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Michael Wang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • well to wheels emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants of dimethyl ether from natural gas and renewable feedstocks in comparison with Petroleum Gasoline and diesel in the united states and europe
    SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, 2016
    Co-Authors: Michael Wang, Jacob Ward, Elliot Hicks, Dan Goodwin, Rebecca Boudreaux, Per Hanarp, Henrik Salsing, Parthav Desai, Emmanuel Varenne, Patrik Klintbom
    Abstract:

    Dimethyl ether (DME) is an alternative to diesel fuel for use in compression-ignition engines with modified fuel systems and offers potential advantages of efficiency improvements and emission redu ...

  • well to wheels energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of ethanol from corn sugarcane and cellulosic biomass for us use
    Environmental Research Letters, 2012
    Co-Authors: Michael Wang, Jennifer Marie Dunn, Amgad Elgowainy
    Abstract:

    Globally, bioethanol is the largest volume biofuel used in the transportation sector, with corn-based ethanol production occurring mostly in the US and sugarcane-based ethanol production occurring mostly in Brazil. Advances in technology and the resulting improved productivity in corn and sugarcane farming and ethanol conversion, together with biofuel policies, have contributed to the significant expansion of ethanol production in the past 20 years. These improvements have increased the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of using bioethanol as opposed to using Petroleum Gasoline. This article presents results from our most recently updated simulations of energy use and GHG emissions that result from using bioethanol made from several feedstocks. The results were generated with the GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) model. In particular, based on a consistent and systematic model platform, we estimate life-cycle energy consumption and GHG emissions from using ethanol produced from five feedstocks: corn, sugarcane, corn stover, switchgrass and miscanthus. We quantitatively address the impacts of a few critical factors that affect life-cycle GHG emissions from bioethanol. Even when the highly debated land use change GHG emissions are included, changing from corn to sugarcane and then to cellulosic biomass helps to significantly increase the reductions in energy use and GHG emissions from using bioethanol. Relative to Petroleum Gasoline, ethanol from corn, sugarcane, corn stover, switchgrass and miscanthus can reduce life-cycle GHG emissions by 19‐48%, 40‐62%, 90‐103%, 77‐97% and 101‐115%, respectively. Similar trends have been found with regard to fossil energy benefits for the five bioethanol pathways.

  • energy and greenhouse gas emission effects of corn and cellulosic ethanol with technology improvements and land use changes
    Biomass & Bioenergy, 2011
    Co-Authors: Michael Wang, May Wu, Wallace E Tyner, Amgad Elgowainy
    Abstract:

    Abstract Use of ethanol as a transportation fuel in the United States has grown from 76 dam 3 in 1980 to over 40.1 hm 3 in 2009 — and virtually all of it has been produced from corn. It has been debated whether using corn ethanol results in any energy and greenhouse gas benefits. This issue has been especially critical in the past several years, when indirect effects, such as indirect land use changes, associated with U.S. corn ethanol production are considered in evaluation. In the past three years, modeling of direct and indirect land use changes related to the production of corn ethanol has advanced significantly. Meanwhile, technology improvements in key stages of the ethanol life cycle (such as corn farming and ethanol production) have been made. With updated simulation results of direct and indirect land use changes and observed technology improvements in the past several years, we conducted a life-cycle analysis of ethanol and show that at present and in the near future, using corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emission by more than 20%, relative to those of Petroleum Gasoline. On the other hand, second-generation ethanol could achieve much higher reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In a broader sense, sound evaluation of U.S. biofuel policies should account for both unanticipated consequences and technology potentials. We maintain that the usefulness of such evaluations is to provide insight into how to prevent unanticipated consequences and how to promote efficient technologies with policy intervention.

  • Consumptive Water Use in Bioethanol and Petroleum Gasoline Pathways
    2010
    Co-Authors: Marianne Mintz, Michael Wang, Salil Arora
    Abstract:

    Energy production requires substantial water input. Biofuel feedstocks like corn, switchgrass, and agricultural residues need water for growth and conversion to bioethanol. Likewise, Petroleum feedstocks like crude oil and oil sands require large volumes of water for drilling, extraction and conversion into refined products. Water management has become a key feature of existing projects and a potential issue in new ones. This paper examines the growing issue of water use in energy production by characterizing current consumptive water use in liquid fuel production. “Consumptive water use” is defined as the sum total of process water input less water output that is recycled and reused for the process. The estimate applies to surface and groundwater sources but does not include precipitation. Water requirements are evaluated for five fuel pathways: bioethanol from corn, bioethanol from cellulosic feedstocks, Gasoline from Canadian oil sands, Gasoline from Saudi Arabian crude oil, and Gasoline from conventional crude oil produced from U.S. onshore wells. Regional variations and historic trends are noted, as are opportunities to reduce water use.

