Life cycle assessment of algal biofuels: Influence of feedstock cultivation systems and conversion platforms

Handler, Robert M.; Shonnard, David R.; Kalnes, Tom N.; Lupton, F. Stephen

doi:10.1016/j.algal.2013.12.001

Cited by 76 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The majority of the previous studies have focused on traditional lipid extraction systems (Adesanya et al, 2014;Azadi et al, 2014;Batan et al, 2010;Brentner et al, 2011;Campbell et al, 2011;Collet et al, 2014;Frank et al, 2011;Handler et al, 2014;Passell et al, 2013;Quinn et al, 2014;Shirvani et al, 2011;Sills et al, 2013;Soh et al, 2014;Vasudevan et al, 2012;Woertz et al, 2014). Other LCA studies surveyed utilized thermochemical conversion, secretion or supercritical water bio-oil recovery technologies (Brentner et al, 2011;Frank et al, 2013;Grierson et al, 2013;Handler et al, 2014;Liu et al, 2013;Ponnusamy et al, 2014;Vasudevan et al, 2012). The LCAs surveyed here are limited to studies that perform an assessment with a well to pump system boundary and report GHG emissions, Figure 4.…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Multiple LCAs of microalgae to biofuels processes incorporating various conversion technologies have been performed with results varying dramatically due to simplistic process models, differences in production pathways, and incomplete system boundaries (Adesanya et al, 2014;Azadi et al, 2014;Batan et al, 2010;Brentner et al, 2011;Campbell et al, 2011;Collet et al, 2014;Frank et al, 2013;Frank et al, 2011;Grierson et al, 2013;Handler et al, 2014;Liu et al, 2013;Passell et al, 2013;Ponnusamy et al, 2014;Quinn et al, 2014;Shirvani et al, 2011;Sills et al, 2013;Soh et al, 2014;Vasudevan et al, 2012;Woertz et al, 2014). The majority of the previous studies have focused on traditional lipid extraction systems (Adesanya et al, 2014;Azadi et al, 2014;Batan et al, 2010;Brentner et al, 2011;Campbell et al, 2011;Collet et al, 2014;Frank et al, 2011;Handler et al, 2014;Passell et al, 2013;Quinn et al, 2014;Shirvani et al, 2011;Sills et al, 2013;Soh et al, 2014;Vasudevan et al, 2012;Woertz et al, 2014). Other LCA studies surveyed utilized thermochemical conversion, secretion or supercritical water bio-oil recovery technologies (Brentner et al, 2011;Frank et al, 2013;Grierson et al, 2013;...…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The potentials and challenges of algae based biofuels: A review of the techno-economic, life cycle, and resource assessment modeling

Quinn

Davis

2015

Bioresource Technology

396

228

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microalgae biofuel production has been extensively evaluated through resource, economic and life cycle assessments. Resource assessments consistently identify land as non-limiting and highlight the need to consider siting based on combined geographical constraints of land and other critical resources such as water and carbon dioxide. Economic assessments report a selling cost of fuel that ranges between $1.64 and over $30 gal(-1) consistent with large variability reported in the life cycle literature, -75 to 534 gCO2-eq MJ(-1). Large drivers behind such variability stem from differences in productivity assumptions, pathway technologies, and system boundaries. Productivity represents foundational units in these assessments with current assumed yields in various assessments varying by a factor of 60. A review of the literature in these areas highlights the need for harmonized assessments such that direct comparisons of alternative processing technologies can be made on the metrics of resource requirements, economic feasibility, and environmental impact.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 94%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

The potentials and challenges of algae based biofuels: A review of the techno-economic, life cycle, and resource assessment modeling

Quinn

Davis

2015

Bioresource Technology

396

228

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Currently, the world's energy and fuels are mostly obtained from fossil-based natural resources such as petroleum, coal and natural gas [1,2]. The use of these finite resources has caused increasing environmental pollution and severe climate change [3,4], driving an intensifying demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources that can reduce the dependency on fossil fuel [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved Nile red staining of Scenedesmus sp. by combining ultrasonic treatment and three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…15,16 All the different phases in the entire biofuel chain—from the availability and growth of raw material, harvesting, and transport to the production of fuel, use, and disposal—can be studied in an LCA. Each phase contributes to the total impact of that product over its lifetime.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy-Efficient Routes for the Production of Gasoline from Biogas and Pyrolysis Oil—Process Design and Life-Cycle Assessment

Sundaram

Kolb

Hessel

et al. 2017

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Two novel routes for the production of gasoline from pyrolysis oil (from timber pine) and biogas (from ley grass) are simulated, followed by a cradle-to-gate life-cycle assessment of the two production routes. The main aim of this work is to conduct a holistic evaluation of the proposed routes and benchmark them against the conventional route of producing gasoline from natural gas. A previously commercialized method of synthesizing gasoline involves conversion of natural gas to syngas, which is further converted to methanol, and then as a last step, the methanol is converted to gasoline. In the new proposed routes, the syngas production step is different; syngas is produced from a mixture of pyrolysis oil and biogas in the following two ways: (i) autothermal reforming of pyrolysis oil and biogas, in which there are two reactions in one reactor (ATR) and (ii) steam reforming of pyrolysis oil and catalytic partial oxidation of biogas, in which there are separated but thermally coupled reactions and reactors (CR). The other two steps to produce methanol from syngas, and gasoline from methanol, remain the same. The purpose of this simulation is to have an ex-ante comparison of the performance of the new routes against a reference, in terms of energy and sustainability. Thus, at this stage of simulations, nonrigorous, equilibrium-based models have been used for reactors, which will give the best case conversions for each step. For the conventional production route, conversion and yield data available in the literature have been used, wherever available.The results of the process design showed that the second method (separate, but thermally coupled reforming) has a carbon efficiency of 0.53, compared to the conventional route (0.48), as well as the first route (0.40). The life-cycle assessment results revealed that the newly proposed processes have a clear advantage over the conventional process in some categories, particularly the global warming potential and primary energy demand; but there are also some in which the conventional route fares better, such as the human toxicity potential and the categories related to land-use change such as biotic production potential and the groundwater resistance indicator. The results confirmed that even though using biomass such as timber pine as raw material does result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the activities associated with biomass, such as cultivation and harvesting, contribute to the environmental footprint, particularly the land use change categories. This gives an impetus to investigate the potential of agricultural, forest, or even food waste, which would be likely to have a substantially lower impact on the environment. Moreover, it could be seen that the source of electricity used in the process has a major impact on the environmental performance.

show abstract

Life cycle assessment of algal biofuels: Influence of feedstock cultivation systems and conversion platforms

Cited by 76 publications

References 24 publications

The potentials and challenges of algae based biofuels: A review of the techno-economic, life cycle, and resource assessment modeling

The potentials and challenges of algae based biofuels: A review of the techno-economic, life cycle, and resource assessment modeling

Improved Nile red staining of Scenedesmus sp. by combining ultrasonic treatment and three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy

Energy-Efficient Routes for the Production of Gasoline from Biogas and Pyrolysis Oil—Process Design and Life-Cycle Assessment

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About