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A System Approach to Sustainability and the Ethanol Challenge

A System Approach to Sustainability and the Ethanol Challenge. Said S.E.H. Elnashaie Quentin Berg University Chair Professor of Engineering Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg, USA

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A System Approach to Sustainability and the Ethanol Challenge

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  1. A System Approach to Sustainability and the Ethanol Challenge Said S.E.H. Elnashaie Quentin Berg University Chair Professor of Engineering Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg, USA Presentation at The Rachel Carson Forum on Future of the Environment, DEP, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, July 20, 2006

  2. A PRELUDE

  3. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set a goal of(June 2006, Roadmap for Developing Cleaner Fuels.- Research Aiming at making Cellulosic Ethanol a Practical Alternative to gasoline. Based on 2005 Workshop): • displacing 30% of 2004 gasoline demand with biofuels, primarily ethanol, by 2030. • This will require a rapid expansion of the U.S. fuel ethanol from about 4 billion gallons/year of corn grain ethanol to about 60 billion gallons/year per year from a variety of plant and waste materials ( biomass, switchgrass, corn stover , etc)

  4. Main Topics • The multidisciplinary nature of sustainable development. The system and the subsystems. • Sustainable economy, biomass efficient utilization and bioethanol: • The matrix of biofuels and the critical position of bioethanol. • Critical evaluation of the different routes to bioethanol from biomass • Bioethanol from Corn . Positive or negative net energy? • Some USA Bioethanol facts • International Bioethanol production 3.The success story of the Brazilian bioethanol. 4.The success story of the “chaotic fermenter” for bioethanol. 5.Ethanol/bioethanol in Pennsylvania. The coal gasification/syngas 6.The biorefinery as one of the main tools for sustainability. 7.Importance of intensive multidisciplinary research. Sequential de-bottlenecking and the optimal next steps. 8.Ethical/moral, socio-economical and political factors.

  5. 1- The Multidisciplinary Nature of Sustainable Development.The system and the subsystems. • System approach is the best to organize knowledge and exchange it. • It depends on defining every system through its boundary, main processes within this boundary, exchange with the environment through this boundary and its subsystems/ elements • Depends upon thermodynamics and information theory. • Applicable to all kinds of systems which makes it most suitable for multidisciplinary investigations.

  6. Sustainable Development. Multidisciplinary by Its Very Nature • Main Components of Sustainable Development: 1- Political: e.g.: Legislations and strategic decisions….. 2-Economical: e.g.: Investment in novel new technologies…… 3-Social: e.g.: Consumption Trends, acceptance of novel clean technologies and products... 4-Technological: e.g.: Novel efficient clean technologies, clean fuels, efficient utilization of renewable feedstocks, new environmentally friendly products, In-process Modification for MPMP, efficient waste treatment……. ________________________________ • Ethical and Moral Factors ( Don Brown’s Book: American Heat, 2003) Sustainable Development

  7. Renewable Energy Change of Consumption Trends Novel Technologies With Renewable Feedstocks Rationalize The Producing Consuming Society Non-Renewable Energy (NRE) Waste Novel Cleaner Technologies With Classical Feedstocks Ecology Credit Waste Treatment Minimum NRE USE Society , Renewable, Non-renewable Energies, Waste, Technologies and Consumption

  8. Sustainable Engineering Subset of Sustainable DevelopmentAs Engineers we Focus on Technology within the Frame Work of Other Components DOE Extensive Hydrogen Research Support to Hydrogen Economy by President Technology Socioeconomics Politics Sustainable Engineering + Other Engineering/Science Disciplines Sustainable Development

