BIOFUELS Searching for Transportation Energy

1. BIOFUELSSearching for Transportation Energy Elise Roche November 3rd 2009

2. Global and U.S. Consumption • Fossil fuels used for transport: worldwide 96% (Sierraclub), U.S. 70% (projected increase of 30% by 2030) (Helm 1990/BRDB 2008) • U.S. consumes 141,500,000,000 gallons/year (Akinci 2008) • Automobiles, buses, planes, barges • Fossil fuel use has significant affects on our global climate

3. The Big Picture Transportation (red) is the leading source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere producing about 6000 million metric tons. Energy Information Agency 2009

4. Green House Gas Emissions Passenger cars account for more than one-third of green house gas emissions related to transportation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2002

5. Big Impacts • Habitat Degradation • Drilling for fuel • Loss of biodiversity • Ecosystem services • Pollution • Vehicle emissions • Acid rain • Ocean acidification • Coral bleaching • Oil spills http://dsc.discovery.com/games-quizzes/acid-rain-quiz/

6. Biofuel Background • Ethanol • 1st generation biofuel • Big player • Made from food crops • (corn, sugarcane, rice, potato, wheat, etc.) • Fermentation process • Reduces dependency on fossil fuels • Necessary for the reduction of GHG http://www.randallcounty.org/extension/corn.htm http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/17/2366645.htm

7. Conservation vs. Renewable Energy Do we protect our air, water, and biodiversity while depleting our fossil fuel reserves? OR Making an alternative fuel?

8. Stakeholders Promoting Ethanol • Government • AEI plan 2007 (BRDB2008) • Lower GHG emissions by 1.6% (Akinci 2008) • Decrease dependency on oil • Farmers and Distribution Companies • Considerable profits • Renewable • Automobile Makers • Profits http://greenermagazine.blogspot.com/2006/07/corn-ethanol-super-fuel-or-hype.html

9. Stakeholders Against Ethanol • UNICEF and National Anti-Hunger Organizations • Use of food crops • Increased cost of ethanol • National Resources Defense Council • Biodiversity • Energy Justice Network • Pollution • GHG emissions • OPEC • Loss of profit http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3379666736_e7e5881ff1.jpg

10. Acres of Total Cropland ENTIRE Conservation Reserve Program land (36 million acres) for ethanol production = 16.9% U.S. gasoline consumption (23,900,000,000 gallons) (Akinci 2008) Acreage of all harvested cropland in 2007. Dark green areas indicate 75% or more while uncolored area indicate less than 5%. National Agricultural Statistics 2007

11. Alternative to the Alternative • Cellulosic Crops • Low Input High Diversity • Agriculturally abandoned nitrogen-poor sandy soil • 51% more usable energy per ha than corn ethanol • 16-species plot = 238% more bioenergy than monoculture • Use entire plant (vs. just using seeds) (Tilman 2006) • CARBON • NEGATIVE! http://global-warming.accuweather.com/2007/03/another_source_for_biomass_fue.html

12. What Do I Think? • Valiant attempt to curtail GHG emissions (not good enough) • Use less of everything • Combine efforts with biofuels • corn, cellulose, biodiesel • In short • EFFICIENCY

14. Literature Cited Akinci, B. 2008. The role of bio-fuels in satisfying US transportation fuel demands. Energy Policy. 36: 3485– 3491. Biofuels in the U.S. Transportation Sector. Energy Information Administration, Washington, D.C. Available from http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biomass.html (accessed October 2009). Conti, J. 2009. U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Transportation Sector. Energy Information Administration. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Helm, J. 1990. Energy: Production, Consumption, and Consequences. National Academy Press. Washington, D.C. Tilman, D. 2006. Carbon-Negative Biofuels from Low-Input High-Diversity Grassland Biomass. Science. 314: 1598-1600.