Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel demand and solar energy conversion efficiency in European bioethanol production for automotive purposes

Crop derived biofuels such as (bio)ethanol are increasingly applied for automotive purposes. They have, however, a relatively low efficiency in converting solar energy into automotive power. The outcome of life cycle studies concerning ethanol as to fossil fuel inputs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with such inputs depend strongly on the assumptions made regarding e.g. allocation, inclusion of upstream processes and estimates of environmentally relevant in- and outputs. Peer reviewed studies suggest that CO₂ emissions linked to life cycle fossil fuel input are typically about 2.1–3.0 kg CO₂ kg⁻¹ starch-derived ethanol. When biofuel production involves agricultural practices that are common in Europe there are net losses of carbon from soil and emissions of the greenhouse gas N₂O. Dependent on choices regarding allocation, they may, for wheat (starch) be in the order of 0.6–2.5 kg CO₂ equivalent kg⁻¹ of ethanol. This makes ethanol derived from starch, or sugar crops, in Europe still less attractive for mitigating climate change. In case of wheat, changes in agricultural practice may reduce or reverse carbon loss from soils. When biofuel production from crops leads to expansion of cropland while reducing forested areas or grassland, added impetus will be given to climate change.     

玉米燃料乙醇生命周期碳平衡分析

玉米燃料乙醇作为化石燃料的替代品,其温室气体排放的多少(净碳排放量)是评价其可持续性的一个重要标准.基于生命周期分析原理,建立了玉米燃料乙醇的碳平衡分析方法.以我国夏玉米燃料乙醇的生产为例,计算了玉米燃料乙醇生命周期的净碳排放量并对其影响因素进行了分析.研究表明:与汽油相比,目前我国夏玉米燃料乙醇的生产并不能明显减少温室气体的排放,为此玉米生产过程中氮肥施用和灌溉以及乙醇转化过程的能耗等方面有待于重点改善.     

木薯燃料乙醇的碳效应分析

出于能源安全的考虑及对温室气体减排的关注,世界各国近些年大力发展生物液体燃料,我国政府提倡以木薯等非粮作物为原料生产燃料乙醇。一直以来科学家们对生物液体燃料的碳效应争论激烈,争论的焦点在于原料种植对土壤碳库的影响及不同技术条件下副产品利用的评估。论文通过建立碳平衡分析模型,将原料种植对土壤碳库影响及副产品利用的替代效应纳入研究体系,评估了我国木薯燃料乙醇生产各个环节的碳排放,研究结果显示:木薯原料种植环节碳排放主要来自氮肥的使用及对土壤碳库的破坏;木薯燃料乙醇加工转化环节碳排放主要来自蒸馏和脱水过程能源消耗,改进加工转化技术对减少此环节碳排放至关重要;木薯燃料乙醇运输及储存过程碳排放较小。在现有生产技术条件下,生产单位质量(1 kg)木薯燃料乙醇平均碳排放为0.647 kg。以汽油的碳排放为参照,在目前技术水平条件下,我国木薯燃料乙醇碳排放呈现负效益;采用较为先进的双酶法中温喷射液化-大罐浓醪间歇发酵-多塔多耦合差压精馏和分子筛变压脱水技术,则其碳排放为汽油的90%;倘若能避免对土壤碳库的破坏,则这一比例下降到64%。因此,为了促进我国木薯燃料乙醇的发展,减少木薯燃料乙醇生产的碳排放,首先应该引导农民合理施肥,利用边际土地种植木薯,不转换林地、草地等土地类型的利用方式,减少对土壤碳库的破坏;此外,要开发高效节能的燃料乙醇转化技术并加强对副产品的二次利用。     

个人乘用车用可替代燃料与我国未来的选择

个人乘用车排放量占道路交通运输二氧化碳(CO2)排放量的三分之一。因此,逐步实现其燃料由传统石化燃料汽柴油向新能源转变是交通运输行业低碳减排和绿色发展的重要抓手之一。本文对当前可供个人乘用车使用的4大类新能源即生物燃油、燃料乙醇、氢和电的属性,特别是其CO2减排效果和使用成本进行了分析和对比,并对新能源加注(充电)设施在欧盟和美国的布局战略和实施成果进行了介绍。结合欧美的实践和中国的实际,本文提出了未来个人乘用车用可替代燃油布局的建设,建议我国直接从传统石化汽油跨越至氢和/或电,并将其作为未来个人乘用车的燃料。     

