Biomass refining for sustainable development : analysis and directions
Luo, L.
Citation
Luo, L. (2010, May 11). Biomass refining for sustainable development : analysis and directions. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/15394
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Biomass Refining for Sustainable Development:
Analysis and Directions
© 2010 by Lin Luo
Biomass Refining for Sustainable Development: Analysis and Directions PhD Thesis University of Leiden, The Netherlands
Printed by Ipskamp Drukkers BV ISBN 978-90-9025188-2
Biomass Refining for Sustainable Development:
Analysis and Directions
Proefschrift
ter verkrijging van
de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden,
op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. mr. P.F. van der Heijden, volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties
te verdedigen op dinsdag 11 mei 2010 klokke 15.00 uur
door
Lin Luo
geboren op 15 august 1978 te Beijing, China
Promotiecommissie:
Promotor:
Prof. dr. S.M. Verduyn Lunel Universiteit Leiden
Co-promotor:
Dr. E. van der Voet Universiteit Leiden
Overige leden:
Dr. G. Huppes Universiteit Leiden Prof. dr. H.A. Udo de Haes Universiteit Leiden Prof. dr. H.J.M. de Groot Universiteit Leiden
Prof. dr. ir. L.A.M. van der Wielen Technische Universiteit Delft Prof. dr. A.P.C. Faaij Universiteit Utrecht
Dr. H. von Blottnitz University of Cape Town, South Africa
This work has been made possible by the financial support from the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs and the B-Basic partner organizations (www.b-basic.nl) through B-Basic, a public-private NWO-ACTS programme (ACTS = Advanced Chemical Technologies for Sustainability).
To my parents
Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 General Introduction ………. 11
1.1 The need for sustainable energy sources ………. 12
1.2 Bioethanol as a renewable energy source ……… 13
1.3 Environmental and energy performance of ethanol from lignocelluloses .... 15
1.4 Critical issues in LCA on biofuels ………... 16
1.5 Biorefining and its development ………... 18
1.6 Research questions and thesis outline ………. 20
Chapter 2 Allocation Issues in LCA Methodology: A Case Study of Corn Stover-Based Fuel Ethanol ……….. 23
2.1 Introduction ………... 27
2.2 Methodology ……….. 28
2.2.1 Functional units and alternatives ……… 29
2.2.2 System boundaries ………. 29
2.2.3 Data sources and software ………. 29
2.2.4 Key assumptions ……….... 31
2.2.5 Allocation methodology ………. 31
2.2.6 Impact assessment and interpretation ……… 34
2.3 Results and discussion ……… 34
2.3.1 LCA results ……….... 34
2.3.2 Contribution analysis ………. 38
2.4 Conclusions ……….………... 39
2.5 Recommendations and perspectives ………... 41
Chapter 3 Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing of Bioethanol from Sugarcane in Brazil ………... 43
3.1 Introduction ………... 45
3.2 Methodology ……….. 46
3.2.1 Functional units and alternatives ……… 47
3.2.2 System boundaries ………. 47
3.2.3 Data sources and software ………. 50
3.2.4 Key assumptions ……….... 50
3.2.5 Allocation methodology ………. 50
3.2.6 Impact assessment ………. 51
3.2.7 Life cycle costing (LCC) ……… 51
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Contents
3.3 Results and discussion ……… 51
3.3.1 LCA ………... 51
3.3.2 LCC ………... 54
3.4 Conclusions and recommendations ……… 55
Chapter 4 Life Cycle Assessment of Switchgrass-Derived Ethanol as Transport Fuel ………... 57
4.1 Introduction ………... 59
4.2 Methodology ……….. 60
4.2.1 Functional units and alternatives ……… 60
4.2.2 System boundaries ………. 60
4.2.3 Life cycle inventory: data sources and software ……….. 64
4.2.4 Life cycle inventory: allocation ……..………. 64
4.2.5 Life cycle impact assessment ……….. 65
4.2.6 Interpretation ………... 65
4.3 Results and discussion ……… 65
4.3.1 LCA results ……….... 65
4.3.2 Sensitivity analysis …….………. 68
4.4 Conclusions and recommendations ……… 71
Chapter 5 An Energy Analysis of Ethanol from Cellulosic Feedstock – Corn Stover ……… 73
5.1 Introduction ………... 75
5.2 Methodology ……….. 76
5.2.1 System boundaries and allocation ………... 76
5.2.2 Data sources ……….. 78
5.2.3 Energy analysis ………... 78
5.3 Results and discussion ……… 78
5.3.1 Results of energy use ………...………... 78
5.3.2 Survey of energy inputs ……….. 83
5.4 Conclusions and recommendations ……… 87
Chapter 6 Energy and Environmental Performance of Bioethanol from Different Lignocelluloses ………... 89
6.1 Introduction ………... 91
6.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) ………... 93
6.2.1 Methodology ………..………. 93
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Contents
6.2.2 Results comparisons and discussion ……….... 97
6.3 Energy considerations ………...…………. 103
6.3.1 Methodology ………... 103
6.3.2 Results comparisons and discussion ………... 104
6.4 Conclusions and recommendations ……… 107
Chapter 7 Biorefining of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks: Technical, Economic and Environmental Considerations ………... 111
7.1 Introduction ………... 113
7.2 Description of the design ………... 114
7.2.1 Product selection criteria……… 114
7.2.2 Selection of products ………. 115
7.2.3 Design of the biorefinery ………... 116
7.2.4 Market analysis ………... 121
7.3 System analysis ………... 122
7.3.1 Economic analysis………..…… 122
7.3.2 Environmental impact assessment ………. 124
7.3.3 Comparison of eco-efficiency ……… 124
7.4 Results ……….... 125
7.4.1 Economic analysis………..…… 125
7.4.2 Environmental impact assessment ………. 128
7.4.3 Comparison of eco-efficiency ……… 129
7.5 Discussion ……….. 131
7.6 Conclusions ………..……….. 133
Chapter 8 General Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations … 135 8.1 General discussion ………... 136
8.2 Conclusions ……….... 140
8.2.1 LCA ………... 140
8.2.2 LCC ………... 142
8.2.3 Energy analysis ……….. 142
8.2.4 Biorefinery design and system analysis ………... 143
8.3 Recommendations ……….. 144
8.3.1 Methodological issues ……… 144
8.3.2 Perspectives and outlook ………... 145
9
Contents
Summary ……… 149
Samenvatting ………. 155
References ……….. 163
List of Publications ………... 175
Curriculum Vitae ………... 177
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