  • Water Consumption in the Production of Ethanol and Petroleum Gasoline
    Environmental Management, 2009
    Co-Authors: May Wu, Marianne Mintz, Michael Wang, Salil Arora
    Abstract:

    We assessed current water consumption during liquid fuel production, evaluating major steps of fuel lifecycle for five fuel pathways: bioethanol from corn, bioethanol from cellulosic feedstocks, Gasoline from U.S. conventional crude obtained from onshore wells, Gasoline from Saudi Arabian crude, and Gasoline from Canadian oil sands. Our analysis revealed that the amount of irrigation water used to grow biofuel feedstocks varies significantly from one region to another and that water consumption for biofuel production varies with processing technology. In oil exploration and production, water consumption depends on the source and location of crude, the recovery technology, and the amount of produced water re-injected for oil recovery. Our results also indicate that crop irrigation is the most important factor determining water consumption in the production of corn ethanol. Nearly 70% of U.S. corn used for ethanol is produced in regions where 10–17 liters of water are consumed to produce one liter of ethanol. Ethanol production plants are less water intensive and there is a downward trend in water consumption. Water requirements for switchgrass ethanol production vary from 1.9 to 9.8 liters for each liter of ethanol produced. We found that water is consumed at a rate of 2.8–6.6 liters for each liter of Gasoline produced for more than 90% of crude oil obtained from conventional onshore sources in the U.S. and more than half of crude oil imported from Saudi Arabia. For more than 55% of crude oil from Canadian oil sands, about 5.2 liters of water are consumed for each liter of Gasoline produced. Our analysis highlighted the vital importance of water management during the feedstock production and conversion stage of the fuel lifecycle.

Michael Wetzstein - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • An Ethanol Blend Wall Shift is Prone to Increase Petroleum Gasoline Demand
    Energy Economics, 2014
    Co-Authors: Cheng Qiu, Gregory Colson, Michael Wetzstein
    Abstract:

    In 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a waiver allowing an increase in the fuel–ethanol blend limit (the “blend wall”) from 10% (E10) to 15% (E15). Justifications for the waiver are reduced vehicle-fuel prices and less consumption of Petroleum Gasoline, leading to greater energy security. Empirical investigations of this waiver using Monte Carlo simulations reveal an anomaly where a relaxation of this blend wall elicits a demand response. Under a wide range of elasticities, this demand response can actually increase the consumption of Petroleum Gasoline and thus lead to greater energy insecurity. The economics supporting this result and associated policy implications are developed and discussed.

  • An Ethanol Blend Wall Shift is Prone to Increase Petroleum Gasoline Demand
    2011
    Co-Authors: Cheng Qiu, Gregory Colson, Zibin Zhang, Michael Wetzstein
    Abstract:

    The US Environmental Protection Agency announced a waiver allowing an increase in the Fuel-Ethanol blend limit (the “blend wall” ) from 10% (E10) to 15% (E15) on October,2010.Justifications for the waiver are reduced vehicle fuel prices and less consumption of Petroleum Gasoline, leading to energy security. In this paper, employing Monte Carlo simulations and Savitzky-Golay smoothing filter, an empirical study examines this waiver revealing an anomaly where a relaxation of this blend wall elicits a demand response. Under a wide range of elasticities, this demand response can actually increase the consumption of Petroleum Gasoline and thus lead to greater energy insecurity. The economics supporting this result and associated policy implications are developed and discussed.

  • Blend-wall economics: Relaxing US ethanol regulations can lead to increased use of fossil fuels
    Energy Policy, 2010
    Co-Authors: Zibin Zhang, Cheng Qiu, Michael Wetzstein
    Abstract:

    The US Environmental Protection Agency is currently considering a waiver allowing an increase in the fuel-ethanol blend limit (the "blend wall") from 10% (E10) up to 15% (E15). Justifications for this waiver are reduced vehicle fuel prices and less consumption of Petroleum Gasoline leading to energy security. A theoretical examination of this waiver reveals an anomaly where a relaxation of this blend wall elicits a demand response. Under a wide range of elasticities, this demand response can actually increase the consumption of Petroleum Gasoline and thus lead to greater energy insecurity. The economics supporting this result and associated policy implications are developed and discussed.

