How nature works? The Emergy methodology approach.

1. How nature works? The Emergy methodology approach. Some ideas about how to produce Biofuels in Eco-units taking into account nature and society. Enrique Ortega, FEA/Unicamp.Campinas, SP, August 6th, 2006

2. Complementary exergies and materials Exergies of different quality Available energy potential Interaction process Exergy Recycling (internal flow) Work that flows out of the system Feedback Production Net exergy produced adding exergies System Dispersed energy (heat) In nature, the potential energy interact with other available exergies and raw materials to produce resources with higher energy intensity, that constitute the work of the system! The potential energy is used to produce this transformation and a great part of it is degraded to produce the work. The degraded energy is usually referred as “heat”.

3. Complementary energies Complementary energies Better quality energies Better quality energies Available potential energy Interaction Interaction The external exergy captured by the system is transformed into a new resource that has potential energy of a different kind; this product will participate of a sequence of steps of intake and conversion of exergy until all the useful potential is used.

4. Raw materials from nature Recycled materials Exergy of a external diffuse continuous source Exergy of a external diffuse continuous source Materials with better exergy Materials with better exergy Interaction Interaction Dispersed materials Materials recycling Potential energy transferred to other systems Dispersed Energy It is external exergy that is transformed within the system that impulses the materials cycle in ecosystems, in human beings, in human economy and in biosphere.

5. Materials Recycling Diffuse Exergy Decomposers The diffuse solar exergy is transformed into vegetal biomassand then used by a net of consumers. At each new stage of the chain the quantity of exergy transferred diminishes. Wastes might have materials with available energy that decomposers can use to grow and as result nutrients (humus) can be returned to initial steps of energy chain.

6. Main system functions: external source, photosynthesis, stocks of materials, consumers, decomposers, flows. The self-organization develops a hierarchical structure. In this diagram the symbol’s sizes are proportional to mass.

7. Minerals Predatory use of renewable resources Fossil energies Natural carrying capacity Non sustainable carrying capacity The chain can grow when receiving additional exergy (renewable resources used faster than their recovering time, fossil fuels and minerals that are extracted with these additional resources).

8. Non renewable resources NaturalEcosystems Renewable resources Agricultural ecosystems Urban systems There is a interdependence among the systems components. Form left to right exergy flows to provide support to upper levels of trophic chain; high quality exergy and basic nutrients flows in a countercurrent. The feedback flows changes its quantity and quality when non renewable resources are used.

9. Fossil fuels Ocean Renewable energy resources New resources Volcanoes Raw materials from rural areas Natural landscape and farms Water in atmosphere Petroleum, gas, coal Water and environmental services Industrial products obtained from oil Minerals and sediments Infra-structure organization Minerals after microbial solubilization Biomass biodiversity Anthropic interaction with Biosphere Environmental services Direct solar radiation Urban systems

10. Emergy flows in the nature-society system (Brown & Ulgiati, 2004) Intense heat Terrestrial crust Mineralsand other stocks Minerals Atmosphere Solar Emergy Civilization Ocean Gases, Sediments, Wastes Gravitation force of Moon and Sun Earth internal heat Hydrocarbons: 26,1 Nuclear: 2,9 Wood and soil: 2,8 Minerals: 2,5 External emergy: 15,8 Total emergy: 50,1 3,84 8,06 Materials Non renewable resources 3,93 34,3 Flows expressed in E24 sej/year

11. Product exergy_____________________________________ Total emergy used Efficiency = Earth deep heat Gravitation force from Sun and Moon Solar radiation Emergy _______________________________________Product exergy 1 ________________________ Efficiency Transformity = Transformity = Basic raw minerals Product flow Material stocks Product flow P3 Product flow P2 P1 Interactions

12. Y EPi Tr = ----- Y Emergy used Product exergy Transformity = ----------------- Y = cost of exergy used, in terms of solar emergy P3 P2 P1 Biosphere emergy (Y) can be assumed constant. As the product mass (Pi) and its energy content (Ep) decreases along the chain, the transformity (Tr) grows along the network. The transformity reveals the hierarchical position of each resource in the different networks of the Universe. As more scarce or concentrated it is the resource becomes more valuable due to its interaction power.

