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Sustainability evaluation of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas L.

Sustainability evaluation of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas L. A life cycle oriented study. Wouter ACHTEN. Introduction - Biodiesel. By-products. CO 2. Oil extraction. CO 2. E. CO 2. Biodiesel production. E. CO 2. E. E. E. CO 2. CO 2. Problem statement. Energy balance?

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Sustainability evaluation of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas L.

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  1. Sustainability evaluation of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas L. A life cycle oriented study Wouter ACHTEN

  2. Introduction - Biodiesel By-products CO2 Oil extraction CO2 E CO2 Biodiesel production E CO2 E E E CO2 CO2

  3. Problem statement • Energy balance? • Greenhouse gas balance? But also… • Other environmental impacts? • Socio-Economy? Is biodiesel a sustainable alternative?

  4. Biodiesel sustainable? Controversy

  5. Jatropha curcas L. Was claimed: • Not to compete with food (toxic) • Not to compete for agricultural land (infertile, arid) • Not to compete with nature (degraded, waste land) • Enhance rural economic development • Reduce greenhouse gases Achten et al. (2010) Biomass & Bioenergy

  6. Aim & Objectives Is Jatropha a sustainable alternative? • What is its environmental impact? • Compared to fossil diesel • Compared to other biodiesels (e.g. Palm oil) • What is its economic performance?

  7. Materials and Methods • Environmental impact Life Cycle Assessment is an appropriate tool • LCA of Jatropha vs. Palm oil Biodiesel • Generic LCA of Jatropha biodiesel • Economic performance • Net present value of Jatropha production for farmers in Tanzania

  8. Life Cycle assessment By-products CO2 Oil extraction CO2 E CO2 Biodiesel production E CO2 E E E CO2 CO2

  9. Life Cycle Assessment Life cycle inventory Impact assessment Inputs Outputs CO2 1× Emissions to air Fertilizer Global warming potential Environmental interactions SO2 Transport (CO2eq) 23× Water PO4 297× By-products CH4 Fossil Energy N2O Water effluents Energy use Machine MJ Products … Source: Achten et al. (2007) BioFPR

  10. Life Cycle Assessment • Impact of 1 MJ Biodiesel: • Fossil energy use • Global warming potential • Acidification and Eutrophication potential • Land occupation / use change • Ecosystem quality (Achten et al. (2009) LCAinFood) • System boundaries • Reference system • Allocation Source: Achten et al. (2007) BioFPR

  11. Jatropha versus Oil palm Jatropha in India Oil palm in Cameroon Reference system Agricultural land wasteland System boundary expansion System boundary expansion Extraction Cultivation Cultivation By-products Substitution Substitution By-products Fresh Fruit Bunches Biomass waste Seeds Extraction Crude fossil oil Palm Kernel Meal + animal feed Palm Kernel Meal Oil extraction POME Crude Palm Oil Crude Jatropha Oil Seed cake Palm Kernel Oil + Alcohol Ethoxylates Palm Kernel Oil Processing Refinery Olein + Free Fatty Acids Crude Palm Oil Stearin Transesterification Transesterification Fossil Diesel Glycerine Glycerine Glycerine Glycerine Biodiesel Biodiesel Engine combustion Engine combustion Engine combustion Achten et al. (2010) LCAinFood

  12. Results – Energy Balance Reduction: 45% Reduction: 79% Achten et al. (2010) Applied Energy Achten et al. (2010) ES&T

  13. Results – Global Warming Reduction: 55% Reduction: 77% Achten et al. (2010) Applied Energy Achten et al. (2010) ES&T

  14. Results - Acidification Increase: 49% Reduction: 5% Combustion of biodiesel (95%) Combustion of biodiesel (99%) • NH3 field emissions (86%) • Transport (13%) NH3 field emissions (99%) Achten et al. (2010) Applied Energy Achten et al. (2010) ES&T

  15. Results - Eutrophication Increase: 39% Increase: 430% Achten et al. (2010) Applied Energy Achten et al. (2010) ES&T

  16. Generic LCA of Jatropha Inventory analysis (‘standard’ system) • First hand factory and plantation data through questionnaires: Jatropha entrepreneurs over the world • Literature data • EcoInvent data base (background processes) Adapted from Trabucco et al. (2010) GCB Bioenergy, Thanks!

