Wood Chemistry PSE 406 Bioethanolsugar cane Agenda l

Wood Chemistry PSE 406 Bioethanol-sugar cane

Agenda l l l What is bioconversion? Why bioconversion? Sugar cane to ethanol » » Energy balance History Problems Production

Oil price (1)

Oil price (2)

Oil price (3) http: //tonto. eia. doe. gov/oog/info/twip. asp

Gasoline price (1)

Gasoline price (2) http: //tonto. eia. doe. gov/oog/info/twip_gasoline. html

If we can squeeze 1 billion barrels of oil in 1 bottle of champagne…

Assuming that we have 9 bottles of champagne in the fridge left…

Henry Ford “We can get fuel from apples, weeds, sawdust, almost anything…. . And it remains for someone to find how this fuel can be produced commerciallybetter fuel at a better price than we now know. ” Henry Ford

What is bioconversion? l l General: a process which uses biological agents (microorganisms or protein) to transform a feedstock into desirable products. Bioethanol A chemical/biochemical process by which lignocellulosic materials are converted to ethanol and other co-products.

Why bioconversion? l Energy » An alternative source of energy for the transportation sector produced locally l Air pollution » Reduction in greenhouse gas emission l Waste elimination » Elimination of problems with field burning/incineration, stockpiling, etc. l Socio/economical benefits » Creation of new jobs, rural development

Ethanol (CH 3 CH 2 OH) l Ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol » Clear, colorless liquid l l Ethanol made from cellulosic biomass instead of starch crops-bioethanol Advantages of bioethanol » » » Domestic renewable fuel sources Reduces reliance on foreign oil Cleaner fuel sources Easily produced and stored Increases fuel octane number for little cost

Biomass to ethanol Sugar cane Corn Lignocellulosic

Sugar cane bioethanol (1) l l Brazil produces 3, 96 billion gallons of ethanol from sugar cane Production cost $0. 87/gallon, the lowest in the world Fossil fuel energy used to make the fuel (input) compared with energy in the fuel (output) 1: 8 Green house emission during production and use 56% less compared with gasoline

History (1) l l 1920 utilization of ethanol as a transportation fuel Early 1970, » 1973 -oil embargo (oil 3 x more expensive) » 1974 -sugar prices l l Late 1975 Brazilian National Alcohol program (20% blend) Mid 1980 » All the cars sold in Brazil ran on alcohol l Early 1990 » Oil » Sugar

History (2) l l 2003 Total Flex Car (gasoline and ethanol) Gol. Volkswagen Currently 85% of cars are flex

Sugar cane in Brazil

Fields of sugar cane in Brazil

Sugar cane l Harvest after 1 year to 18 months » Harvest starts in April » 7 harvests before replanting l l Harvested by hands or machinery 20% of sugar cane are sugars » No enzymes required for ethanol production l 600 -800 gallons of ethanol/acre (more than 2 x compared with corn)

Problems l Environmental problems l Social problems » » » » » Amazon-deforestation Burning the cane pre-harvesting Use of pesticides and herbicides Utilization of fields next to the rives (against Brazilian law) Pay Hot, dirty and backbreaking Snakes Cuts Air quality

Fields of sugar cane

Sugar cane

Burning

Harvesting (1)

Harvesting (2)

Transportation

Washing

Crushing

Sugar cane bagasse

Fermentation and distillation