  9. Classical Components of SD/SE and the Critical LinksRenewable Raw Materials and Sensible Consumption AIChE and Sustainable Engineering: 1-Novel chem.engng. applications to satisfy needs of sustainable society. 2-Joining sustainability discussions. 3-Be a bridge between chem. Engng. community/industry/government, etc. 4-Providing education and outreach on role of chemical engineering in creating a sustainable future. UK Chem. Engrs. Inst. Components of Sustainable Development (triple bottom line) : 1-Environmental Component 2-Economical Component ( Generation of Wealth) 3-Social Component The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): 1-sustainable planning, design, construction and operations. 2-Sustainable Materials 3-Sustainable Communities , transportation and Smart Growth 4-Sustainability Practices in Industry. 5-Changing the Way We Do Business Globally 6-Integration of Sustainability into Engineering Education

  10. 2- Sustainable economy and the role of biomass efficient utilization

  11. Not Hydrogen EconomyButRenewable Economy • An Economy where the basic building blocks to produce: energy as well as industrial and consumer goods ,utilize renewable resources. • Achieves Sustainable Development (SD)

  12. Biomass and Bioenergy We are Looking to a Day When a Ton of Biomass Will Be Traded Like a Barrel of Imported Oil is Today WHERE ARE WE TODAY 2006? Dan W. Reicher Assistant Secretary of Energy 2000

  13. The matrix of biofuels and the critical position of bioethanol Bio= the process and/or the feedstock Membrane Separation, PSA FT Bio, thermal, catalytic FT Gasification/fast Pyrolysis- Reforming Fermentation Hydrolysis Dry/Wet Milling Biohydrogen Syngas Biodiesel Sugars Bioethanol Biomass Starch: Corn

  14. Biohydrogen and Biodiesel.Optimal Biofuel and Production Route are Location Sensitive. Advanced Catalytic Membrane Gasification (one Step) Gasification(2 steps) Fast Pyrolysis (3 steps) Steam Reforming Separation in-situ / ex-situ FT Biological Catalyst/biocatalyst • + FT Biomass ++ Syngas Biomass and/or Carbohydrates Bio-Diesel Bio-oil Biohydrgen Vegetable Oil & Waste Oil Alcohol

  15. Direct Biohydrogen Catalytic Gasification with Hydrogen Membranes(1) Biological Treatment (2)+ X • Elnashaie and co-workers • Bruce Logan (Penn State), and co-workers X Most Desired Field of Research Among Students at UBC 2005/2006 Biomass ++ Biohydrogen

  16. Critical evaluation of the different routes to bioethanol from biomass Acid Hydrolysis Enzymatic Hydrolysis SSF Fermentation Mutated Microorganisms SSF=Simultaneous Saccrification/Fermentation Biomass Lignocellulosic Waste Sugars Cellulose and Hemi-Cellulose Lignin to Variety of Chemicals or fuel Also possible to sugars for fermentation Bioethanol

  17. Bioethanol from Corn . Positive or negative net energy? • Net Energy Ratio (NER) of a Fuel= (Energy of Fuel-Energy Consumed to Produce the Fuel)(+/-) Energy consumed to produce the fuel/ (Energy Consumed to Produce the Fuel)= {Y (+/-)X}/X (+/-) it is + when Y is positive and – when Y is negative.

  18. Examples: (1): One researcher gave: Total energy use for producing ethanol=A= 78,081.00 Btu/gal, considered energy of ethanol (B)= 83,961.00 Btu/gal, thus Y= +5,880.0. and the above sign is + and NER = (5,880.0 + 78,081)/78,081= 1.1 • Meaning: if we consume 100.0 kJ to produce an amount of ethanol this ethanol will contain 110 kJ of Energy ( 2): Another researcher gave: Total energy use for producing ethanol=A= 131,017Btu/gal, considered energy of ethanol (B)= 76,000 Btu/gal, thus Y= -55,017.00 and the above sign is - and NER = (-55,017.00 – 131,017)/131,017= -1.42 • Meaning: if we consume 100.0 kJ to produce an amount of ethanol this ethanol will contain 58kJ of Energy ( But May be of Higher Quality)

  19. Estimates and Disputes about NER • DOE gives NER for ethanol 1.34 and expect itto increase up to 2.0-2.5 • Professor Pimentel (Cornell Univ.): NER= -1.44( 2001), - 1.29 (2003) • Professors Pimental and Patzek (Cornell/UC-Berkely): NER= -1.29 ( 2005) • Differences: 1- Energies included 2-Levels of technologies 3-Energy estimation techniques 4-Including/not including solar energy as consumed 5- Including/not including energy in capital cost and estimation techniques. 6- Including/not including energy credits for by-products.

