"Alternative Fuels from Biomass" By Wyman, C. E. 08/01/1992 [Some excerpts: ]
Several oxygenated biofuels such as ethanol reduce carbon monoxide emissions when blended with gasoline. A number of biofuels can be substituted directly for conventional transportation fuels to reduce urban air pollution. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin components represent the largest fractions or plant matter and can be termed cellulosic biomass or just biomass. Cellulose is generally the dominant fraction, representing about 40% to 50% of the material by weight, while the hemicellulose portion represents 20% to 40% of the material. The remaining fraction is predominately lignin with lesser amounts of substances called extractives. It is estimated that about 190 million acres of land [MH: 296,875 square miles -or- about 545 miles squared ] could be used to grow energy crops dedicated for the production of biofuels. For an average productivity of 9 tons/acre/year, about 1.7 billion tons of cellulosic biomass could be harvested each year (4). If accessible underutilized wood, agricultural residues, and MSW are included, about 2.5 billion dry tons per year of cellulosic biomass could be produced at prices from $18 to $65 per dry ton (1,5,6). As a perspective on the size of this resource, about 250 billion gallons of liquid fuels could be produced from this quantity of biomass compared to the approximately 115 billion gallons of gasoline used in the United States. Biodiesel From Microalgae Algae are particularly unique in their ability to produce a high fraction of their total weight (about 60% or more) as lipid oils or triglycerides. Lipids are hydrocarbons with a higher energy density than that of the carbohydrates plants typically produce. Although these algal oils can be used directly in diesel engines, they can also be readily converted into esters that more closely match diesel fuel properties and burn more cleanly (13). Diesel fuel currently supplies about 17% of the energy used for transportation in the United States. Production of diesel fuel from algae complements ethanol manufacture from cellulosic biomass in that as ethanol displaces the fraction of petroleum converted into gasoline, substitutes must be found for the fraction now used to manufacture diesel fuel. The projected price of biodiesel production from algae.... - BIOGAS - METHANOL FROM BIOMASS - REFORMULATED GASOLINE COMPONENTS (RGCs) - CO2 and more.... Conclusion Many of these fuels are now ready for introduction into our energy sector for selected applications, and their use would improve our environment significantly from a viewpoint of both local air pollution and the potential for global climate change. Because only modest amounts of fossil fuels would typically be used to produce biofuels, ....thereby avoiding any dependence on imported oil. The work reported is funded by the Biofuels Systems Division of the U.S. Department of Energy. > "Alternative Fuels from Biomass" > By Wyman, C. E. > Alternative Fuels Division > National Renewable Energy Laboratory > Golden, Colorado > 08/01/1992 > PDF pages 16 1060K > Abstract http://www.ott.doe.gov/biofuels/newsearchdb2.cgi?707 > > PUBLIC NOTE - Prepared for the > U.S. EPA/Acurex Environmental Corporation Symposium > on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Mitigation Research, Aug 1992 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> FREE COLLEGE MONEY CLICK HERE to search 600,000 scholarships! http://us.click.yahoo.com/DlIU9C/4m7CAA/Ey.GAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