Jeongwoo Han - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • life cycle analysis of fuel production from fast pyrolysis of biomass
    Bioresource Technology, 2013
    Co-Authors: Jeongwoo Han, Amgad Elgowainy, Jennifer B. Dunn, Michael Q Wang
    Abstract:

    A well-to-wheels (WTW) analysis of pyrolysis-based Gasoline was conducted and compared with Petroleum Gasoline. To address the variation and uncertainty in the pyrolysis pathways, probability distributions for key parameters were developed with data from literature. The impacts of two different hydrogen sources for pyrolysis oil upgrading and of two bio-char co-product applications were investigated. Reforming fuel gas/natural gas for H2 reduces WTW GHG emissions by 60% (range of 55–64%) compared to the mean of Petroleum fuels. Reforming pyrolysis oil for H2 increases the WTW GHG emissions reduction up to 112% (range of 97–126%), but reduces Petroleum savings per unit of biomass used due to the dramatic decline in the liquid fuel yield. Thus, the hydrogen source causes a trade-off between GHG reduction per unit fuel output and Petroleum displacement per unit biomass used. Soil application of biochar could provide significant carbon sequestration with large uncertainty.

  • Well-to-wheels analysis of fast pyrolysis pathways with the GREET model.
    2011
    Co-Authors: Jeongwoo Han, Amgad Elgowainy, Jennifer B. Dunn, Ignasi Palou-rivera, Michael Q Wang
    Abstract:

    The pyrolysis of biomass can help produce liquid transportation fuels with properties similar to those of Petroleum Gasoline and diesel fuel. Argonne National Laboratory conducted a life-cycle (i.e., well-to-wheels [WTW]) analysis of various pyrolysis pathways by expanding and employing the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. The WTW energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the pyrolysis pathways were compared with those from the baseline Petroleum Gasoline and diesel pathways. Various pyrolysis pathway scenarios with a wide variety of possible hydrogen sources, liquid fuel yields, and co-product application and treatment methods were considered. At one extreme, when hydrogen is produced from natural gas and when bio-char is used for process energy needs, the pyrolysis-based liquid fuel yield is high (32% of the dry mass of biomass input). The reductions in WTW fossil energy use and GHG emissions relative to those that occur when baseline Petroleum fuels are used, however, is modest, at 50% and 51%, respectively, on a per unit of fuel energy basis. At the other extreme, when hydrogen is produced internally via reforming of pyrolysis oil and when bio-char is sequestered in soil applications, the pyrolysis-based liquid fuel yield is low (15%more » of the dry mass of biomass input), but the reductions in WTW fossil energy use and GHG emissions are large, at 79% and 96%, respectively, relative to those that occur when baseline Petroleum fuels are used. The Petroleum energy use in all scenarios was restricted to biomass collection and transportation activities, which resulted in a reduction in WTW Petroleum energy use of 92-95% relative to that found when baseline Petroleum fuels are used. Internal hydrogen production (i.e., via reforming of pyrolysis oil) significantly reduces fossil fuel use and GHG emissions because the hydrogen from fuel gas or pyrolysis oil (renewable sources) displaces that from fossil fuel natural gas and the amount of fossil natural gas used for hydrogen production is reduced; however, internal hydrogen production also reduces the potential Petroleum energy savings (per unit of biomass input basis) because the fuel yield declines dramatically. Typically, a process that has a greater liquid fuel yield results in larger Petroleum savings per unit of biomass input but a smaller reduction in life-cycle GHG emissions. Sequestration of the large amount of bio-char co-product (e.g., in soil applications) provides a significant carbon dioxide credit, while electricity generation from bio-char combustion provides a large energy credit. The WTW energy and GHG emissions benefits observed when a pyrolysis oil refinery was integrated with a pyrolysis reactor were small when compared with those that occur when pyrolysis oil is distributed to a distant refinery, since the activities associated with transporting the oil between the pyrolysis reactors and refineries have a smaller energy and emissions footprint than do other activities in the pyrolysis pathway.« less

  • Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Renewable Natural Gas as Vehicle Fuel
    Transportation Research Record, 2011
    Co-Authors: Marianne Mintz, Jeongwoo Han
    Abstract:

