assessing the sustainability of bioethanol production: key .../menu/general/column... · assessing...

1
CONTACT INFORMATION Assessing the sustainability of bioethanol production: Key criteria and methodological improvements PhD Student Dilip Khatiwada Supervisor Semida Silveira Dilip Khatiwada PhD Student Address: KTH Energy and Climate Studies Brinellvägen 68 SE-100 44 STOCKHOLM Telephone: +46(0)8-790-7431 +46 (0)70-772-9140 (mobile) E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.ecs.kth.se The division of Energy and Climate Studies (ECS) has an interdisciplinary character with a strong systems approach, linking issues related to energy technology and policy, climate change and sustainable development. At present, ECS works with three defined research themes: bioenergy systems, rural electrification, and energy and climate policy. These are some of the central research questions at ECS. What solutions can be pursued globally and regionally? Which of them will lead to sustainable development? What are the solutions that will lead to mitigation and adaptation to climate change while also promoting sustainable development? www.ecs.kth.se Life cycle and sustainability assessment of bioenergy systems: Energy and Climate Studies Dept. of Energy Technology School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM) Brief Introduction Life cycle assessment (LCA) and sustainability criteria provide the methodological framework for the sustainability of the bioethanol production. This research project deals with the net energy balance, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and prospects for sustainable development of sugarcane bioenergy systems in developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs). Key Research Questions ? How much total energy does it take to produce one liter of bioethanol? How much GHG emissions savings occur? What are the direct benefits of bioethanol in developing countries? What are the sustainability criteria and how to assess them? How can we compare and benchmark the sustainability criteria globally? The case of Nepal, a LDC in Asia Map of Nepal with sugarmills’ location LCA Concept and Framework Results Energy yield ratio in the production of molasses-based ethanol is 7.47 Life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from production and use are 76.6 % lower than those of conventional gasoline. National bioethanol potential:18 million liters/year, thus improved energy security situation through replacement of gasoline Bioethanol blends reduce local air pollution problems in the Kathmandu Valley Saving of hard-cash foreign currency; substitution of gasoline with E20 saves US$ 10.1 million a year in the Kathmandu Valley E20 can avoid 23,397 tonnes of CO 2 emissions Wastewater treatment: Anaerobic Digestion Process with biogas recovery is the best option to reduce the life cycle GHG emissions No conflicts between food and fuel at present small-scale production from low-value sugarcane by-product, Molasses Energy and material flows for sugarcane bioenergy systems in Nepal (per hectare) GHG emissions in varying material/energy inputs and sugarcane yield Fuel consumption along the production chain Sources of life cycle GHG emissions in bioethanol production and use (per m 3 ethanol) in Nepal Utilization of the available primary energy (bagasse: 96% and biogas: 4%). References: 1. Khatiwada, D., Silveira, S., Net energy balance of molasses based ethanol: the case of Nepal. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 13 (2009), pp.2515 2524. 2. Silveira, S., Khatiwada, D., Ethanol Production and Fuel Substitution in Nepal Opportunity to Promote Sustainable Development and Climate Change Mitigation. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 14 (2010), pp 1644-1652. 3. Khatiwada, D., Silveira, S., Greenhouse gas balances of molasses based ethanol in Nepal (under review), submitted in Journal of Cleaner Production (2010). Future Direction: Methodological Improvements To improve and benchmark the sustainability assessment criteria of the bioethanol production for methodological coherence and unification in the context of the evaluation of sustainable bioenergy systems for energy security, climate change, product certification, and international trade Fermentation/ distillation, 4% ETP Lighting to industrial complex (milling, distillation and ETP), 4% Sugarcane milling, 73% Excess bagasse, 17% Dehydration, 2% Fossil fuels : 51.9% (224.4 kg) Trash burning 5.3% (22.9 kg) Soil emissions 26.8% (116.1 kg) Bagasse and biogas combustion 10.2% (44.1 kg) Emissions from combustion of ethanol 5.8% (25 kg) Fertilizers/chemicals production Diesel consumption (in trans./irrigation) Human labour activities Fertilizer’s application Returned residues (spent wash, filter cake, and unburned cane-trash/residues) Sri Ram Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd. (SRSM) SRSM Cane farming Transportation Transportation Excess bagasse Cane milling Molasses Sugar Ethanol conversion Ethanol Wastewater treatment Plant (Recovery of biogas) Areas of Improvements for Energy and GHG Balances Improvement in cane yields with the help of the modernization of agricultural practices Efficient use of cane bagasse and trash/wastes Technological upgrading and optimization of industrial operations Key messages: Significant reduction in GHG emissions with the increase in cane yield/productivity. Use of N-fertilizer has a higher impact

Upload: lekien

Post on 13-Apr-2018

217 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Assessing the sustainability of bioethanol production: Key .../Menu/general/column... · Assessing the sustainability of bioethanol production: Key criteria and methodological improvements

CONTACT INFORMATION

Assessing the sustainability of bioethanol production: Key criteria and methodological improvements

PhD Student Dilip KhatiwadaSupervisor Semida Silveira

Dilip Khatiwada

PhD Student

Address:

KTH – Energy and Climate Studies

Brinellvägen 68

SE-100 44 STOCKHOLM

Telephone:

+46(0)8-790-7431

+46 (0)70-772-9140 (mobile)

E-mail:

[email protected]

Web: www.ecs.kth.se

The division of Energy and Climate Studies (ECS) has an interdisciplinary character with a strong systems approach, linking issues related to energy technology and policy, climate change and sustainable development.

At present, ECS works with three defined research themes:

• bioenergy systems,

• rural electrification, and

• energy and climate policy.

These are some of the central research questions at ECS.

What solutions can be pursued globally and regionally?

Which of them will lead to sustainable development?

What are the solutions that will lead to mitigation and adaptation to climate change while also promoting sustainable development?

www.ecs.kth.se

Life cycle and sustainability assessment of bioenergy systems:

Energy and Climate Studies

Dept. of Energy Technology

School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM)

Brief Introduction

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and sustainabilitycriteria provide the methodological framework forthe sustainability of the bioethanol production. Thisresearch project deals with the net energy balance,greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and prospectsfor sustainable development of sugarcanebioenergy systems in developing countries,including least developed countries (LDCs).

Key Research Questions ?

How much total energy does it take to produce one liter of bioethanol?

How much GHG emissions savings occur? What are the direct benefits of bioethanol in

developing countries? What are the sustainability criteria and how to

assess them? How can we compare and benchmark the

sustainability criteria globally?

The case of Nepal, a LDC in Asia

Map of Nepal with sugarmills’ location

LCA – Concept and Framework

Results

Energy yield ratio in the production of molasses-based ethanol is 7.47

Life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from production and use are 76.6 % lower than those of conventional gasoline.

National bioethanol potential:18 million liters/year, thus improved energy security situation through replacement of gasoline

Bioethanol blends reduce local air pollution problems in the Kathmandu Valley

Saving of hard-cash foreign currency; substitution of gasoline with E20 saves US$ 10.1 million a year in the Kathmandu Valley

E20 can avoid 23,397 tonnes of CO2 emissions Wastewater treatment: Anaerobic Digestion

Process with biogas recovery is the best option to reduce the life cycle GHG emissions

No conflicts between food and fuel at present small-scale production from low-value sugarcane by-product, Molasses

Energy and material flows for sugarcane bioenergy systems in Nepal (per hectare)

GHG emissions in varying material/energy inputs and sugarcane yield

Fuel consumption along the production chain

Sources of life cycle GHG emissions in bioethanol production and use (per m3 ethanol) in Nepal

Utilization of the available primary energy (bagasse: 96% and biogas: 4%).

References:

1. Khatiwada, D., Silveira, S., Net energy balance of molasses based ethanol: the case of Nepal.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 13 (2009), pp.2515 – 2524.

2. Silveira, S., Khatiwada, D., Ethanol Production and Fuel Substitution in Nepal Opportunity toPromote Sustainable Development and Climate Change Mitigation. Renewable and SustainableEnergy Reviews 14 (2010), pp 1644-1652.

3. Khatiwada, D., Silveira, S., Greenhouse gas balances of molasses based ethanol in Nepal(under review), submitted in Journal of Cleaner Production (2010).

Future Direction: Methodological Improvements

To improve and benchmark the sustainability assessment criteria of the bioethanol production for methodological coherence and unification in the context of the evaluation of sustainable bioenergy systems for energy security, climate change, product certification, and international trade

Fermentation/distillation, 4%

ETP

Lighting to industrial complex (milling, distillation and ETP), 4%

Sugarcane milling, 73%

Excess bagasse, 17%

Dehydration, 2%

Fossil fuels :

51.9% (224.4 kg)

Trash burning

5.3% (22.9 kg)

Soil emissions

26.8% (116.1 kg)

Bagasse and

biogas combustion

10.2% (44.1 kg)

Emissions from

combustion of ethanol

5.8% (25 kg)

Fertilizers/chemicals production Diesel consumption (in trans./irrigation) Human labour activities

Fertilizer’s application Returned residues (spent wash, filter cake, and unburned cane-trash/residues)

Sri Ram Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd. (SRSM)

SRSM

Cane farming

Transportation

Transportation

Excess bagasse

Cane milling

Molasses

Sugar

Ethanol conversion

Ethanol

Wastewater treatment Plant

(Recovery of biogas)

Areas of Improvements for Energy and GHG Balances

Improvement in cane yields with the help of the modernization of agricultural practices

Efficient use of cane bagasse and trash/wastes Technological upgrading and optimization of

industrial operations

Key messages:

Significant reduction in GHG emissions with the increase in cane yield/productivity.

Use of N-fertilizer has a higher impact