Bioenergy to mitigate for climate change and meet the needs of society,the economy and the environment

Changes towards environmental improvementsare becoming more politically acceptableglobally, especially in developedcountries. Society is slowly moving towardsseeking more sustainable productionmethods, waste minimisation, reduced airpollution from vehicles, distributed energygeneration, conservation of native forests,and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions. Modern biomass, when used tosupply useful bioenergy services, has arole to play in each one of theseenvironmental drivers at both the large andsmall scales.This paper describes recent developments inbiomass supply and the technologies for itsconversion to bioenergy including biofuelsfor transport. It examines the economic,environmental and social benefits andidentifies barriers to bioenergy projectimplementation. Future opportunities forbiomass as a carbon (C) sink, a C offsetand a potential source of renewablehydrogen are discussed.Whether or not a bioenergy project iseconomically viable, as well as being trulyrenewable, sustainable and environmentallysound, is determined mainly by the sourceof biomass. The social benefits from usingbiomass are also valuable, though they areoften not clearly presented when proposingnew bioenergy projects or conductinganalyses of existing plants. Employmentrates per MWh or per GJ exceed those whenusing fossil fuel supplies to provide thesame energy service. `Ownership' bystakeholders and local communities at anearly stage in the development process isthe key to successful project developmentin order to share the benefits. Bioenergyhas a significant global role to play inthe mitigation of atmospheric GHG concentrations.     

Carbon accounting of material substitution with biomass: Case studies for Austria investigated with IPCC default and alternative approaches

There is evidence that the replacement of carbon-intensive products with bio-based substitutes (‘material substitution with biomass’) can be highly efficient in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on two case studies (CS1/2) for Austria, potential benefits of material substitution in comparison to fuel substitution are analysed. GHG savings are calculated according to default IPCC approaches (Tier 2 method assuming first-order decay) and with more realistic approaches based on distribution functions. In CS1, high savings are achieved by using wood residues for the production of insulating boards instead of energy. The superiority of material substitution is due to the establishment of a long-term carbon storage, the high emission factor of wood in comparison to natural gas and higher efficiencies of gas-fired facilities.The biomass feedstock in CS2 is lignocellulosic ethanol being used for bio-ethylene production (material substitution) or replacing gasoline (fuel substitution). GHG savings are mainly due to lower production emissions of bio-ethylene in comparison to conventional ethylene and significantly lower than in CS1 (per unit of biomass consumed). While CS1 is highly robust to parameter variation, the long-term projections in CS2 are quite speculative.To create adequate incentives for including material substitution in national climate strategies, shortcomings of current default accounting methods must be addressed. Under current methods the GHG savings in both case studies would not (fully) materialize in the national GHG inventory. The main reason is that accounting of wood products is confined to the proportion derived from domestic harvest, whereas imported biomass used for energy is treated as carbon-neutral. Further inadequacies of IPCC default accounting methods include the assumption of exponential decay and the disregard of advanced bio-based products.     

基于LCA的北京市公交车节能及温室气体减排潜力分析

新能源公交车是未来城市公交行业节能及温室气体减排的重点发展方向.新能源公交车在行驶阶段具有良好的节能及温室气体减排效果,而汽车制造、能源生产等相关生命周期阶段的能耗及温室气体排放常被忽视,且目前新能源公交车的乘客运载功能相对较弱,可能对节能及温室气体减排的潜力造成较为显著的影响.因此,本文基于北京市公交车的运营特征,采用生命周期评价(LCA)方法,选择客运周转量作为功能单位,核算了天然气公交车、混合动力公交车和纯电动公交车等新能源公交车相对于柴油公交车的节能及温室气体减排效益.结果表明:发展新能源公交车对促进北京市公交行业及城市节能低碳发展具有积极的作用,但相对于基于运营里程的核算结果,本研究新能源公交车节能及温室气体减排潜力均较低,主要原因是新能源公交车的实际载客量相对较低;混合动力公交车和纯电动公交车在空调开启时的节能潜力与温室气体减排潜力均远低于天然气公交车;通过发展情景分析,建议北京市现阶段应优先发展天然气公交车,适当发展纯电动公交车和混合动力公交车,以减少北京市公交车的总体能耗,同时降低温室气体排放强度.     