    Today more than 300 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas and 1,680 MW of electricity are produced from the decomposition of organic waste at 541 U.S. landfills. Since landfill gas (LFG) is a renewable resource, this energy is considered renewable. When used as a vehicle fuel, LFG-based compressed natural gas (CNG) consumes up to 1,100 Btu of fossil fuel and generates up to 120 g of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2e) greenhouse gas emissions per mile on a well-to-wheel basis. This amount compares with about 7,500 Btu and 500 gCO2e per mile for CNG from fossil natural gas and 8,000 Btu and 650 gCO2e per mile for Petroleum Gasoline. Liquefying the LFG consumes another 400+ Btu of fossil fuel and 30+ gCO2e per mile if grid electricity is used for the process. However, if some of the LFG is used to generate electricity for gas cleanup and liquefaction (or compression), liquefied natural gas (or CNG) produced from LFG can have no fossil fuel input and only minimal CO2e emissions on a well-to-wheel ...

Amgad Elgowainy - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • life cycle analysis of fuel production from fast pyrolysis of biomass
    Bioresource Technology, 2013
    Co-Authors: Jeongwoo Han, Amgad Elgowainy, Jennifer B. Dunn, Michael Q Wang
    Abstract:

    A well-to-wheels (WTW) analysis of pyrolysis-based Gasoline was conducted and compared with Petroleum Gasoline. To address the variation and uncertainty in the pyrolysis pathways, probability distributions for key parameters were developed with data from literature. The impacts of two different hydrogen sources for pyrolysis oil upgrading and of two bio-char co-product applications were investigated. Reforming fuel gas/natural gas for H2 reduces WTW GHG emissions by 60% (range of 55–64%) compared to the mean of Petroleum fuels. Reforming pyrolysis oil for H2 increases the WTW GHG emissions reduction up to 112% (range of 97–126%), but reduces Petroleum savings per unit of biomass used due to the dramatic decline in the liquid fuel yield. Thus, the hydrogen source causes a trade-off between GHG reduction per unit fuel output and Petroleum displacement per unit biomass used. Soil application of biochar could provide significant carbon sequestration with large uncertainty.

  • well to wheels energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of ethanol from corn sugarcane and cellulosic biomass for us use
    Environmental Research Letters, 2012
    Co-Authors: Michael Wang, Jennifer Marie Dunn, Amgad Elgowainy
    Abstract:

    Globally, bioethanol is the largest volume biofuel used in the transportation sector, with corn-based ethanol production occurring mostly in the US and sugarcane-based ethanol production occurring mostly in Brazil. Advances in technology and the resulting improved productivity in corn and sugarcane farming and ethanol conversion, together with biofuel policies, have contributed to the significant expansion of ethanol production in the past 20 years. These improvements have increased the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of using bioethanol as opposed to using Petroleum Gasoline. This article presents results from our most recently updated simulations of energy use and GHG emissions that result from using bioethanol made from several feedstocks. The results were generated with the GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) model. In particular, based on a consistent and systematic model platform, we estimate life-cycle energy consumption and GHG emissions from using ethanol produced from five feedstocks: corn, sugarcane, corn stover, switchgrass and miscanthus. We quantitatively address the impacts of a few critical factors that affect life-cycle GHG emissions from bioethanol. Even when the highly debated land use change GHG emissions are included, changing from corn to sugarcane and then to cellulosic biomass helps to significantly increase the reductions in energy use and GHG emissions from using bioethanol. Relative to Petroleum Gasoline, ethanol from corn, sugarcane, corn stover, switchgrass and miscanthus can reduce life-cycle GHG emissions by 19‐48%, 40‐62%, 90‐103%, 77‐97% and 101‐115%, respectively. Similar trends have been found with regard to fossil energy benefits for the five bioethanol pathways.

