Biofuels can provide viable, sustainable solution to reducing petroleum ...( LIVERMORE Calif. An in-depth study ...)
LIVERMORE, Calif. An in-depth study by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors Corp. has found that plant and forestry waste and dedicated energy crops could sustainably replace nearly a third of gasoline use by the year 2030.
The goal of the "90-Billion Gallon Biofuel Deployment Study" was to assess whether and how a large volume of cellulosic biofuel could be sustainably produced, assuming technical and scientific progress continues at expected rates. The study was conducted over a period of nine months.
Researchers assessed the feasibility, implications, limitations, and enablers of annually producing 90 billion gallons of ethanol sufficient to replace more than 60 billion of the estimated 180 billion gallons of gasoline expected to be used annually by 2030. Ninety billion gallons a year exceeds the U.S. Department of Energy's goal for ethanol production established in 2006.
The "90 Billion Gallon Study" assumes 75 billion gallons would be ethanol made from nonfood cellulosic feedstocks and 15 billion gallons from corn-based ethanol. The study examined four sources of biofuels: agricultural residue, such as corn stover and wheat straw; forest residue; dedicated energy crops, including switchgrass; and short rotation woody crops, such as willow and poplar trees. It examines the costs of producing, harvesting, storing and transporting these sources to newly built biorefineries.
Key findings
Using a newly developed tool known as the Biofuels Deployment Model, or BDM, Sandia researchers determined that 21 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol could be produced per year by 2022 without displacing current crops. The Renewable Fuels Standard, part of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, calls for ramping up biofuels production to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022.
The 90 Billion Gallon Study, which focused only on starch-based and cellulosic ethanol, found that an increase to 90 billion
'/>"/>
| Contact: Mike Janes mejanes@sandia.gov 925-294-2447 DOE/Sandia National Laboratories Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. Rots unique wood degrading machinery to be harnessed for better biofuels production
2. Concordia University leads academic team for national Cellulosic Biofuels Network
3. Biofuels ignite food crisis debate
4. Process can cut the cost of making cellulosic biofuels
5. Nations that sow food crops for biofuels may reap less than previously thought
6. Researchers push nature beyond its limits to create higher-density biofuels
7. Replacing corn with perennial grasses improves carbon footprint of biofuels
8. Oklahoma EPSCoR receives $20 million for biofuels research
9. Conference to explore sustainability of biofuels
10. Growing fuel and medicine: Advancing biofuels and plant-produced therapeutics
11. NSF funds research at Illinois on sustainable biofuels infrastructure
| Copyright © 2003-2009 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |