Changing the renewable fuel standard to a renewable material standard: Bioethylene case study

Environmental Science and Technology

Volumn 49, Issue 1, 2015, Pages 93-102

  Posen, I Daniel ^a   Griffin, W Michael ^a   Matthews, H Scott ^a   Azevedo, Inês L ^a  

^a CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CARBON DIOXIDE; ETHANOL; GAS EMISSIONS; GREENHOUSE GASES; INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS; LIFE CYCLE; MONTE CARLO METHODS; PLANTS (BOTANY); SUGAR CANE;

BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK; ETHANOL CONSUMPTION; GHG REDUCTIONS; GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG); LIFE-CYCLE GHG EMISSIONS; LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE(LDPE); RENEWABLE FUELS; RENEWABLE MATERIALS;

BIOETHANOL;

ALCOHOL; BIOETHYLENE; ETHANE; FOSSIL FUEL; FUEL; LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE; METHANOL DERIVATIVE; UNCLASSIFIED DRUG; BIOFUEL; NATURAL GAS; POLYETHYLENE;

BIOMASS; CARBON EMISSION; EMISSION CONTROL; ETHYLENE; LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS; POLLUTION POLICY; RENEWABLE RESOURCE; SIMULATION;

ARTICLE; BIOMASS; BIOMASS PRODUCTION; BRAZIL; CARBON FOOTPRINT; COST; ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; GREENHOUSE GAS; LAND USE; LIFE CYCLE; MAIZE; MONTE CARLO METHOD; PANICUM VIRGATUM; RENEWABLE ENERGY; RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD; SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS; SUGARCANE; AIR POLLUTION; ECONOMICS; PANICUM; STANDARDS; STATISTICS AND NUMERICAL DATA; SYNTHESIS; UNITED STATES;

UNITED STATES;

PANICUM VIRGATUM; SACCHARUM; ZEA MAYS;

AIR POLLUTION; BIOFUELS; BIOMASS; ETHANOL; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; MONTE CARLO METHOD; NATURAL GAS; PANICUM; POLYETHYLENE; RENEWABLE ENERGY; SACCHARUM; UNITED STATES; ZEA MAYS;

EID: 84924968830     PISSN: 0013936X     EISSN: 15205851     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1021/es503521r     Document Type: Article

References (81)

1. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). Public Law 110-140. Code of Federal Regulations, 2007.
2. Schnepf, R.; Yacobucci, B. D. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Overview and Issues; Congressional Research Service: 2013.
3. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Regulatory Announcement: EPA Finalizes 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards; EPA-420-F-13-042; 2013.
4. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Regulatory Announcement: EPA Proposes 2014 Renewable Fuel Standards, 2015 Biomass-Based Diesel Volume; EPA-420-F-13-048; 2013.
5. Pimentel, D.; Marklein, A.; Toth, M. A.; Karpoff, M. N.; Paul, G. S.; McCormack, R.; Kyriazis, J.; Krueger, T. Food Versus Biofuels: Environmental and Economic Costs. Hum. Ecol. 2009, 37 (1), 1-12.
6. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Working Draft: Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Key Industrial Sectors in the United States; 2008.
7. U.S. Energy Information Association (U.S. EIA). Today in Energy -Bulk Chemicals Industry Uses 5% of U.S. Energy. 2013. http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=11531 (accessed October 14, 2013).
8. Fan, D.; Dai, D. J.; Wu, H. S. Ethylene Formation by Catalytic Dehydration of Ethanol with Industrial Considerations. Materials 2013, 6 (1), 101-115.
9. Kochar, N. K.; Merims, R.; Padia, A. S. Ethylene from Ethanol. Chem. Eng. Prog. 1981, 77 (6), 66-70.
10. Chemical &Engineering News (C&EN), Output Ramps Up In All Regions. Chem. Eng. News July 2011 2011, 89, (27), 55-56.
11. United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Global Chemicals Outlook: Towards Sound Management of Chemicals. 2012.
12. U.S. Energy Information Administration (U.S. EIA), Annual Energy Review 2011; 2012.
13. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Statistics. 2013. http:// www.ethanolrfa.org/pages/statistics (accessed December 10, 2013).
14. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Production of Bio-Ethylene: Technology Brief; 2013.
15. Nexant, North American Shale Gas: Opportunity or Threat for Global Ethylene Producers (Prospectus); Nexant: New York, 2012; p 7.
16. Rappaport, H. Ethylene and Polyethylene Global Overview (presentation); CMAI: 2011.
17. Lippe, D. 2012 ethylene production bounces back; turnarounds in early 2013 to curb output. Oil Gas J. 2013, 111, (3).
18. U.S. Energy Information Administration (U.S. EIA), Annual Energy Outlook 2013; 2013.
19. von Blottnitz, H.; Curran, M. A. A review of assessments conducted on bio-ethanol as a transportation fuel from a net energy, greenhouse gas, and environmental life cycle perspective. J. Clean Prod. 2007, 15 (7), 607-619.
20. Kendall, A.; Yuan, J. H. Comparing life cycle assessments of different biofuel options. Curr. Opin Chem. Biol. 2013, 17 (3), 439-443.
21. Menten, F.; Cheze, B.; Patouillard, L.; Bouvart, F. A review of LCA greenhouse gas emissions results for advanced biofuels: The use of meta-regression analysis. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev. 2013, 26, 108-134.
22. Liptow, C.; Tillman, A. M. A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Study of Polyethylene Based on Sugarcane and Crude Oil. J. Ind. Ecol. 2012, 16 (3), 420-435.
23. Alvarenga, R. A. F.; Dewulf, J. Plastic vs. fuel: Which use of the Brazilian ethanol Can bring more environmental gains? Renewable Energy 2013, 59, 49-52.
24. Alvarenga, R. A. F.; Dewulf, J.; De Meester, S.; Wathelet, A.; Villers, J.; Thommeret, R.; Hruska, Z. Life cycle assessment of bioethanol-based PVC. Part 1: Attributional approach. Biofuels, Bioprod. Biorefin. 2013, 7 (4), 386-395.
25. Alvarenga, R. A. F.; Dewulf, J.; De Meester, S.; Wathelet, A.; Villers, J.; Thommeret, R.; Hruska, Z. Life cycle assessment of bioethanol-based PVC. Part 2: Consequential approach. Biofuels, Bioprod. Biorefin. 2013, 7 (4), 396-405.
26. Bos, H.; Meesters, K.; Conijn, S.; Corré, W.; Patel, M. Sustainability Aspects of biobased applications: Comparison of different crops and products from the sugar platform; Report 1166; Wageningen UR Food &Biobased Research: 2010.
27. Kikuchi, Y.; Hirao, M.; Narita, K.; Sugiyama, E.; Oliveira, S.; Chapman, S.; Arakaki, M. M.; Cappra, C. M. Environmental Performance of Biomass-Derived Chemical Production: A Case Study on Sugarcane-Derived Polyethylene. J. Chem. Eng. Jpn. 2013, 46 (4), 319-325.
28. Van Uytvanck, P. P.; Hallmark, B.; Haire, G.; Marshall, P. J.; Dennis, J. S. Impact of Biomass on Industry: Using Ethylene Derived from Bioethanol within the Polyester Value Chain. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2014, 2 (5), 1098-1105.
29. Hong, J.; Zhang, Y.; Xu, X.; Li, X. Life cycle assessment of cornand cassava-based ethylene production. Biomass Bioenergy 2014, 67 (0), 304-311.
30. Ghanta, M.; Fahey, D.; Subramaniam, B. Environmental impacts of ethylene production from diverse feedstocks and energy sources. Appl. Petrochem. Res. 2014, 4 (2), 167-179.