The prospects for global green car mobility

The quest for green car mobility faces two major challenges: air pollution from exhaust emissions and global climate change from greenhouse gas emissions. Vehicle air pollution emissions are being successfully tackled in many countries by technical solutions such as low-sulphur fuels, unleaded petrol and three-way catalytic converters. Many researchers advocate a similar approach for overcoming transport's climate change impacts. This study argues that finding a technical solution for this problem is not possible. Instead, the world will have to move to an alternative surface transport system involving far lower levels of motorised travel.     

Attributional life cycle assessment of woodchips for bioethanol production

Besides the apparent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, other important factors contributing to the renewed interest in biofuels are energy security concerns and the need of sustainable transportation fuel. Nearly 30% of the annual CO₂ emissions in the U.S. come from the transportation sector and more than half of the fuel is imported. Biofuels appear to be a promising option to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the reliance on imported oil concomitantly. The interest on (ligno) cellulosic ethanol is gaining momentum as corn-based ethanol is criticized for using agricultural outputs for fuel production. Among many lignocellulosic feedstocks, woodchips is viewed as one of the most promising feedstocks for producing liquid transportation fuels. The renewable and carbon neutral nature of the feedstocks, similar chemical and physical properties to gasoline, and the low infrastructure cost due to the availability of fuel flex vehicles and transportation networks make (ligno) cellulosic bioethanol an attractive option. An in-depth LCA of woodchips shows that harvesting and woodchips processing stage and transportation to the facility stage emit large amount of environmental pollutants compared to other life cycle stages of ethanol production. Our analysis also found that fossil fuel consumption and respiratory inorganic effects are the two most critical environmental impact categories in woodchips production. We have used Eco-indicator 99 based cradle-to-gate LCA method with a functional unit of 4 m³ of dry hardwood chips production.     

Cleaner production as climate investment—integrated assessment in Taiyuan City,China

Taiyuan, one of the most polluted cities in the world, is the first cleaner production demonstration city in China. We assess energy related cleaner production projects in Taiyuan from the point of view of climate change and integrated assessment. In the assessment we develop a rather detailed methodology that relies on a battery of chained models All of the projects improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Still, we find that their environmental health benefit differs substantially. The projects are treated similarly from point of view of funding and the regularatory process. Yet, we find that their cost differs substantially, and there is no proportionality between costs and benefits. The finding could supplement explanations of cleaner production progress that rely on financial and institutional barriers. We also ask if the positive attitude to cleaner production in China may help the country introduce greenhouse gas saving projects under another name. It turns out that some, but not all of the projects we analyse have significant greenhouse gas reduction potential. The possibility for foreign funding as CDM projects is discussed.     

城市交通大气污染物与温室气体协同控制效应评价

针对乌鲁木齐城市交通领域12项减排措施开展协同控制效应评估,构建空气污染物与温室气体协同减排当量(APeq)指标进行减排效果归一化,识别措施是否具有协同减排效果,并进一步计算单位APeq减排成本,从成本有效性角度对各项减排措施进行排序.研究结果表明,出租车、私家车油改气以及纯电动轿车替代汽油轿车3项措施不具有协同控制效应;而提高尾气排放标准、天然气公交替代柴油公交、提升小客车燃油经济性、油品升级、淘汰黄标车、发展轨道交通、引入快速公交等措施可以实现局地大气污染物与温室气体的协同减排.费用-效果分析表明,提高小客车燃油经济性的单位APeq减排成本最低,具有良好的成本有效性;而发展轨道交通虽然单位APeq减排成本较高,但总体减排效果较好.     