  • Well-to-wheels analysis of fast pyrolysis pathways with the GREET model.
    2011
    Co-Authors: Jeongwoo Han, Amgad Elgowainy, Jennifer B. Dunn, Ignasi Palou-rivera, Michael Q Wang
    Abstract:

    The pyrolysis of biomass can help produce liquid transportation fuels with properties similar to those of Petroleum Gasoline and diesel fuel. Argonne National Laboratory conducted a life-cycle (i.e., well-to-wheels [WTW]) analysis of various pyrolysis pathways by expanding and employing the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. The WTW energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the pyrolysis pathways were compared with those from the baseline Petroleum Gasoline and diesel pathways. Various pyrolysis pathway scenarios with a wide variety of possible hydrogen sources, liquid fuel yields, and co-product application and treatment methods were considered. At one extreme, when hydrogen is produced from natural gas and when bio-char is used for process energy needs, the pyrolysis-based liquid fuel yield is high (32% of the dry mass of biomass input). The reductions in WTW fossil energy use and GHG emissions relative to those that occur when baseline Petroleum fuels are used, however, is modest, at 50% and 51%, respectively, on a per unit of fuel energy basis. At the other extreme, when hydrogen is produced internally via reforming of pyrolysis oil and when bio-char is sequestered in soil applications, the pyrolysis-based liquid fuel yield is low (15%more » of the dry mass of biomass input), but the reductions in WTW fossil energy use and GHG emissions are large, at 79% and 96%, respectively, relative to those that occur when baseline Petroleum fuels are used. The Petroleum energy use in all scenarios was restricted to biomass collection and transportation activities, which resulted in a reduction in WTW Petroleum energy use of 92-95% relative to that found when baseline Petroleum fuels are used. Internal hydrogen production (i.e., via reforming of pyrolysis oil) significantly reduces fossil fuel use and GHG emissions because the hydrogen from fuel gas or pyrolysis oil (renewable sources) displaces that from fossil fuel natural gas and the amount of fossil natural gas used for hydrogen production is reduced; however, internal hydrogen production also reduces the potential Petroleum energy savings (per unit of biomass input basis) because the fuel yield declines dramatically. Typically, a process that has a greater liquid fuel yield results in larger Petroleum savings per unit of biomass input but a smaller reduction in life-cycle GHG emissions. Sequestration of the large amount of bio-char co-product (e.g., in soil applications) provides a significant carbon dioxide credit, while electricity generation from bio-char combustion provides a large energy credit. The WTW energy and GHG emissions benefits observed when a pyrolysis oil refinery was integrated with a pyrolysis reactor were small when compared with those that occur when pyrolysis oil is distributed to a distant refinery, since the activities associated with transporting the oil between the pyrolysis reactors and refineries have a smaller energy and emissions footprint than do other activities in the pyrolysis pathway.« less

  • energy and greenhouse gas emission effects of corn and cellulosic ethanol with technology improvements and land use changes
    Biomass & Bioenergy, 2011
    Co-Authors: Michael Wang, May Wu, Wallace E Tyner, Amgad Elgowainy
    Abstract:

    Abstract Use of ethanol as a transportation fuel in the United States has grown from 76 dam 3 in 1980 to over 40.1 hm 3 in 2009 — and virtually all of it has been produced from corn. It has been debated whether using corn ethanol results in any energy and greenhouse gas benefits. This issue has been especially critical in the past several years, when indirect effects, such as indirect land use changes, associated with U.S. corn ethanol production are considered in evaluation. In the past three years, modeling of direct and indirect land use changes related to the production of corn ethanol has advanced significantly. Meanwhile, technology improvements in key stages of the ethanol life cycle (such as corn farming and ethanol production) have been made. With updated simulation results of direct and indirect land use changes and observed technology improvements in the past several years, we conducted a life-cycle analysis of ethanol and show that at present and in the near future, using corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emission by more than 20%, relative to those of Petroleum Gasoline. On the other hand, second-generation ethanol could achieve much higher reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In a broader sense, sound evaluation of U.S. biofuel policies should account for both unanticipated consequences and technology potentials. We maintain that the usefulness of such evaluations is to provide insight into how to prevent unanticipated consequences and how to promote efficient technologies with policy intervention.

Marianne Mintz - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Renewable Natural Gas as Vehicle Fuel
    Transportation Research Record, 2011
    Co-Authors: Marianne Mintz, Jeongwoo Han
    Abstract:

    Today more than 300 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas and 1,680 MW of electricity are produced from the decomposition of organic waste at 541 U.S. landfills. Since landfill gas (LFG) is a renewable resource, this energy is considered renewable. When used as a vehicle fuel, LFG-based compressed natural gas (CNG) consumes up to 1,100 Btu of fossil fuel and generates up to 120 g of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2e) greenhouse gas emissions per mile on a well-to-wheel basis. This amount compares with about 7,500 Btu and 500 gCO2e per mile for CNG from fossil natural gas and 8,000 Btu and 650 gCO2e per mile for Petroleum Gasoline. Liquefying the LFG consumes another 400+ Btu of fossil fuel and 30+ gCO2e per mile if grid electricity is used for the process. However, if some of the LFG is used to generate electricity for gas cleanup and liquefaction (or compression), liquefied natural gas (or CNG) produced from LFG can have no fossil fuel input and only minimal CO2e emissions on a well-to-wheel ...

