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Life Cycle Assessment of an Advanced Bioethanol Technology in the Perspective of Constrained Biomass Availability

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Karsten Hedegaard*^†, Kathrine A. Thyø^‡ and Henrik Wenzel*^§

COWI A/S, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark, Copenhagen Energy Ltd., District heating, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark, and Institute of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark

Environ. Sci. Technol., 2008, 42 (21), pp 7992–7999

DOI: 10.1021/es800358d

Publication Date (Web): October 4, 2008

* Address correspondence to either author. Phone: (0045) 2681 8298 (K.H.); (0045) 6550 7374 (H.W.); e-mail: karsten.hj@gmail.com (K.H.); henrik.wenzel@kbm.sdu.dk (H.W.)., †

COWI A/S.

, ‡

Copenhagen Energy Ltd.

, §

University of Southern Denmark.

Section:

Electrochemical, Radiational, and Thermal Energy Technology

Abstract

Among the existing environmental assessments of bioethanol, the studies suggesting an environmental benefit of bioethanol all ignore the constraints on the availability of biomass resources and the implications competition for biomass has on the assessment. We show that toward 2030, regardless of whether a global or European perspective is applied, the amount of biomass, which can become available for bioethanol or other energy uses, will be physically and economically constrained. This implies that use of biomass or land for bioethanol production will most likely happen at the expense of alternative uses. In this perspective, we show that for the case of a new advanced bioethanol technology, in terms of reducing greenhouse emissions and fossil fuel dependency, more is lost than gained when prioritizing biomass or land for bioethanol. Technology pathways involving heat and power production and/or biogas, natural gas or electricity for transport are advantageous.

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