13. Transformity of rain water Y = Earth total emergy flow = 15,83 E24 sej/year Tr = Emergy/Exergy = Y / E Rain water total flow = 1,04 E17 kg/year Gibbs Free Energy of rain water = 5 E3 J/kg E = Rain water exergy = 5,19 E20 J/year Tr = Y/E = 15,83 E24 sej/year / 5,19 E20 J/year Tr = 3,1 E4 sej/J And so on …

19. External energy resources in order of intensity and renewability Transformity of resource produced

20. Procedure for emergy calculation: • Show the flow J2 in its usual units; • Convert the usual units to International Systems units (SI); • Multiply by corresponding transformity (Tr); • Express the flow in solar emergy terms (seJ or seJ/area/time).

21. Aggregation and comparison of flows on the same basis

22. Efficiency: Tr = Y/Ep Net emergy: EYR = Y/F Investment: EIR = F/I Renewability: %R = 100(R/Y) Resumed diagram Indicators

23. Label of energy performance for certification purposes

24. Natural ecosystems knowledge, democratic control Environmental services and biomass fuel production Ecosystem processing of emissions, effluents and solid wastes. Control of local and global temperature, atmosphere quality maintenance, genetic vigor preservation. Bio-diversity and biomass Polinization, top soil production and preservation, flooding control, percolated clean water, top water biological filtration. Spare time leisure, medicinal herbs, ecologic culture Rural products Agro-ecosystems Minerals and oil Polluted water Industrial products Food, wood, and textile fibers BiofuelsEnergy People at the cities Emissions, effluents and solid wastes.

25. Model 1: individual small land areas Very reduced area for natural ecosystems and practically no environmental services Individual farms or parcels: low intensity subsystems with production destined to self-consumption (subsistence) or regional market (with low productivity)

26. Fertilizers, Pesticides, Herbicides, Machinery, Fossil fuel. Additional services: negative externalities. Model 2: plantation Natural ecosystems reduced to a minimum. Agri-business: Monoculture plantation concentrates land ownership, decreases manpower in rural area and produces several kinds of erosion: top soil, native vegetation, genetic reserves, human culture. Commodities Hidden subsidy

27. Grain, grass, shrubs Cattle People Individual parcel Agro-forestry Energy crops Model 3: Eco-unit Integrated system: Native forest, Agro-forestry, Individual parcels, Animal husbandry, Biomass energy; Industry; Recycling, Waste treatment. Native vegetation Food, meat Biomass energy Local industry Waste recovery

28. Eco-unit: micro-distillery Water, top soil, biodiversity, local climate Native vegetation Native forest products Agro-forestry products Agro-forestry Self-consumption People Individual parcels products Individual parcel Recycling: vinasse, ash, manure Food (meat) Grass, grains, shrubs. Cattle Energy Micro-distillery, local and regional agro-industry Waste use Energy crops

29. Efficiency: Tr = Y/Ep Net emergy: EYR = Y/F Investment: EIR = F/I Renewability: %R = 100(R/Y) Regional biodiversity and water resources Other materials & energy Lean calves Pesticide for ants Public services Urea External manpower Soil minerals Water, soil, biodiversity, local climate Environmental products and services Native vegetation Atmospheric nitrogen Family consumption Eco-unit:Fazenda Jardim, Mateus Leme, MG, Brazil Vegetable garden products People Individual parcel Sun, wind, rain. Vinasse Young bulls (meat) Indices: Grasses, grains, shrubs Cattle Wood poles (posts) Ash, fiber Eucalypt Ethanol (94%) Micro-distillery, local agro-industry and regional industry Manure Sugar cane

30. Fazenda Jardim, Mateus Leme, MG, Brazil Pictures and results Indices: Transformity: Tr = Y/Ep = 260 000 seJ/J Net emergy: EYR = Y/F = 3.1 Investment: EIR = F/I = 0.47 Renewability: %R = 100(R/Y) = 66%