  17. Results • Non renewable energy use: Reduction of 87% compared to fossil diesel • Global warming potential: Reduction of 45% compared to fossil diesel • Acidification and Eutrophication: Increase of 741% compared to fossil diesel Almeida et al. (in preparation) Thanks!

  18. Results

  19. Environmental performance • Jatropha biodiesel follows similar trends in environmental performance as other biodiesels • Jatropha can attain GWP reduction potential, but among the lowest, compared to other biodiesels • Data scarcity  uncertainty • improvement options: • Jatropha cultivation is biggest contributor to impact  • Agronomy & Cultivation: Fertilizer! • Genetics (Achten et al. (2010) Biofuels) • By-product use Achten et al (2010) Applied Energy &ES&T, Almeida et al. (in prepartation) But, environment is just one sustainability pillar

  20. Jatropha economics • Net present value for farmers of small scale Jatropha activities on ‘marginal lands’ in Tanzania • Investment options • One-time investment • Continuous investment • Product options • Seeds • Oil • Soap • Value of carbon emission savings

  21. Data sources • Net present value • Yield data (Trabucco et al 2010) Dry seed yield (kg per ha per yr) Source: Trabucco et al. (2010) GCB Bioenery

  22. Data sources • Net present value • Yield data (Trabucco et al 2010) • Economic data (Messemaker 2008) • On field • Interviews, group discussion, key-informants • Carbon emission savings • Generic Jatropha LCA + Carbon debt

  23. Carbon debt & Repayment time Fossil GHG emissions Biodiesel Biodiesel Carbon debt (CO2eq per ha) • Land use change: • clearing land • soil emissions LCA Biodiesel system reduces GHG emissions compared to fossil diesel CO2 Fossil Repayment time (yr) (Adapted from Vandenbempt 2008, Thanks!) x y Time

  24. Results – Net present value Top regions: • Mtwara, Lindi, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Kigoma • € 380-460 (per ha) • Chance of loss (NPV < € 0) = 20% Selling oil: € 550-660 (per ha) NPV of selling seeds after one time investment (Tanzanian Shilling per ha) Achten et al. (submitted)

  25. Repayment time • Minimum 10 yr • Six regions repay within first rotation (<20yr) •  1.9 mi ha marginal land (8% of total) •  5.1 mi t seeds yr-1(66 % of crude oil consumption) •  GHG reduction of 3.7 mi t CO2-eq yr-1 •  € 46,000,000 per year (0.3 % of GDP) Repayment time of carbon debt by selling seeds after one time investment (years) Achten et al. (submitted)

  26. Conclusions • Jatropha system as such: • Follows general biofuel results:E↓ GHG↓ Acidification↑ Eutrophication↑ • Agricultural phase most impactful (Fertilizer) • Jatropha system depends on yield • Sufficient yield to attain GHG reduction (e.g. Tanzania: min. 750 kg per ha per yr) • Yield has to be high enough to justify LUC(e.g. Tanzania: min. 2500 kg per ha per yr) • Economics (Tanzania) • Seems positive (but uncertain) • Environmental issues seem to be more restrictive

  27. Conclusions • Sustainability is a geographic issue • Relative high yields are necessary • Jatropha yields are generally low(breeding, selection, cultivation practices… can improve)(Achten et al. (2010) Biofuels) • Favorable climate and soils are necessary • Potential carbon debt ↑ (land use change) • Potential impact on biodiversity ↑ • Opportunity costs ↑ • Probability of competition with food sector ↑ • Controversy? • Opportunities: • Optimizing fertilizer use can further reduce GHG • Use of By-products can further reduce GHGAchten et al (2010) Applied Energy &ES&T, Almeida et al. (in preparation) • Small scale initiatives host opportunities(Agroforestry, Life fencing, …) Achten et al. (2010) JAE

  28. Thank you for your kind attention! ...and for the financial support !!

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