Densified biomass can cost-effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and address energy security in thermal applications

Environmental Science and Technology

Volumn 46, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 1270-1277

  Wilson, Thomas O ^a   McNeal, Frederick M ^b   Spatari, Sabrina ^c   G Abler, David ^a   Adler, Paul R ^b  

^a PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE   (United States)

^c Drexel University   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ABATEMENT COSTS; COAL POWER; COST SAVING; ELECTRICAL ENERGY; ELECTRICITY GENERATION; ENERGY APPLICATIONS; ENERGY SECURITY; ENERGY SUPPLIES; GHG MITIGATION; HEATING FUELS; HEATING OIL; LIQUID TRANSPORTATION; LOW CARBON; LOW COSTS; POWER PLANT OPERATIONS; PRODUCTION MODELS; SWITCHGRASS; THERMAL APPLICATIONS;

ASSOCIATED GAS; BIOMASS; CARBON DIOXIDE; COAL; COAL TRANSPORTATION; ELECTRIC GENERATORS; ELECTRICITY; FEEDSTOCKS; FUEL OILS; FUELS; GAS EMISSIONS; GREENHOUSE GASES; LIQUIDS;

COST REDUCTION;

COAL; FUEL OIL; GASOLINE;

ABATEMENT COST; BIOMASS; COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS; ELECTRICITY GENERATION; EMISSION; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; GRASS; GREENHOUSE GAS; HARVESTING; HEATING; LEGISLATIVE IMPLEMENTATION; POLICY MAKING; RENEWABLE RESOURCE; SUSTAINABILITY; TEMPERATURE EFFECT;

ARTICLE; BIOENERGY; BIOMASS; COST CONTROL; COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS; ELECTRIC POWER PLANT; GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; GREENHOUSE GAS; LAW;

AIR POLLUTANTS; AIR POLLUTION; BIOMASS; ENERGY-GENERATING RESOURCES; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; TIME FACTORS;

UNITED STATES;

PANICUM VIRGATUM;

EID: 84855968762     PISSN: 0013936X     EISSN: 15205851     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1021/es202752b     Document Type: Article

References (51)