Hydrogen and transportation: alternative scenarios

If hydrogen (H₂) is to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil use, it needs to displace conventional transport fuels and be produced in ways that do not generate significant greenhouse gas emissions. This paper analyses alternative ways H₂ can be produced, transported and used to achieve these goals. Several H₂ scenarios are developed and compared to each other. In addition, other technology options to achieve these goals are analyzed. A full fuel cycle analysis is used to compare the energy use and carbon (C) emissions of different fuel and vehicle strategies. Fuel and vehicle costs are presented as well as cost-effectiveness estimates. Lowest hydrogen fuel costs are achieved using fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. The fuel supply cost for a H₂ fuel cell car would be close to those for an advanced gasoline car, once a large-scale supply system has been established. Biomass, wind, nuclear and solar sources are estimated to be considerably more expensive. However fuel cells cost much more than combustion engines. When vehicle costs are considered, climate policy incentives are probably insufficient to achieve a switch to H₂. The carbon dioxide (CO₂) mitigation cost would amount to several hundred US$ per ton of CO₂. Energy security goals and the eventual need to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations could be sufficient. Nonetheless, substantial development of related technologies, such as C capture and storage will be needed. Significant H₂ use will also require substantial market intervention during a transition period when there are too few vehicles to motivate widely available H₂ refueling.

The environmental effect of reusing and recycling a plastic-based packaging system

This Australian study presents the findings of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) that examined whether a re-use and recycle strategy for a plastic-based packaging that substantially reduces the quantity of waste to landfill would also reduce the overall environmental burden. The resources and environmental effects assessed over the life of each of the packagings included fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and photochemical oxidant precursors. The results demonstrate that recycle and reuse strategies for plastic-based products can yield significant environmental benefits. The study also includes some interesting findings regarding the relative contributions of transportation and construction energy, and the potential benefits of adjusting the impact assessment results to take into account the spatial variation in the significance of some environmental effects.     

氢燃料电池汽车动力系统生命周期评价及关键参数对比

发展氢燃料电池汽车被认为是解决能源安全和环境污染问题的理想解决方案之一,为量化探究氢燃料电池汽车动力系统的化石能源消耗和排放情况,运用GaBi软件建模,以新能源汽车相关技术路线为参考,构建我国氢燃料电池汽车动力系统的数据清单并对其全生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值情况进行定量评价计算和预测分析,对不同类型的双极板、不同能量控制策略和不同制氢方式对环境的影响分别进行了对比研究,并对关键数据进行了不确定分析.结果表明,预计到2030年我国每台氢燃料电池汽车动力系统生命周期的化石能源消耗量（ADP_f）、全球变暖潜值（GWP,以CO₂ eq计）和酸化潜值（AP,以SO₂ eq计）分别为1.35×10⁵ MJ、9108 kg和15.79 kg.动力系统生产制造阶段的化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值均高于使用阶段,主要原因是燃料电池堆栈和储氢罐的制造过程.金属双极板、石墨复合双极板和石墨双极板的制造工艺中石墨复合双极板的综合环境效益最好.能量控制策略的优化会使得氢能消耗降低,当氢能消耗降低22.8%时,动力系统的生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值分别降低10.4%和8.3%.相比于甲烷蒸气重整制氢,基于混合电网电解水制氢的动力系统生命周期全球变暖潜值高出53.7%[KG-*6],而基于水电电解水制氢降低39.6%.降低动力系统生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值的措施包括优化能量控制策略降低氢能消耗、规模化发展可再生能源发电电解水制氢产业和聚焦突破燃料电池堆栈关键技术实现性能提升.     

玉米燃料乙醇生命周期净能量分析

玉米燃料乙醇作为化石燃料的替代品,能量效率(净能量或能量比)是评价其可持续性的一个重要标准.基于生命周期清单分析原理,建立了玉米燃料乙醇的净能量分析方法.以我国夏玉米燃料乙醇的生产条件为例,计算了玉米燃料乙醇整个生命周期的能量效率并对其影响因素进行了分析,讨论了乙醇汽油混合燃料的节能效果.研究表明:玉米燃料乙醇具有一定的能量效益,干法和湿法工艺的能量效率(能量比)分别为1.25和1.04.通过玉米燃料乙醇生命周期内的能量输入比较可知,玉米生产和乙醇转化过程的化石能输入占有最大的比例,因而玉米种植过程中的氮肥、电力、柴油消耗和乙醇生产过程中蒸馏和脱水过程的能耗是影响玉米燃料乙醇能量效益的主要因素.     

