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The analysis on energy and environmental impacts of microalgae-based fuel methanol in China

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  • Liu, Jing
  • Ma, Xiaoqian

Abstract

The whole life of methanol fuel, produced by microalgae biomass which is a kind of renewable energy, is evaluated by using a method of life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA has been used to identify and quantify the environment emissions and energy efficiency of the system throughout the whole life cycle, including microalgae cultivation, methanol conversion, transport, and end-use. Energy efficiency, defined as the ratio of the energy of methanol produced to the total required energy, is 1.24, the results indicate that it is plausible as an energy producing process. The environmental impact loading of microalgae-based fuel methanol is 0.187mPET2000 in contrast to 0.828mPET2000 for gasoline. The effect of photochemical ozone formation is the highest of all the calculated categorization impacts of the two fuels. Utilization of microalgae an raw material of producing methanol fuel is beneficial to both production of renewable fuels and improvement of the ecological environment. This Fuel methanol is friendly to the environment, which should take an important role in automobile industry development and gasoline fuel substitute.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Jing & Ma, Xiaoqian, 2009. "The analysis on energy and environmental impacts of microalgae-based fuel methanol in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1479-1488, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:37:y:2009:i:4:p:1479-1488
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kadam, K.L, 2002. "Environmental implications of power generation via coal-microalgae cofiring," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 27(10), pages 905-922.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ma, Hengyun & Oxley, Les & Gibson, John & Li, Wen, 2010. "A survey of China's renewable energy economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 438-445, January.
    2. Peter, Angela Paul & Koyande, Apurav Krishna & Chew, Kit Wayne & Ho, Shih-Hsin & Chen, Wei-Hsin & Chang, Jo-Shu & Krishnamoorthy, Rambabu & Banat, Fawzi & Show, Pau Loke, 2022. "Continuous cultivation of microalgae in photobioreactors as a source of renewable energy: Current status and future challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Lucas Reijnders, 2013. "Lipid‐based liquid biofuels from autotrophic microalgae: energetic and environmental performance," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 2(1), pages 73-85, January.
    4. Wang, Bing & Kocaoglu, Dundar F. & Daim, Tugrul U. & Yang, Jiting, 2010. "A decision model for energy resource selection in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 7130-7141, November.
    5. Abbasi, Tasneem & Abbasi, S.A., 2010. "Biomass energy and the environmental impacts associated with its production and utilization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 919-937, April.
    6. Naraharisetti, Pavan Kumar & Das, Probir & Sharratt, Paul N., 2017. "Critical factors in energy generation from microalgae," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 138-152.
    7. Li, Yuan-Guang & Xu, Ling & Huang, Ying-Ming & Wang, Feng & Guo, Chen & Liu, Chun-Zhao, 2011. "Microalgal biodiesel in China: Opportunities and challenges," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(10), pages 3432-3437.

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