1. Sperling, D.; Yeh, S. Low Carbon Fuel Standards Issues Sci. Technol. 2009, 2, 57-66
2. Clarke, D.; Jablonski, S.; Moran, B.; Anandarjah, G.; Taylor, G. How can accelerated development of bioenergy contribute to the future UK energy mix? Insights from a MARKAL modeling exercise. Biotechnol. Biofuels 2009, 2 (13).
3. USDOE. EERE. Information Resources: States with Renewable Portfolio Standards. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/maps/renewable-portfolio-states. cfm.
4. Energy Business Review. FirstEnergy Plans to Repower RE Burger Plant with Biomass; April 6, 2009. http://www.energy-business-review.com/news/firstenergy- plans-to-repower-re-burger-plant-with-biomass-060409/.
5. Electric Power Research Institute. Technical and Economic Studies for 100% Biomass Repowering at Southern Company Plants; 2008. http://mydocs.epri. com/docs/CorporateDocuments/Generation/Southern-Company-Biomass-Studies.pdf.
6. McLaughlin, S. B.; Kszos, L. A. Development of switchgrass as a bioenergy feedstock in the United States Biomass Bioenergy 2005, 28, 515-535
7. Allen, J.; Browne, M.; Hunter, A.; Boyd, J.; Palmer, H. Logistics management and costs of biomass fuel supply Int. J. Phys. Distribution Logistics 1998, 28 (6) 463-477
8. Sokhansanj, S.; Mani, S.; Turhollow, A.; Kumar, A.; Bransby, D.; Lynd, L; Laser, M. Large-scale production, harvest, and logistics of switchgrass-Current technology and envisioning a mature technology Biofuels, Bioprod. Biorefin. 2009, 3, 124-121
9. Rosentrater, K. A.; Kongar, E. Modeling the effects of pelleting on the logistics of distillers grains shipping Bioresour. Technol. 2009, 100 (24) 6550-6558
10. Fasina, O. O.; Sokhansanj, S. Storage and handling characteristics of alfalfa pellets Powder Handl. Process. 1996, 8 (4) 361-365
11. Chum, H. L.; Overend, R. P. Biomass and renewable fuels Fuel Process. Technol. 2001, 71, 187-195
12. Adler, P. R.; Del Grosso, S. J.; Parton, W. J. Life-cycle assessment of net greenhouse gas flux for bioenergy cropping systems Ecol. Appl. 2007, 17 (3) 675-691
13. Schmer, M. R.; Vogel, K. P.; Mitchell, R. B.; Perrin, R. K. Net energy of cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2008, 105 (2) 464-469
14. International Organization for Standardization. Environmental Management - Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and Framework. ISO 14040; Geneva, 1997.
15. Energy Information Administration. Northeast Data Abstract, July 2003. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/reps/abstracts/northeast.html.
16. Forster, P.; Ramaswamy, V.; Artaxo, P.; Berntsen, T.; Betts, R.; Fahey, D. W.; Haywood, J.; Lean, J.; Lowe, D. C.; Myhre, G.; Nganga, J.; Prinn, R.; Raga, G.; Schulz, M.; Van Dorland, R. Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing. In Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis; Solomon, S., et al., Eds.; Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, U.K., 2007; pp 129 - 234.
17. Spatari, S.; Zhang, Y.; MacLean, H. L. Life cycle assessment of switchgrass and corn stover derived ethanol fueled automobiles Environ. Sci. Technol. 2005, 39 (24) 9750-9758
18. Qin, X.; Mohan, T.; El-Halwagi, M.; Cornforth, G.; McCarl, B. A. Switchgrass as an alternate feedstock for power generation: an integrated environmental, energy and economic life-cycle assessment Clean Technol. Environ. Policy 2006, 8 (4) 233-249
19. Heller, M. C.; Keoleian, G. A.; Mann, M. K.; Volk, T. A. Life cycle energy and environmental benefits of generating electricity from willow biomass Renewable Energy 2004, 29, 1023-1042
20. Nagy, C. N. Energy Coefficients for Agricultural Inputs in Western Canada; Canadian Agricultural Energy End-Use Data Analysis Center, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 1999. www.csale.usask.ca/PDFDocuments/ energyCoefficientsAg.pdf.
21. Ernst, M. Ernst Conservation Seeds, Meadville, PA. Personal communication, 2009.
22. West, T. O.; Marland, G. A synthesis of carbon sequestration, carbon emissions, and net carbon flux in agriculture: comparing tillage practices in the United States Agric., Ecosyst. Environ. 2002, 91, 217-232
23. 2 Emissions from Lime and Urea Application. In 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Volume 4, Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use; S. Eggleston, S., et al., Eds.; IGES: Japan, 2006; pp 1 - 54.
24. Sheehan, J.; Aden, A.; Paustian, K.; Killian, K.; Brenner, J.; Walsh, M.; Nelson, R. Energy and environmental aspects of using corn stover for fuel ethanol J. Ind. Ecol. 2004, 7, 117-146
25. Meier, P. J.; Wilson, P. H.; Kulcinski, G. L.; Denholm, P. L. US electric industry response to carbon constraint: A life cycle assessment of supply-side alternatives Energy Policy 2005, 33, 1099-1108
26. Spath, P. L.; Mann, M. K. Life Cycle Assessment of a Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Generation System; National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Golden, CO, 2000.
