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Alternative Fuels and Air Pollution

Alternative Fuels and Air Pollution. Kim Brady EAS 6792. Types of Alternative Fuels. Ethanol* Biodiesel – produced from vegetable oils or animal fats Natural Gas – mixture of hydrocarbons (CH 4 ) Propane – by-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining

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Alternative Fuels and Air Pollution

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  1. Alternative Fuels and Air Pollution Kim Brady EAS 6792

  2. Types of Alternative Fuels • Ethanol* • Biodiesel – produced from vegetable oils or animal fats • Natural Gas – mixture of hydrocarbons (CH4) • Propane – by-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining • Hydrogen – produced from fossil fuels, biomass, electrolyzing water • Electricity – power electric and plug-in hybrids • Methanol – CH3OH US Dept of Energy

  3. Ethanol • Renewable fuel produced from starch-and sugar based feedstock (corn and sugar cane) or cellulosic feedstock (grass, wood, crop residues, etc.) • Produced in blends: E10, E15-20, E85 • High octane, 34% less energy than gasoline US Dept of Energy

  4. Hamelinck, Carlo and Andre Faaij (2005)

  5. Ethanol Controversy • Space intensive • Increased need for farmland • Are rainforests at risk? • Impact on global food prices • “Food vs Fuel” debate • Depletes groundwater reserves • Increased use of fertilizers • Viable long term solution? US Dept of Energy

  6. Case Study (Hill, et al.) • Looks at GHG contributing to climate change and PM2.5 • Consider 3 methods of corn ethanol: using natural gas, coal, and corn stover • 4 methods of cellulosic ethanol: corn stover, switchgrass, prairie biomass, Miscanthus

  7. Hill, Jason, et al. (2008)

  8. Hill, Jason, et al. (2008)

  9. Hill, Jason, et al. (2008)

  10. US Dept of Energy

  11. Conclusion • Emissions from corn ethanol up for debate • However, corn ethanol emissions would improve if advances in technology were applied • Reduced fertilizers • Increase crop yields • Improved conversion processes • Cellulosic ethanol appears to lower GHG and PM2.5 emissions when compared to gasoline

  12. Emerging Alternative Fuels… • Biobutanol • Biogas • Biomass to Liquids • Coal to Liquids • Fischer-Tropsch Diesel • Gas to Liquids • Hydrogenated-Derived Renewable Diesel • P-Series • Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel For more info go to: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/

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