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Exploring impacts of process technology development and regional factors on life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of corn stover ethanol

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  • McKechnie, Jon
  • Pourbafrani, Mohammad
  • Saville, Bradley A.
  • MacLean, Heather L.

Abstract

This paper examines impacts of regional factors affecting biomass and process input supply chains and ongoing technology development on the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of ethanol production from corn stover in the U.S. Corn stover supply results in GHG emissions from −6 gCO2eq./MJ ethanol (Macon County, Missouri) to 13 gCO2eq./MJ ethanol (Hardin County, Iowa), reflecting location-specific soil carbon and N2O emissions responses to stover removal. Biorefinery emissions based on the 2011 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) process model are the single greatest emissions source (18 gCO2eq./MJ ethanol) and are approximately double those assessed for the 2002 NREL design model, due primarily to the inclusion of GHG-intensive inputs (caustic, ammonia, glucose). Energy demands of on-site enzyme production included in the 2011 design contribute to reducing the electricity co-product and associated emissions credit, which is also dependent on the GHG-intensity of regional electricity supply. Life cycle emissions vary between 1.5 and 22 gCO2eq./MJ ethanol (2011 design) depending on production location (98%–77% reduction vs. gasoline). Using system expansion for co-product allocation, ethanol production in studied locations meet the Energy Independence and Security Act emissions requirements for cellulosic biofuels; however, regional factors and on-going technology developments significantly influence these results.

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  • McKechnie, Jon & Pourbafrani, Mohammad & Saville, Bradley A. & MacLean, Heather L., 2015. "Exploring impacts of process technology development and regional factors on life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of corn stover ethanol," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 726-734.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:76:y:2015:i:c:p:726-734
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2014.11.088
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    1. Zhao, Yan & Damgaard, Anders & Xu, Yingjie & Liu, Shan & Christensen, Thomas H., 2019. "Bioethanol from corn stover – Global warming footprint of alternative biotechnologies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C), pages 237-253.
    2. Zhao, Lili & Ou, Xunmin & Chang, Shiyan, 2016. "Life-cycle greenhouse gas emission and energy use of bioethanol produced from corn stover in China: Current perspectives and future prospectives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P1), pages 303-313.
    3. Yang Yang & Ji-Qin Ni & Weiqing Bao & Lei Zhao & Guang Hui Xie, 2019. "Potential Reductions in Greenhouse Gas and Fine Particulate Matter Emissions Using Corn Stover for Ethanol Production in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-14, September.
    4. Espinoza Pérez, Andrea Teresa & Camargo, Mauricio & Narváez Rincón, Paulo César & Alfaro Marchant, Miguel, 2017. "Key challenges and requirements for sustainable and industrialized biorefinery supply chain design and management: A bibliographic analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 350-359.
    5. Baral, Nawa Raj & Quiroz-Arita, Carlos & Bradley, Thomas H., 2017. "Uncertainties in corn stover feedstock supply logistics cost and life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions for butanol production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 1343-1356.
    6. Sabrina Spatari & Alexander Stadel & Paul R. Adler & Saurajyoti Kar & William J. Parton & Kevin B. Hicks & Andrew J. McAloon & Patrick L. Gurian, 2020. "The Role of Biorefinery Co-Products, Market Proximity and Feedstock Environmental Footprint in Meeting Biofuel Policy Goals for Winter Barley-to-Ethanol," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Daylan, B. & Ciliz, N., 2016. "Life cycle assessment and environmental life cycle costing analysis of lignocellulosic bioethanol as an alternative transportation fuel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 578-587.
    8. Meng, Fanran & Dornau, Aritha & Mcqueen Mason, Simon J. & Thomas, Gavin H. & Conradie, Alex & McKechnie, Jon, 2021. "Bioethanol from autoclaved municipal solid waste: Assessment of environmental and financial viability under policy contexts," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    9. Soam, Shveta & Kapoor, Manali & Kumar, Ravindra & Borjesson, Pal & Gupta, Ravi P. & Tuli, Deepak K., 2016. "Global warming potential and energy analysis of second generation ethanol production from rice straw in India," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 353-364.

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