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Unlocking the Potential of Biofuels: Opportunities and Challenges

Explore the possibilities of biofuels as a sustainable fuel source, including liquid and solid biofuels, with a focus on biomass options like vegetable oil, ethanol, wood residues, and energy crops. Learn about factors driving biofuel development, such as rising mineral fuel prices and the need for secure fuel supplies, in the context of EU directives and obligations like the Kyoto Protocol and Transport Biofuels Directive. Discover the limitations and progress in biofuel adoption, from excise relief issues to the high costs of biomass boilers. Delve into the economic and environmental impacts of biofuel substitution targets. This discussion covers potential solutions, such as government support, grants, and advancements in biofuel technologies.

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Unlocking the Potential of Biofuels: Opportunities and Challenges

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  1. Opportunities for biomass as fuel Bernard Rice

  2. Why biofuels now? • Increasing mineral fuel prices • Need for new farm enterprises • Need for secure fuel supply • EU Directives/obligations • Kyoto Protocol, Transport Biofuels Directive

  3. Factors limiting progress • Limited excise relief for road biofuels • Low price for renewable electricity • High cost of biomass boilers • Lack of boiler fuel supply chains

  4. Biofuel possibilities • LIQUID BIOFUELS • Veg oil/fats as biodiesel or in modified engines • Ethanol from cereals, beet • “Biofine” process, ethanol from straw/wood • SOLID BIOFUELS • Straw,wood residues • Short-rotation willow + effluent disposal • Other energy crops (e.g. miscanthus, hemp) • Biogas + food wastes

  5. In this talk • Vegetable oil • Ethanol from wheat, beet • Wood residues, straw • Energy crops + effluent disposal

  6. 1. Liquid biofuels(oils and fats)

  7. Transport Biofuels Directivesubstitution targets (%)

  8. To achieve 2% substitution • Petrol 1.5 PJ = 70 ML ethanol • = 15300 ha beet • or =23000 ha cereals • Diesel 1.7 PJ = 86 ML oil/fat • e.g. = 30 ML biodiesel (RVO/tallow) • + 50, 000 ha rape

  9. Transport Biofuels Directive:MOTR Scheme • Proposes excise relief on: • 6 Million litres vegetable oil (5-6000 ha rape) • 1 Million litres biodiesel • 1 Million litres bio-ethanol (250 ha beet) • Cost of excise foregone ~€3M • most would be recovered in VAT, income tax etc • Substitution achieved ~0.1%

  10. July 6, 2005: European Union sends Reasoned Opinions to 9 Member States (including Ireland) for failure to implement European legislation on biofuels

  11. Convert to biodiesel ~Projects in planning Use in modified engine 3 plants operating Oil/fat use options Use for heating Tallow in rendering plants (40,000 t)

  12. Delivered fuel costs

  13. 2. Liquid biofuels (Ethanol)

  14. BIO-ETHANOL • Current Irish options • Produce from wheat or beet • Add 5% as octane booster to petrol • Replacement for MTBE or lead • (no engine modifications needed)

  15. Delivered cost of ethanol(wheat €120/t, beet €40/t)

  16. Ethanol yields • From wheat • 350 litres per tonne • 3000 litres per ha • From sugar beet • 90 litres per tonne • 4500 litres per ha

  17. Ethanol from wheat, beet For 2% substitution 25,000 ha beet or 35,000 ha wheat • Needs • Large scale • Excise relief • Investor/promoter interest

  18. From Liquid Biofuels Strategy Study for Ireland (sei.ie)

  19. GHG impact of 2% substitution • Biodiesel 1.5 PJ = 86 ML • ~ 130,000 t CO2 • Bio-ethanol 1.9 PJ = 70 ML • ~ 168,000 t CO2

  20. Other environment impacts • Cereal breaks desirable (beet, rape) • Spring vs winter rape? • Rape pollen effects? • Visual impacts? • Overall, little impact expected

  21. Economic impact If 2% substitution keeps the required land in tillage, benefit to farm output would be ~ €90M

  22. 3. Solid biofuels(wood residues, straw, energy crops as boiler fuels)

  23. Wood residues and straw • Large quantities of both available • Wood use now developing Many companies active • Fewer options for straw More difficult fuel No market leaders

  24. Estimate of wood residue in excess of current demand, 2005-2015(ktonne)* 1 t of this wood abates about 3/4 t of CO2

  25. Current straw uses (1.1 Mt)

  26. Wood/straw fuel markets (1) • Boiler fuel • Medium size units 50-500 kW • Value of heat ~€200/t of biomass • High-efficiency modern wood boilers • Several wood units installed • Is there an opening for straw?

  27. Wood chip boiler (Oak Park) • Efficient, expensive, needs capital grant • Suitable for wood only • Supply chains needed

  28. Cost of biomass heating systems (Austrian study)

  29. Questions about straw pellets • Suitability for stove market • higher ash content • binding problems • more corrosion • emissions? • What scale is needed?

  30. Energy crops and waste disposal • Willow used as boiler fuel • Sites used for • sewage sludge injection • Rapid progress in N.I. • Potential for 3000 ha • trickle irrigation of dilute effluents • Several projects under way • Promising results to date • Full potential not established

  31. Sewage sludge injector (N.I.)

  32. Energy crops and waste disposal • Research needed on • volume and composition of effluents • uptake by energy crops • Liaison needed with • local authorities, EPA • heat users • effluent producers

  33. Miscanthus High yield. High establishment cost.Easy to maintain and harvest. Handling and burning still problems

  34. Hemp Annual crop. High yield. High production cost. Low moisture at harvest. Fibre + fuel.

  35. Conclusions • Some biofuel opportunities emerging • They need • Clear govt policy and supports • more extensive road excise relief • grants for biomass boilers • establishment grants for energy crops • Realistic price for renewable electricity • Pilot projects in newer technologies

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