  20. Energy Ratio: ER • Energy Ratio (ER) of a Fuel = (Energy of Fuel)/ (Energy Consumed to Produce the Fuel) For example 1 it will be the same: 1.1 ; For example 2 it will be : 0.58 ___________________________________________________________ USDA, ER&NER and Other Sources Examples from USDA( supporting Ethanol from corn): Fuel ER NER Fuel ER NER Gasoline 0.8 -1.2 NG 0.9 -1.1 Diesel 0.8 -1.2 LPG 0.95 -1.05 Electricity 0.4 -1.6 Coal 0.95 - 1.05 Ethanol 1.6 +1.6 Other Sources ER NER Ethanol from Corn: 1.25-1.35 1.25- 1.35 Ethanol from Cellulosic Waste: 1.8 1.8

  21. Argonne National Laboratory Estimates for Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions • %Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emission/Vehicle Mile Traveled E10E85 Corn-based Ethanol 2 24-26 Cellulosic Ethanol 8-10 68-91

  22. Improvements and Intensive Multidisciplinary Research • Bioethanol Production today compared with 1980s: 1- Requires 50% less energy . 2- Ethanol yields increased by more than 22% ( from 2.2 gallons/bushel to 2.7 gallons/ bushel) . 3- Capital cost decreased from $ 2/gallon/year to $1.5/gallon/year More Intensive Improvements Using Multidisciplinary Research is Needed and is Possible

  23. Ethanol Simple Facts • Ethanol meets the Kyoto requirements • Ethanol has octane rating of 111 • Henry Ford 100 years ago praised alcohols as the fuels of the future.

  24. Some USA Bioethanol Facts • Most Bioethanol in USA is produced from corn which may be not the best raw material. • Dominating process now is dry mill ( 70%) • Production in 1980, 200 million gallons/year, in 2000, 2 billion gallons /year, 1000% increase in 20 years. • Example: Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) increased production from 15 million gallon/year in 1996 to 20 million gallon/year, 33% increase in 4 years. • Largest plant is New Energy plant in Indiana: 85 million gallons/year • 12 additional ethanol plants on 2002

  25. Important Statistics • A study in Minnesota shows: every $1 state support to ethanol production gives back to state $12-13 • Statistics for typical 15 million gallons/year plant: 28 full time jobs,payroll of $ 1.0 million per year, $300,000/year local and state taxes, $22 million gross revenues per year, 80% of the dollars are spent within a 75 miles radius, total economic impact of $ 30.0 millions/year.

  26. California. Sacramento Valley • Solving the problem of black cloud due to rice straw burning • Bioethanol from rice straw by SSF (Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation ). Consists of enzymatic conversion of the cellulose and hemicelluloses to sugar using enzyme followed by fermentation of sugar to ethanol in the same reactor. • Using genetically engineered E.coli bacterium developed by the University of Florida • turning 300,000 tons of dry rice straw into 23 million gallons of ethanol annually. • Arkenol established a commercial facility in Sacramento, California, to convert rice straw to ethanol, using the concentrated acid hydrolysis process, followed by fermentation Other Projects: • BC International developed two such projects: the Collins Pine Ethanol Project, a 23 million gallon per year plant using forest thinning and wood wastes as feedstock • Gridley Ethanol Project, a 20 million gallon per year ethanol plant using rice straw as its primary feedstock.

