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Biofuels: Perspectives, Questions, and Conclusions

Biofuels: Perspectives, Questions, and Conclusions. Reginal M. Harrell, Professor and Extension Specialist Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology University of Maryland, College Park. Perspectives. US world’s largest consumer of energy Energy consumption by sector:

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Biofuels: Perspectives, Questions, and Conclusions

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  1. Biofuels: Perspectives, Questions, and Conclusions Reginal M. Harrell, Professor and Extension Specialist Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology University of Maryland, College Park

  2. Perspectives • US world’s largest consumer of energy • Energy consumption by sector: • Industrial – 32% • Transportation – 28% • Residential – 22% • Commercial – 18% • 93% of energy use comes from non-renewable sources Source: Biofuels 101; University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative. UT Extension Publication SP700A

  3. Perspectives • Petroleum products account for 97% of the transportation fuel market • The first 60% of petroleum consumed in the US is imported • 41% from OPEC countries • Biofuels differ from other renewable sources – primarily transportation Source: Biofuels 101; University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative. UT Extension Publication SP700A

  4. Perspectives • Current US production for ethanol is essentially corn based • Corn production 4.17 Bbu 1966 to 11.78 Bbu 2005 (~56 lbs/bu, 15.5% moisture) • 80% of increase due to advances in crop breeding, managing nutrients, conservation tillage, IPM, and GMOs.

  5. Can we grow enough corn with current technology to meet food and fuel demand?

  6. (~355 MmT or 13.2 Bbu 2007 projected) Source: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/us-farmbill/retail-realities/corn

  7. Source: http://www.sura.org/commercialization/docs/Feb07_Summit_Presentations/0-01-SURA_Fischer_2_23_07.pdf

  8. Source: CAST Commentary QTA2007-2 Nov 2007

  9. 140 BG/Y 2005 consumption Current mandate for ethanol is ~ 7.5 BG/Y by 2012 (23%) Projected 10 BG/Y by 2010-2011 (31%) Bush - 20% by 2017 – 28 BG/Y (87%) If use 100% 2005 corn production - yield 32.4 BG/Y or 23% of 2005 consumption

  10. 65 and 70% of diet for swine and poultry is corn • 45% of distiller’s grain uses for cattle feedlots • 2006 – 89% of corn grown on Delmarva was used by poultry industry • 2007 average production is 63% of 2006 due to drought

  11. Source: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Maryland/index.asp#.htm; http://www.dpichicken.org/download/soybean.docl

  12. Other Considerations • Net-energy Efficiencies • Competition with food and feed • Sustainability • Complete harvest and soil stability • Water resource allocation • Nutrient excess - water pollution • Invasive species

  13. Can we grow enough corn with current technology to meet food and fuel demand? NO!

  14. If not corn, what other crops can be used to make fuel?

  15. Source: http://www.sura.org/commercialization/docs/Feb07_Summit_Presentations/0-01-SURA_Fischer_2_23_07.pdf

  16. Non-traditional Feedstock Sources • Residuals – stover, tobacco • Native grasses – switchgrass, reed canary grass • Fast-growing trees– black locust, hybrid poplar, willows, pines, cottonwoods, • Exotics (Invasive) – Miscanthus, Phragmites, giant reed, eucalypts • Non-terrestrial - Algae • Animal wastes - methane

  17. Value-added • Higher energy efficiency • Carbon sequestration • Carbon trading • Environmentally friendlier than row crops • Wildlife habitat

  18. Bottom Line!

  19. Source: CAST Commentary QTA2007-2 Nov 2007

  20. Source: http://www.sura.org/commercialization/docs/Feb07_Summit_Presentations/0-01-SURA_Fischer_2_23_07.pdf

  21. Questions • How can marginal land be utilized? • Will equipment investments, designs, fabrications be required? • Without government subsidies will bio-based fuels be able to compete with a global market for fossil fuels? • What enabling or limiting policies and legislation be required-developed? • Are there alternatives to non-terrestrial based approaches?

  22. Questions • What are the Opportunity-costs • Will farmers and society accept GMOs/monoculture on a scale necessary to met biomass issues? • What will be the environmental impacts of large-shift in agronomic practices? • Is sufficient and/or contiguous land available?

  23. Ultimate Goals • Economically viable • Sustainable • Environmentally benign • Socially-acceptable

  24. What will science bring that is new and different from the past?

  25. Source: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/us-farmbill/retail-realities/corn

  26. Source: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/us-farmbill/retail-realities/corn

  27. Source: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/us-farmbill/retail-realities/corn

  28. Source: http://www.sura.org/commercialization/docs/Feb07_Summit_Presentations/0-01-SURA_Fischer_2_23_07.pdf

  29. Source: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/made/

  30. Source: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/made/

  31. Source: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/made/

  32. Source: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Maryland/index.asp#.html

  33. Source: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Maryland/index.asp#.html

  34. Source: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Maryland/index.asp#.html

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