31. Venkatesh, A.; Jaramillo, P.; Griffin, W. M.; Matthews, H. S. Uncertainty Analysis of Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Petroleum-Based Fuels and Impacts on Low Carbon Fuel Policies. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45 (1), 125-131.
32. Mullins, K. A.; Griffin, W. M.; Matthews, H. S. Policy Implications of Uncertainty in Modeled Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Biofuels. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45 (1), 132-138.
33. Seabra, J. E. A.; Macedo, I. C.; Chum, H. L.; Faroni, C. E.; Sarto, C. A. Life cycle assessment of Brazilian sugarcane products: GHG emissions and energy use. Biofuels, Bioprod. Biorefin. 2011, 5 (5), 519-532.
34. Liptow, C.; Tillman, A.-M. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Polyethylene Based on Sugarcane and Crude Oil; 2009:14; Department of Energy and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology: Göteborg, Sweden, 2009; pp 1-147.
35. Venkatesh, A.; Jaramillo, P.; Griffin, W. M.; Matthews, H. S. Uncertainty in Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from United States Natural Gas End-Uses and its Effects on Policy. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45 (19), 8182-8189.
36. Wang, M. The Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model, Version GREET1 2013; Argonne National Laboratory: 2013.
37. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Learning About Renewable Energy. 2013. http://www.nrel.gov/learning/eds- hydro-production.html (accessed October 24, 2013).
38. IPCC, Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I Contribution to the IPCC Fif th Assessment Report, Chapter 8; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): 2013; p "8.58".
39. IPCC, Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I Contribution to the IPCC Fif th Assessment Report, Chapter 8 Supplementary Material; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): 2013; pp "8SM-19".
40. Venkatesh, A.; Jaramillo, P.; Griffin, W. M.; Matthews, H. S. Uncertainty in Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from United States Coal. Energy Fuels 2012, 26 (8), 4917-4923.
41. Ecoinvent 3 -Allocation: Market for Electricity, Medium Voltage BR; Swiss Center for Life Cycle Inventories: 2012.
42. North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Regional Entities. 2013. http://www.nerc.com/AboutNERC/ keyplayers/Pages/Regional-Entities.aspx (accessed December 10, 2013).
43. Weber, C. L.; Clavin, C. Life Cycle Carbon Footprint of Shale Gas: Review of Evidence and Implications. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46 (11), 5688-5695.
44. U.S. Energy Information Association (U.S. EIA). Natural Gas Consumption by End Use. 2013. http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng- cons-sum-a-epg0-vcl-mmcf-a.htm (accessed August 14, 2013).
45. U.S. Energy Information Association (U.S. EIA). Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production. 2013. http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ ng/ng-prod-sum-a-EPG0-FGW-mmcf-a.htm (accessed August 14, 2013).
46. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011 (Annexes); Washington, DC, 2013; pp A1-A429.
47. U.S. Energy Information Association (U.S. EIA). The National Energy Modeling System: An Overview. 2009. http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/ aeo/overview/ (accessed November 28, 2013).
48. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011; Washington, DC, 2013; pp 3-60-3-72.
49. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: 2011 Data Sets; 2013. http://www. epa.gov/ghgreporting/ghgdata/2011data.html (accessed July 9, 2013).
50. U.S. Energy Information Association (U.S. EIA). Natural Gas Annual Respondent Query System (EIA-757 Data through 2012); 2013. http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ngqs/ngqs.cfm?f-report=RP9&f-sortby= &f-items=&f-year-start=&f-year-end=&f-show-compid=&f- fullscreen (accessed August 14, 2013).
51. European Commission (EC), Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC): Reference Document on Best Available Techniques in the Large Vol. Organic Chemical Industry (February 2003); European Commission: Brussels, Belgium, 2003.
52. Ren, T.; Patel, M.; Blok, K. Olefins from conventional and heavy feedstocks: Energy use in steam cracking and alternative processes. Energy 2006, 31 (4), 425-451.
53. Worrell, E.; Phylipsen, D.; Einstein, D.; Martin, N. Energy Use and Energy Intensity of the U.S. Chemical Industry; LBNL-44314; Energy Analysis Department, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Berkeley, 2000.
54. Neelis, M. L.; Patel, M.; Gielen, D. J.; Blok, K. Modelling CO2 emissions from non-energy use with the non-energy use emission accounting tables (NEAT) model. Resour., Conserv. Recycl, 2005, 45 (3), 226-250.
55. American Chemistry Council (ACC), Ethylene Product Stewardship Guidance Manual (December 2004); 2004.
56. Harnisch, J.; Jubb, C.; Nakhutin, A.; Cianci, V. C. S.; Lanza, R.; MArtinsen, T.; Mohammad, A. K. W.; Santos, M. M. O.; McCulloch, A.; Mader, B. T. 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Vol. 3 Chapter 3: Chemical Industry Emissions; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): 2006.
57. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2) Regulatory Impact Analysis; EPA-420-R-10-006; Office of Transportation and Air Quality: Washington, DC, 2010.
58. Warner, E.; Zhang, Y. M.; Inman, D.; Heath, G. Challenges in the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from biofuel-induced global land-use change. Biofuels, Bioprod. Biorefin. 2014, 8 (1), 114-125.
59. Broch, A.; Hoekman, S. K.; Unnasch, S. A review of variability in indirect land use change assessment and modeling in biofuel policy. Environ. Sci. Policy 2013, 29, 147-157.
60. Wicke, B.; Verweij, P.; van Meijl, H.; van Vuuren, D. P.; Faaij, A. P. C. Indirect land use change: review of existing models and strategies for mitigation. Biofuels 2011, 3 (1), 87-100.
61. Curran, M. A. Life cycle assessment handbook: a guide for environmentally sustainable products; Wiley/Scrivener: Hoboken, NJ, 2012; p 63, 611 p.
62. Klein, C. D.; Novoa, R. S. A.; Ogle, S.; Smith, K. A.; Rochette, P.; Wirth, T. C.; McConkey, B. G.; Mosier, A.; Rypdal, K. 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Vol. 4 Chapter 11: N2O Emissions from Managed Soils, and CO2 Emissions from Lime and Urea Application; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): 2006.
63. Lisboa, C. C.; Butterbach-Bahl, K.; Mauder, M.; Kiese, R. Bioethanol production from sugarcane and emissions of greenhouse gases -known and unknowns. GCB Bioenergy 2011, 3 (4), 277-292.
64. Geisler, G.; Hellweg, S.; Hungerbuhler, K. Uncertainty analysis in life cycle assessment (LCA): Case study on plant-protection products and implications for decision making. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 2005, 10 (3), 184-192.
65. Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Inventory of Nine Plastic Resins and Four Polyurethane Precursors; Franklin Associates: Prairie Village, KS, 2011.
66. Eco-Profiles and Environmental Product Declarations of the European Plastics Manufacturers: HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE; PlasticsEurope: 2014.
67. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). U.S. Life-Cycle Inventory Database: Transport, Single Unit Truck, Long-Haul, Diesel Powered. 2013. https://www.lcacommons.gov/nrel/process/ show/b06e2d43-7ecc-4a2f-Ac4e-fac9bee76fc6 (accessed September 20, 2013).
68. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Biorefinery Locations. 2013. http://www.ethanolrfa.org/bio-refinery-locations/ (accessed December 10, 2013).
69. Koottungal, L. International Survey of Ethylene from Steam Crackers -2013; Oil &Gas Journal: 2013.
70. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). U.S. Life-Cycle Inventory Database: Transport, Ocean Freighter, Residual Fuel Oil Powered. 2013. https://www.lcacommons.gov/nrel/process/ show/b06e2d43-7ecc-4a2f-Ac4e-fac9bee76fc6 (accessed September 20, 2013).
71. Sea-Rates. Transit Time, Distance Calculator &Port to Port Distances. 2013. http://www.searates.com/reference/portdistance/ (accessed September 10, 2013).
72. Themelis, N. J.; Castaldi, M. J.; Bhatti, J.; Arsova, L. Energy and Economics Value of Non-Recycled Plastics (NRP) and Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) that are Currently Landfilled in the Fifty States; Columbia University, Earth Engineering Center: 2011.
73. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). Resource Conservation -Waste Reduction Model (WARM). 2013. http:// epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/warm/Warm-Form.html (accessed February 8, 2014).
74. Rajagopal, D. The fuel market effects of biofuel policies and implications for regulations based on lifecycle emissions. Environ. Res. Lett. 2013, 8, (2).
75. Lippe, D. US Olefins First-Half 2013: Ethylene Production Prospects Clouded by First Half Turnarounds. Oil Gas J. 2013, 111, (9).
76. Platts McGraw Hill Financial. US Natural Gas and Ethane Spot Prices. 2014. http://www.platts.com/news-feature/2013/ petrochemicals/global-margins/us-natgas (accessed February 20, 2014).
77. Dewitt &Company Incorporated. Petrochemical Portal: Ethylene Vs. Ethylene Cash Cost from Ethane. 2014. http://www.dewittworld. com/portal/GraphAnalysis/ShowLogiXML.aspx?ModuleID= 3&GraphID=260&ProductID=101&MainActiveTab= Americas&SubActiveTab=Prices&PageIndex=0 (accessed February 25, 2014).
78. U.S. Energy Information Association (U.S. EIA). Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. 2014. http://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/ gaspump-hist.cfm (accessed March 28, 2014).
79. Oil Market Report: Annual Statistical Supplement; International Energy Agency (IEA): 2012; p 30.
80. Procter &Gamble. P&G Announces Plan to Use Innovative Sustainable Packaging. 2014. http://news.pg.com/press-release/pgcorporate-Announcements/pg-Announces-plan-use-innovativesustainable-packaging (accessed May 25, 2014).
81. The Coca-Cola Company. PlantBottle: Frequently Asked Questions. 2012. http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/ plantbottle-frequently-Asked-questions (accessed May 25, 2014).