  27. American Coalition for Ethanol, ACE. Ethanol. org • ACE Vision of Ethanol's Production: • 1- drives economic development • 2- adds value to agriculture • 3- moves our nation toward energy independence • This year the U.S. ethanol industry will grow to provide more than 5 billion gallons of clean burning, renewable fuel to our country's supply. http://www.ethanol.org/EthanolHandbook2006.pdf.pdf

  28. Some Very Recent USA Bioethanol News. • July 2006 • Before the crisis in Lebanon

  29. Ethanol prices hit record. Friday, July 07, 2006 • Ethanol prices on July 5 extended a three-month rally to record levels as increased demand for the gasoline additive outpaced production, Bloomberg News reported July 6. • Competition for ethanol between refiners and fuel companies soared after the additive was phased in as the primary blending component in cleaner-burning gasoline, and the use of a rival additive, methyl tertiary butyl ether, known at MTBE, was reduced. • U.S. ethanol averaged a record $3.9757 a gallon on July 5, up 4.1 percent from June 30, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That average, based on ethanol traded in Des Moines and 29 other Midwest locations, was more than double $1.5929 a year ago.This was before the crisis in Lebanon

  30. Kroger to offer E85 in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton Monday, July 10, 2006 • Kroger announced July 6 that it will offer corn-based ethanol E85 fuels at gas stations, first in Columbus, then in Cincinnati and Dayton. • The program is announced in partnership with General Motors Corp., one of the manufacturers of cars outfitted to burn E85 and the state of Ohio • Critics of using ethanol gasoline point to its high price, that a gallon of gasoline is 10 to 15 percent more efficient than ethanol and that the corn used to make it could be used to feed hungry people around the world. • Support of using E85 gasoline in recent months has increased, however supporters warn that it is not the "magic" solution to eliminating U.S. dependency on foreign oil. Using biodiesel, propane gas and natural gas should also be figured into the mix. • Ohio State Sen. Eric Kearney, D-North Avondale, proposed legislation more than a week ago that would create incentives for the processing of ethanol within Ohio. Kearney said he believes his bill, which will be introduced when the legislature reconvenes in November, will have wide support. "What Kroger and GM are doing marries well with what I am doing," Kearney said. "I am just glad and really happy that they are embracing this.“ • General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group have produced 5 million flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on E85. The automakers plan to build 1 million flex-fuel cars this year. Their commitment would lead to the production of 2 million flex-fuel vehicles annually by 2010.

  31. International Bioethanol Facts • EU plans to increase % of biofuels from 2% now to 6% by 2010. Bioethanol is a major component of this biofuel • 60 new bioethanol plants in EU by 2010, each producing 100,000 tons/year(~30 million gallons/year) • Germany has the capacity of 240 million gallons/year • Brazil produces 4.8 billion gallons/year. Expected to rise on 2010 to 6.6 billion gallons /year • USA in 2004 producing 3.2 billion gallons/years

  32. 3.The success story of bioethanol in Brazil( 180 millions) • Brazil is the world's largest producer of ethanol and is independent of exported oil. • It produces 4.8 billion gallons/year, or 38 percent of the worldwide total. • Brazil uses sugar cane as the raw material, raising fears among environmentalists regarding forests and biodiversity • It is expected to produce 6.6 billion gallons/ year on 2010( 30% will be for export,~ 2.2 billion gallons/year). • This will require expanding the current area of sugar cane cultivation from the present 5 millions to 7.5 millions hectares. • In 2004 it exported about 0.6 billion gallons three times the amount in 2003. • Brazil's ethanol has the lowest production cost internationally. • In 1980, ethanol productivity was ~ 925 gallons/hectare, on 2004 it became ~ 1850 gallons/hectare • Brazil still Seeks Clean Energy - in the Garbage, ethanol from cellulosic waste and methane from landfills. • Carbon credits are an important incentive for city governments in Brazil to fulfill their ”constitutional obligation” to properly dispose of garbage, and develop clean energy.