  • Consumptive Water Use in Bioethanol and Petroleum Gasoline Pathways
    2010
    Co-Authors: Marianne Mintz, Michael Wang, Salil Arora
    Abstract:

    Energy production requires substantial water input. Biofuel feedstocks like corn, switchgrass, and agricultural residues need water for growth and conversion to bioethanol. Likewise, Petroleum feedstocks like crude oil and oil sands require large volumes of water for drilling, extraction and conversion into refined products. Water management has become a key feature of existing projects and a potential issue in new ones. This paper examines the growing issue of water use in energy production by characterizing current consumptive water use in liquid fuel production. “Consumptive water use” is defined as the sum total of process water input less water output that is recycled and reused for the process. The estimate applies to surface and groundwater sources but does not include precipitation. Water requirements are evaluated for five fuel pathways: bioethanol from corn, bioethanol from cellulosic feedstocks, Gasoline from Canadian oil sands, Gasoline from Saudi Arabian crude oil, and Gasoline from conventional crude oil produced from U.S. onshore wells. Regional variations and historic trends are noted, as are opportunities to reduce water use.

  • Water Consumption in the Production of Ethanol and Petroleum Gasoline
    Environmental Management, 2009
    Co-Authors: May Wu, Marianne Mintz, Michael Wang, Salil Arora
    Abstract:

    We assessed current water consumption during liquid fuel production, evaluating major steps of fuel lifecycle for five fuel pathways: bioethanol from corn, bioethanol from cellulosic feedstocks, Gasoline from U.S. conventional crude obtained from onshore wells, Gasoline from Saudi Arabian crude, and Gasoline from Canadian oil sands. Our analysis revealed that the amount of irrigation water used to grow biofuel feedstocks varies significantly from one region to another and that water consumption for biofuel production varies with processing technology. In oil exploration and production, water consumption depends on the source and location of crude, the recovery technology, and the amount of produced water re-injected for oil recovery. Our results also indicate that crop irrigation is the most important factor determining water consumption in the production of corn ethanol. Nearly 70% of U.S. corn used for ethanol is produced in regions where 10–17 liters of water are consumed to produce one liter of ethanol. Ethanol production plants are less water intensive and there is a downward trend in water consumption. Water requirements for switchgrass ethanol production vary from 1.9 to 9.8 liters for each liter of ethanol produced. We found that water is consumed at a rate of 2.8–6.6 liters for each liter of Gasoline produced for more than 90% of crude oil obtained from conventional onshore sources in the U.S. and more than half of crude oil imported from Saudi Arabia. For more than 55% of crude oil from Canadian oil sands, about 5.2 liters of water are consumed for each liter of Gasoline produced. Our analysis highlighted the vital importance of water management during the feedstock production and conversion stage of the fuel lifecycle.

  • consumptive water use in the production of ethanonl and Petroleum Gasoline
    2009
    Co-Authors: Marianne Mintz, Michael Wang, Salil Arora
    Abstract:

    The production of energy feedstocks and fuels requires substantial water input. Not only do biofuel feedstocks like corn, switchgrass, and agricultural residues need water for growth and conversion to ethanol, but Petroleum feedstocks like crude oil and oil sands also require large volumes of water for drilling, extraction, and conversion into Petroleum products. Moreover, in many cases, crude oil production is increasingly water dependent. Competing uses strain available water resources and raise the specter of resource depletion and environmental degradation. Water management has become a key feature of existing projects and a potential issue in new ones. This report examines the growing issue of water use in energy production by characterizing current consumptive water use in liquid fuel production. As used throughout this report, 'consumptive water use' is the sum total of water input less water output that is recycled and reused for the process. The estimate applies to surface and groundwater sources for irrigation but does not include precipitation. Water requirements are evaluated for five fuel pathways: bioethanol from corn, ethanol from cellulosic feedstocks, Gasoline from Canadian oil sands, Saudi Arabian crude, and U.S. conventional crude from onshore wells. Regional variations and historic trends are noted, as are opportunitiesmore » to reduce water use.« less