impacts of molasses diversion to fuel 1, 2021. Fuel suppliers would be “ Molasses that are produced as a use, and determine if it would meet required to include a minimum share by-product from of [sic] refining the 70% GHG reduction threshold of of energy from advanced alterna- sugarcane or sugar beets the RED II. We describe the production tive fuels produced from non-food provided that the best industry and use of molasses globally and in sources, including feedstocks listed standards for the extraction of the EU to understand the indirect in Annex IX of the directive. The sugar has been respected.” effects of promoting molasses as a target for advanced alternative fuel in feedstock for biofuel. We also review transport increases to 6.8% of trans- Molasses was not listed in Annex IX literature on the GHG impacts of portation fuel consumption by 2030. in the previous version of the RED, biofuel production from molasses, and although EU member states had the conduct a displacement analysis to The list of feedstocks in Annex IX of the option to add feedstocks to this list directive is separated into two parts: and allow the amount of molasses assess the indirect GHG emissions of Part A lists a series of feedstocks for biofuel that is consumed to be counted molasses ethanol in the EU. the production of advanced biofuels, twice toward their obligations under including algae, bio-waste from the RED (called double counting). Sugar refining and households and industry, industrial France is the only country in the EU production of molasses and agricultural residues, and energy that added molasses to the list of crops. Part B includes three conven- advanced biofuels, although without The production of refined sugar tional low-carbon biofuel feedstocks, applying double counting (Ministère involves three main phases: harvesting the use of which in biofuel has already de l’Environnement, de l’Énergie et de of sugar crops, production of raw sugar been commercialized: used cooking la Mer, 2016; Vierhout, 2016). in a raw sugar factory, and refining oil (UCO), animal fats, and molasses. of raw sugar into white sugar in a Within the mandate, the contribution Diverting waste, residues, and refinery (FAO, 2009). The two major from biofuels and biogas produced byproducts from their current uses to sugar crops globally are sugar beet from feedstocks included in Part B of produce biofuels can be associated and sugarcane. Sugar beet is grown Acknowledgments: This work has been generously supported by the European Climate Foundation. Thanks to Nic Lutsey, Chris Malins, Dermot Buttle, and Jori Sihvonen for helpful reviews. © INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON CLEAN TRANSPORTATION, 2017 WWW.THEICCT.ORG INDIRECT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OF MOLASSES ETHANOL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION in temperate regions, and sugarcane Sugar beet Crystallization Molasses C is grown in tropical and subtropical 14% Sugar C 50% regions. Approximately 20% of the 97% world’s sugar production comes from Molasses B sugar beet, and 80% comes from 63% sugarcane. In the EU, the majority of sugar is produced from sugar beet, Crystallization Sugar B and a small quantity is produced 98% from sugarcane in overseas territories Extraction, Molasses A (European Commission, 2014). purification and 73% The basic processes for sugar evaporation production are detailed in Figure 1 Crystallization Raw sugar Refining White sugar for sugar beet. The processes are 94-99% 99.5% similar for the production of sugar Thick juice from sugarcane. Beets are sliced and 65-70% processed to produce a juice that is rich Intermediate in sugar. This raw juice is purified and Feedstock Process product Final product concentrated by evaporation of water, to produce thick juice (Armishaw, Figure 1. Simplified sugar production flowsheet. The sugar content of the various 2002; Südzucker, n.d.). Thick juice materials is indicated in percent of total mass. Adapted from Krajnc & Glavič (2009) and is then evaporated in vacuum pans Morrison (2008). and seeded with pulverized sugar to for additional sugar production as produced; this is known as vinasse initiate the crystallization process. a result of their high sucrose levels, (also called slop, stillage, distiller’s This results in the formation of sugar but they also can be used for other wash, molasses spent wash, or crystals suspended in syrup. A centrif- purposes, such as ethanol production dunder) (Zali, Eftekhari, Fatehi, & ugation process separates the sugar (Castañeda-Ayarza & Barbosa Cortez, Ganjkhanlou, 2017). Vinasse is thus a crystals from the adherent syrup. The 2016). Final sugar beet molasses leftover fraction of molasses. Vinasse crystallization of sucrose is carried has an unpleasant taste, but final is mainly used in feed to improve feed out in multiple stages—typically three sugarcane molasses has a sweet intake and digestibility (Bilal et al., stages—and the separation products taste and can be consumed directly 2001; Iranmehr, Khadem, Rezaeian, of each stage are usually identified by (OECD, 2007). Afzalzadeh, & Pourabedin, 2011) by the letters A, B, and C (Krajnc & Glavič, providing protein and minerals (more 2009). The first stage yields Sugar Heuzé et al. (2015) noted that the on animal feed below). Because of its A, and the run-off syrup that was type of molasses is rarely mentioned high potassium and nitrogen content, separated in the centrifuges is called when molasses is traded. We have vinasse can also be used as fertilizer Molasses A. Molasses A still contains a also observed this in most of the large fraction of sugar, and the crystal- reviewed literature, where the type of for arable crops, such as sugar beet, lization and separation process can molasses is not specified. According sugarcane, rapeseed, potatoes, and be repeated, resulting in Molasses B. to Brander et al. (2009a), in practice corn, but these uses are less common Molasses B can also be crystallized all traded molasses is final molasses. (Brouwers & Farinet, 1999; Johnson & for additional sugar production. For the purpose of this analysis, Seebaluck, 2012; Krick, 2017). The remaining syrup is called final we also assumed that the sugar Figure 2 shows average composi- molasses (also called Molasses C, industry follows practices such that tions of molasses from sugarcane blackstrap molasses, residual syrup, the maximum amount of sugar is and sugar beet (Heuzé et al., 2015), run-off syrup, or treacle); it cannot be extracted from molasses, and that all and of concentrated vinasse from further crystallized for additional sugar the molasses traded on the market is sugar beet (Hansa Melasse, n.d.). production. Sugar obtained from the final molasses. The composition of molasses and first crystallization Stage A is known vinasse depends on a number of as raw sugar, which can be refined into One major use of molasses is as a white sugar. Sugars obtained from the substrate in fermentation industries, factors, such as variety of crops, second and third crystallization stages for the production of alcohol and season of production, or processing can also be refined and sold. yeast. When molasses is used as a technology; consequently, the substrate in fermentation processes, chemical composition can show In traditional sugar mills, intermediate a byproduct containing most of considerable variation (Carioca & molasses (types A and B) are used the protein and mineral content is Leal, 2017; Curtin, 1983; Dotaniya et 2 INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON CLEAN TRANSPORTATION WORKING PAPER 2017-12 INDIRECT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OF MOLASSES ETHANOL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION al, 2016; Stemme, Gerdes, Harms, & Kamphues, 2005). Sugarcane final molasses Uses of molasses Final molasses from sugar beet Sugar Beet and sugarcane is used mainly in final molasses livestock feed, yeast production, and to produce ethanol both for human consumption and for fuel. Other Sugar Beet concentrated applications include use as a flavoring vinasse agent in some foods; as a component of material for de-icing of roads; and 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% as a substrate for the production of % of dry matter biopolymers, bioemulsifiers, enzymes, Protein Mineral matter Sugar Other ephedrine, antibiotics, and vitamins (Šárka, Bubnik, Hinkova, Gebler, & Figure 2. Composition of sugarcane final molasses, sugar beet final molasses, and sugar Kadlec, 2012, 2013). Such niche appli- beet concentrated vinasse, in % of dry matter. Data from Hansa Melasse (n.d.), and Heuzé cations were not considered further in et al.