  33. 4. The success story of the “chaotic fermenter” for bioethanol • Said S.E.H.Elnashaie and Parag Garhyan, Chaotic Fermentation of Ethanol, US Full Patent #10/978,293 filled on 10/29/2004.Published 4th August 2005 • See a summary of the many mathematical and experimental papers in: Said Elnashaie and Parag Garhyan, “Bioethanol Production-Sloving the Efficiency Bottleneck” The Chemical Engineer(tce), 755, May Issue, pp.30-32, 2004 • Invention is product of PhD work of my student: Dr.Parag Garhyan( Now researcher with Lilly in Indianapolis). He won the award of the best PhD in Auburn University, 2004. • Patent bought on March 2006 by investors • Investors formed a company, INFINOL, on this patent • Basic idea is: • Operate fermenter dynamically( periodic/chaotic) at high feed sugar concentration. • Use pervaporation membranes to prevent inhibitory effect of ethanol and stabilize the fermenter. Much More improvements are still possible.

  34. 5-Ethanol/bioethanol in Pennsylvania Example of Pennsylvania Pioneering Biofuel Initiative Worley & Obetz, Inc., Highspire, PA • On the fall of 2004 became the first energy company in Pennsylvania to provide BioHeating Oil to all its heating oil customers. Now expanded and currently provide E85 and Biodiesel blended fuels. • AmeriGreen™ E85: Used in thousands of cars. It is 85 percent ethanol and just 15 percent gasoline • AmeriGreen™ BioDiesel: used in many diesel engine with no modifications. • AmeriGreen™ BioHeating Oil: for any heating system using heating oil. All available in many places throughout PA ( Lancaster, York, Dauphin, Berks,etc) • A filling station in Middletown near the fire station

  35. On Oct. 28, 2005, the Governor opened the East Coast’s first, state-of-the-art biofuels injection facility in Middletown, PA. It replaces 3.2 million gallons of foreign oil with domestically produced biodiesel. It will also keep about $6 million worth of energy dollars in the commonwealth by reducing the state’s need to purchase imported fuels.  Biofuel is the future and PA is taking good steps forward.

  36. Ethanol from Coal • Pennsylvania is very rich in coal FT Gasification FT Bio-route e.g.:Anaerobic Bacterium Clostridium ljungdahlii Synthetic Ethanol Coal Syngas Synthetic Diesel Bioethanol

  37. Pennsylvaniaand Diesel from Coal • In Sept. 2005, Pennsylvania governor Edward Rendell announced a venture with Waste Management and Processors Inc. using technology licensed from Shell and Sasol to build an FT plant that will convert so-called waste coal (leftovers from the mining process) into low-sulfur diesel fuel at a site outside of Mahanoy City, northwest of Philadelphia. • The state of Pennsylvania has committed to buy a significant percentage of the plant's output and, together with the U.S. Dept. of Energy, has offered over $140 million in tax incentives.

  38. 6-The biorefinery as one of the main tools for sustainability. • Fuel is a major part of economy, but it is not all the economy. • A biorefinery integrates biomass conversion processes to produce: fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass. • The biorefinery concept is analogous to today's petroleum refineries/petrochemical complexes, which produce multiple fuels and other products from petroleum. • Industrial biorefineries are the most promising route to the creation of a new domestic sustainable bio-based industry.

  39. Example of the Simple PureVision BiorefineryBiorefineries refines biomass (wood, agricultural and paper wastes, energy crops, etc.) into:sugars, bio-plastics, ethanol, acetic acid and other chemicals. This is carbon-neutral, eliminating fossil fuel inputs while providing green products.VERY LIMITED, e.g.: IT DOES NOT UTILIZE SYNGAS AND FT click here for printable copy

  40. World's First "Biorefinery" Golden Valley, MN, August 25, 2003 • Biorefining, Inc. started its first commercial application of their patented "Biorefining Process." The project incorporating this process is a $22 million joint-ventured production facility with Ace Ethanol, LLC. • The new "biorefinery" generates value-added co-products from the further fractionation of the corn fiber in distiller's grain.