The Monitoring,Evaluation, Reporting and Verification of Climate Change Projects

Because of concerns with the growing threat of global climate change from increasing emissions of greenhouse gases, the United States and other countries are implementing, by themselves or in cooperation with one or more other nations, climate change projects. These projects will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or sequester carbon, and will also result in non-GHG benefits (i.e., environmental, economic, and social benefits). Monitoring, evaluating, reporting, and verifying (MERV) guidelines are needed for these projects to accurately determine their net GHG, and other, benefits. Implementation of MERV guidelines is also intended to: (1) increase the reliability of data for estimating GHG benefits; (2) provide real-time data so that mid-course corrections can be made; (3) introduce consistency and transparency across project types and reporters; and (4) enhance the credibility of the projects with stakeholders. In this paper, we review the issues involved in MERV activities. We identify several topics that future protocols and guidelines need to address, such as: (1) establishing a credible baseline; (2) accounting for impacts outside project boundaries through leakage; (3) net GHG reductions and other benefits; (4) precision of measurement; (5) MERV frequency and the persistence (sustainability) of savings, emissions reduction, and carbon sequestration; (6) reporting by multiple project participants; (7) verification of GHG reduction credits; (8) uncertainty and risk; (9) institutional capacity in conducting MERV; and (10) the cost of MERV.     

Industrial symbiosis contributing to more sustainable energy use - an example from the forest industry in Kymenlaakso, Finland

Industrial symbiosis (IS) studies the physical flows of materials and energy in local industrial systems using a systems approach. In this study the total fuel and energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions are calculated for an ‘industrial park’ operating in the same manner as an IS. Moreover the relevance of industrial symbiosis, particularly one centred on pulp and paper manufacturing, in moving towards more sustainable fuel consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions is discussed. The system is compared to hypothetical stand-alone production. Moreover, possibilities to reduce the energy use and total greenhouse gas emissions of the park are identified.     

垃圾填埋气制汽车燃料气的主要环境影响分析

文章从垃圾填埋气的危害、垃圾填埋气制汽车燃料气的环境影响、压缩垃圾填埋气代替燃油的环境影响等方面进行了具体分析。提出垃圾填埋气制汽车燃料气既降低了垃圾卫生填埋场的安全隐患,减少包括温室气体在内的大气污染物排放量,又可代替不可再生能源,降低汽车尾气的污染程度,环境效益显著。     

乙醇柴油混合燃料的制备工艺和废气的排放特性

为降低柴油机排放对环境造成的污染,用乙醇部分替代柴油,探索了乙醇柴油混合燃料的制备方法,研究了掺混乙醇及助溶剂对柴油机排放的影响.结果表明:无水乙醇可以和柴油以任意比例混溶,但痕量水(0.2%)的添加即导致混合物分层,合成的有机助溶剂可保证乙醇-柴油-痕量水体系的稳定性基于台架实验,考察了掺混10%、20%、30%乙醇对燃料排放性能的影响乙醇的最佳掺混比为20%在额定工况点(功率为13kW,转速为1540r/min)时,掺混20%乙醇的混合燃料可降低烟度55%,降低HC排放70%,降低CO排放45%.不添加助溶剂时,乙醇的掺混导致排放尾气中产生乙醇、微量乙醛等有机物.而添加非金属离子助溶剂可使HC、乙醇、乙醛排放的浓度明显降低.     

Preparation and emission characteristics of ethanol-diesel fuel blends

The preparation of ethanol-diesel fuel blends and their emission characteristics were investigated. Results showed the absolute ethanol can dissolve in diesel fuel at an arbitrary ratio and a small quantity of water(0.2% ) addition can lead to the phase separation of blends. An organic additive was synthesized and it can develop the ability of resistance to water and maintain the stability of ethanol-diesel-trace amounts of water system. The emission characteristics of 10%, 20%, and 30% ethanol-diesel fuel blends, with or without additives, were compared with those of diesel fuel in a direct injection(DI) diesel engine. The experimental results indicated that the blend of ethanol with diesel fuel significantly reduced the concentrations of smoke, hydrocarbon(HC), and carbon monoxide(CO) in exhaust gas. Using 20% ethanol-diesel fuel blend with the additive of 2% of the total volume, the optimum mixing ratio was achieved, at which the bench diesel engine testing showed a significant decrease in exhaust gas. Bosch smoke number was reduced by 55%, HC emission by 70%, and CO emission by 45%, at 13 kW/1540 r/min. However, ethanol-diesel fuel blends produced a few ppm acetaldehydes and more ethanol in exhaust gas.