BIOFUEL
WHAT IS IT and WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
WHAT IS IT and WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
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Bio-fuel is a manufactured product much like gasoline and diesel predominatly produced from cellulosic (terrestrial) biomass crops such as sugarcane, corn, soy, cassava, wheat, rice, etc. The same developed field crops used to produce flour, sugar and grains the staple food that provided sustenance for the world's exponential population growth, over the last seventy years.
However, that all seems to be about to change where a storm is brewing between the United Nations (UN) and the United States (US) over the use of these vauable agriculture food crops that were developed for human consumption. A major criticism by the UN, in using corn for fuel ethanol as it requires large amounts of fossil energy in its production. But that's not all, as increasing concerns are being raised about the sustainability of agriculture crops used for biofuels, which have driven up food prices as the crops now compete directly with biofuel manufacturing. In the alternative the UN is promoting 'second-generation' biomass such as green waste and bi-products from non-edible portions of corn or cane. A 'thrid-generation' biomass of non agriculture crops like willow and eucalyptus are also being considered. |
First photo is edible sugarcane used by Brazil, the second largest ethanol producer in the world. The 2nd photo is a fuel pump in Brazil that has a 25% blend of anhydrous ethanol with 75% gasoline, mandated in 2007.
3rd photo is a sugarcane harvesting machine to gather the crop for making ethanol. Fourth Photo is harvested corn once used to make flour for human consumption now, used by the US for the production of ethanol making it the world's largest producer of Fuel Ethanol.
Panoramic view of the Costa Pinto Production Plant located in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. This industrial plant is set up to produce sugar, ethanol fuel (both anhydrous and hydrous), industrial grade ethanol, and alcohol for beverages. The foreground shows the receiving operation of the sugarcane harvest, immediately followed by the mill process, and in the right side of the background is located the distillation facility where ethanol is produced. This plant produces the electricity it needs from baggasse residuals from sugar cane left over by the milling process, and it sells the surplus electricity to public utilities.
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ALGAL BIOMASS FOR ETHANOL and BIODIESEL
A new phenomenon has arrived which leaves all cellulosic (terrestrial) biomass, in its wake. It has been recently discovered that algal (aquatic) biomass can produce more biomass, greater biofuel yields, is much more efficient use in time and space than any terrestrial plant.
For example, Fuel Ethanol produced from one acre of Corn grain yields an average of 420 gallons of fuel ethanol per year, in comparison with one acre of Algae that yields an average of 5,000 gallons of biodiesel in a year. Other comparisons such as an acre of Palm Oil yields 650 gallons of biodiesel, Sugarcane yields 650 gallons of fuel ethanol and Rapeseed (Canola Oil) yields 150 gallons of biodiesel.
Algal biomass is the most efficient, sustainable, economic use alternative as a bio-fuel. It does not interfere with food security, nor agriculture cropping land areas as algae can be grows in saltwater or on arid land.
The average terrestrial plant biomass processing factory requires a nearby sugarcane plantation of 75,000 acres as the feedstock to acheive a fuel yield of 80GGE/ton via biochemical conversion of cane to fuel ethanol. (GGE means Gallon Gasoline Equivalent)
In comparison an algal biomass proceesing factory of the most economic model would cost approxiately US$ 460 million and requires a nearby growing area of only 10,000 acres to supply all year around the algae feedstock, to acheive a fuel yield of 138GGE/ton, which is 1.7 times higher than the cellulosic terrestrial sugarcane. While processing figures for algae biomass show a far great return and better use of resources in the production of bio-fuels, algae production itself still remains in its infancy on a commercial scale. However, FSC believes with its high tech LED lighting system for continuous algae growth and computerized tank monitoring algae can be produced for $400/ton and with the pressure to replace fossil fuels with sustainable biofuel, financial incentives will be more readily available in the future.
For example, Fuel Ethanol produced from one acre of Corn grain yields an average of 420 gallons of fuel ethanol per year, in comparison with one acre of Algae that yields an average of 5,000 gallons of biodiesel in a year. Other comparisons such as an acre of Palm Oil yields 650 gallons of biodiesel, Sugarcane yields 650 gallons of fuel ethanol and Rapeseed (Canola Oil) yields 150 gallons of biodiesel.
Algal biomass is the most efficient, sustainable, economic use alternative as a bio-fuel. It does not interfere with food security, nor agriculture cropping land areas as algae can be grows in saltwater or on arid land.
The average terrestrial plant biomass processing factory requires a nearby sugarcane plantation of 75,000 acres as the feedstock to acheive a fuel yield of 80GGE/ton via biochemical conversion of cane to fuel ethanol. (GGE means Gallon Gasoline Equivalent)
In comparison an algal biomass proceesing factory of the most economic model would cost approxiately US$ 460 million and requires a nearby growing area of only 10,000 acres to supply all year around the algae feedstock, to acheive a fuel yield of 138GGE/ton, which is 1.7 times higher than the cellulosic terrestrial sugarcane. While processing figures for algae biomass show a far great return and better use of resources in the production of bio-fuels, algae production itself still remains in its infancy on a commercial scale. However, FSC believes with its high tech LED lighting system for continuous algae growth and computerized tank monitoring algae can be produced for $400/ton and with the pressure to replace fossil fuels with sustainable biofuel, financial incentives will be more readily available in the future.
White Paper from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on the Process, Design and Economics for the Conversion of Algal Biomass to Biofuels.