  41. 7.Importance of intensive multidisciplinary research. Sequential de-bottlenecking and the optimal next steps. The biggest improvements will be through intensive multidisciplinary research to efficiently achieve : 1-Change of raw material to cellulosic waste, 2-Efficient fermentation of difficult sugars using mutated microorganisms. 3-Unconventional operation (dynamic, chaotic). 4-Membrane fermenters. 5-Immobilization of microorganisms 5-Immobilized packed bed fermenters, etc 6-Efficient Ethanol production through Syngas followed by FT.

  42. Competing Raw Materials and Processes. All Need Intensive Multidisciplinary Research. Compare Optimums 1-Pyrolysis+Steam Reforming (better) Or 2-Gasification Dry/Wet Milling Hydrolysis Steam Reforming Bioreactor landfills SSF Gasification Fermentation FT Multidisciplinary Research, e.g. : Fermentation Research: Microorganisms + Bioreactor Configurations + Immobilization +Membranes + Mode of Operation, etc Steam Reforming& Gasification Research : Bubbling Fluidized Beds, CFB, Autothermicity, etc NG Corn Biomass Syngas Biomass Sugars Coal Ethanol

  43. 8. Ethical/moral, socio-economical and political factors. Ethical/moral: • Is sustainability profitable or is it a moral/ethical obligation? • Does moral/ethical obligations change with the change of the philosophy we believe in? • How much is moral/ethical obligations related to religion, i.e.: can we have good moral/ethical obligations without religion. How does this apply to sustainability?

  44. Socio-economical: • Is there a contradiction between sustainability and profitability? and if there is, is it solvable within a profitability based society? Is Innovation an answer? • Is sustainability more critically dependent on the production or consumption domains? Can they be separated? • Can we achieve sustainability with the present mode of consumption in the US? • How will be the situation if the US mode and size of consumption prevailed in the entire planet? will biofuels and bioproducts be able to sustain this mode of consumption internationally? • Are biofuels/bioproducts enough to achieve sustainability? • How much does the future of bioethanol and other biofuels depend upon the decisions of large oil companies? Is this a socio-economical or political question? • Will sustainable economy leads to a different socio-economical systems? • Will sustainable development affect international relations, decreasing international tensions and wars? • Is sustainable development compatible or contradictory to global development? • How much it will localize great parts of production/consumption and affect international trade? • Are the present definitions of sustainable development sufficient/suitable?

  45. Political: • What level of public awareness is needed to adopt sustainable polices and what are the best techniques to achieve that? Is this political or socio-economical question? • Does world politics and large corporate businesses affect adaptation of biofuels? • Does biofuels adaptation affect world policies, specially in places like the ME? • How much the future of bioethanol and other biofuels depends upon the political and military situation in the ME? • What degree of national and international equality is needed to succeed in developing sustainable economy? • Is the US refusal of the Kyoto agreement: scientific, economical, political, ethical……? • Is the recent interest in bioethanol, biodiesel, biohydrogen: scientific, economical, political, ethical,….? • For politicians what is the correlation between adopting sustainable policies and popularity/winning elections? • How much does bioethanol adaptation depend upon the political decision of subsidizing it?

  46. General • Is nuclear energy an option? • Is the main bottleneck: scientific/technological, economical or political? Or all of them non-linearly interacting? • Is there a contradiction between sustainable development and the second law of thermodynamics? • Will sustainable development decrease the possibilities of bifurcation, chaos and self organizational criticality? • Will it lead the world toward a stable stationary non-equilibrium state? Or an equilibrium state?

  47. Thank You I will Be Happy to Answer Any Questions and Discuss Any Topics

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