27. US EPA. AP 42, Fifth Edition Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors, Volume 1: Stationary Point and Area Sources; 2010. http://www.epa.gov/ ttnchie1/ap42/.
28. Electric Power Research Institute, US DOE. Renewable Energy Technology Characterizations; DOE TR-109496; 1997.
29. Perrin, R.; Vogel, K.; Schmer, M.; Mitchell, R. Farm-scale production cost of switchgrass for biomass Bioenergy Res. 2008, 1, 91-97
30. Epplin, F. Cost to produce and deliver switchgrass to an ethanol conversion facility in the southern plains of the United States Biomass Bioenergy 1996, 11, 459-467
31. Duffy, M.; Nanhou, V. Costs of producing switchgrass for biomass in southern Iowa. PM 1866, Iowa State University Extension: Ames, IA, 2001. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1866.pdf.
32. Ernst, C. Ernst Conservation Seeds, Meadville, PA. Personal communication, 2010.
33. Energy Information Administration. EIA Short Term Energy Outlook; March 25, 2010. http://www.eia.doe.gov/steo.
34. McCarl, B. A.; Adams, D. M.; Alig, R. J.; Chmelik, J. T. Competitiveness of biomass-fueled electrical power plants Ann. Oper. Res. 2000, 94, 37-55
35. Brechbill, S. C.; Tyner, W. E.; Heleji, K. E. The economics of biomass collection and transportation and its supply to Indiana cellulosic and electric utility facilities. Bioenergy Res. 2011, 4, 141 - 152.
36. Energy Information Administration. Electricity Market Module: DOE/EIA-0554; March 2009. http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/assumption/pdf/ electricity.pdf.
37. Peltier, R. PSNH's NorthernWoodPower project repowers coal-fired plant with new fluidized-bed combustor Power 2007, 151 (8) 37
38. World Business Council for Sustainable Development. From Coal to Biomass; 2006. http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DOCSEARCH/details.asp?DocTypeId=- 1&ObjectId=MjE1Mjg&URLBack=result.asp%3FDocTypeId%3D- 1%26SortOrder%3Ddoctype+asc%26CurPage%3D26.
39. Zhang, Y.; McKechnie, J.; Cormier, D.; Lyng, R.; Mabee, W.; Ogino, A.; MacLean, H. L. Life cycle emissions and cost of producing electricity from coal, natural gas, and wood pellets in Ontario, Canada Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, 538-544
40. Eriksson, O.; Finnveden, G.; Ekvall, T.; Bjorklund, A. Life cycle assessment of fuels for district heating: A comparison of waste incineration, biomass- and natural gas combustion Energy Policy 2007, 35, 1346-1362
41. Groscurth, H. M.; de Almeida, A.; Bauen, A.; Costa, F. B.; Ericson, S. O.; Giegrich, J.; von Grabsczewski, N.; Hall, D. O.; Hohmeyer, O.; Jorgensen, K.; Kern, C.; Kuhn, I.; Lofstedt, R.; da Silva Mariano, J.; Mariano, P. M. G.; Meyer, N. I.; Nielsen, P. S.; Nunes, C.; Patyk, A.; Reinhardt, G. A.; Rosillo-Calle, R.; Scrase, I.; Widmann, B. Total costs and benefits of biomass in selected regions of the European Union Energy 2000, 1081-1095
42. Energy Information Administration. Residential Heating Oil Prices: What consumers should kno w. ftp://ftp.eia.doe.gov/brochures/heatingoil/index.html.
43. Spelter, H.; Toth, D. North America's Wood Pellet Sector. USDA Research Paper FPL-RP-656; 2009.
44. Holmseth, T. C. Seeing the forest for the trees. Biomass Power and Thermal, 2011. http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/1525/seeing-the-forest-for- the-trees.
45. European Wood-Heating Technology Survey: An Overview of Combustion Principles and the Energy and Emissions Performance Characteristics of Commercially Available Systems in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; 2010. http://www.nyserda.org/./10-01-european-wood-heating-technology-survey. pdf.
46. U.S. DOE. Fuel and Kerosene Sales 2008. Energy Information Administration, DOE/EIA-0535(08), December (2009.
47. America's Future Energy Panel on Alternative Liquid Transportation Fuels. Liquid Transportation Fuels from Coal and Biomass; National Academies Press: Washington, DC, 2009.
48. Perlack, R. D.; Stokes, B. J. U.S. Billion-Ton Update: Biomass Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry. U.S. Department of Energy; ORNL/TM-2011/224; Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Oak Ridge, TN, 2011.
49. Ramseur, J. L. State Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Comparison and Analysis; CRS Report for Congress; Congressional Research Service, 2007. http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34272-20071205.pdf.
50. Sims, R. E. H.; Rogner, H. H.; Gregory, K. Carbon emission and mitigation cost comparison between fossil fuel, nuclear, and renewable energy resources for electricity generation Energy Policy 2003, 31, 1315-1326
51. McKinsey and Company. Reducing US GHG Emissions: How much and at what cost? 2008. http://www.mckinsey.com/Client-Service/sustainability/latest- thinking/costcurves.aspx.