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Current Status of Renewable Energy. Mike Montross Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department University of Kentucky. Outline. Current Sources of Energy Liquid Fuel Replacement Ethanol Electricity Replacement Co-firing Solar Wind Biomass Feedstocks.
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Current Status of Renewable Energy Mike Montross Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department University of Kentucky
Outline • Current Sources of Energy • Liquid Fuel Replacement • Ethanol • Electricity Replacement • Co-firing • Solar • Wind • Biomass Feedstocks
Sources and End Uses of Energy (Quadrillion Btu) US Energy Information Administration
What Will Change Status of Renewable Energy? • Regulations/mandates • Renewable Fuels Standard • Renewable Portfolio Standard • Carbon/Greenhouse Gases • Changes in environmental regulations on mining/oil/gas extraction • Cost of alternative fuels ($/ton, $/mmbtu, $/kWh or $/gal)
Other Issues Driving Renewable Energy Environmental quality National security Underutilized agricultural production Rural development Balance of trade Increased tax revenue for states/cities
Outline • Sources of Energy • Liquid Fuel Replacement • Ethanol • Electricity Replacement • Co-firing • Solar • Wind • Biomass Feedstocks
Potential Legislation • Renewable Fuels Standard • Renewable Biofuels (Starch – corn, wheat, milo, and barley) • 15 billion gallons by 2015 • Production capacity from corn at almost 12 billion gallons today, with probable expansion to 15 billion gallons • Advanced Biofuels • 21 billion gallons by 2022 (16 billion cellulosic, 5 billion undifferentiated including biodiesel) • Less than 1 billion gallons developed or under development • DOE has provided over 900 million dollars (soon to be announced)
Ethanol Feedstocks Starch (corn, wheat, barley, milo) Sugar (sweet sorghum, sugarcane, sugar beets) Cellulose (plant material)
Wholesale Costs of Liquid Fuels No taxes, credits, etc. considered Pricing data from EIA and US Agricultural Marketing Service
Estimated Costs of Ethanol ** (includes preprocessing, fermentation, labor) Keith Collins, USDA Chief Economist, 2007
Outline • Sources of Energy • Liquid Fuel Replacement • Ethanol • Electricity Replacement • Co-firing • Solar • Wind • Biomass Feedstocks
Potential Regulations • Renewable Portfolio Standard • 30 states mandate some type of RPS • Ranges up to 25% • 5 states have voluntary goals including Kentucky at 1000 MW • Federal legislation introduced and under debate could establish an RPS of 25% by 2025
Costs of Alternative Sources of Power EIA - Cost and Performance Characteristics of New Central Station Electricity Generating Technologies Solar and wind based on 50% load factor
Energy Cost ($/mmbtu) of Biomass and Fossil Fuels Prices from Kentucky Energy Watch (coal and natural gas) Southern Illinois USDA Agricultural Marketing Report on Utility Grass Hay
Outline • Sources of Energy • Liquid Fuel Replacement • Ethanol • Electricity Replacement • Co-firing • Solar • Wind • Biomass Feedstocks
Biomass Feedstocks for Energy Production • Unused residues from traditional timber harvest • Thinning • Short rotation woody crops • Urban residues • Herbaceous energy crops • Agricultural residues • What feedstock is cheapest to produce and deliver to an end-user
Kentucky Land Resources (ac) Ignore cropland – if you can raise row crops you will continue With advances in bioenergy crop yields and proper incentives – Kentucky could be a major player
Closing Remarks • Renewable energy will play a future role • Energy independence, balance of trade, rural development • Cap and trade legislation • Mining/gas/oil extraction changes • Cost still an issue • Co-firing probably more likely than cellulosic ethanol • Kentucky has a large land base that could be developed for renewable energy production
Anaerobic Digestion Large systems in Europe (primarily Germany) Numerous farm installations Wet feedstocks