Biofuels For Thought

Editor's Notes

1. This is the title slide! Alright!
2. -Welcome visitors to KBS, explain what the ROKS program is -Undergraduates from MSU and other universities -We all take the same classes together, separate internships-Each ROKS year has a theme. Ours was “biofuels”-This presentation is the final project for our SOC class, and we’re super glad everyone could make it-Get a quick sampling of who’s attendingKBS Faculty?Community Board Members?Educators?
3. -Tonight, we don’t just want to talk in your ear. We have goals associated with this presentation-We also want to “reeducate” all of you. Chances are you’re either confused or misinformed about biofuels-Networking is a big goal. We’re counting on you to share what you learned here with others-Help us determine if we met our goals by filling out the surveys on the table. Our grades depend on it!
4. -This dry and wordy definition came from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. To put this in layman’s terms…-Biofuels come from the following sources
5. -Animals-Vegetables-But not Rocks(Layman enough for you?)
6. -Often when we hear the word “biofuels” we think of two words: corn and ethanol-Not that simple. Biofuels come from a multitude of sources, including but not limited to those listed here-Almost every living thing has a potential to be turned into biofuel-Not just ethanol either. Other liquid fuels include forms of diesel and butanol, as well as solid biomass pellets, and what we ironically call “synthetic natural gas”
7. -Here is a graph taken from the Energy Information Administration’s website-Out of the 7% of energy we get from renewable sources, about 50% comes from biofuel-More than hydroelectric, which is theoretically more developed and the usage more widespread
8. This slide asks a question!
9. -Most of our renewable sources of energy can only produce one type of energy: electricity-Using these sources for heat and transportation requires a major retooling of engines, furnaces, ect-Biofuels are the only renewable resource we have that has the same applications as fossil fuels-Switching to biofuels on the short term is far less labor and capital intensive
10. -Alright, we have every reason to switch over to biofuels, why hasn’t it happened?-Biofuels have become the ugly stepsister of alternative energies-Opinions on biofuels are just as varied as it’s sources and forms, scientists may support some forms and oppose others-While usage has increased, so has resistance from the media and public-Some of the issues will be addressed later, for now…
11. -Yet another title slide!-Say “I promise”
12. -It may surprise you, but we were running out of whales to power lamps in the 1850s-First forms of biofuels were Camphene, which was a mixture of alcohol, turpentine, and camphor oil. Cost 50 cents/gallon, compared to whale oil at 1.30 to 2.50/gallon.-In 1862, a “sin tax” on all forms of alcohol was put in place in an attempt to battle the growing debt from the civil war. Camphene wasn’t an intended target, but was effected all the same-Naturally, people found an alternative. Kerosene became the lamp oil of choice.
13. -Farmers and distillers united in 1906 to repeal the alcohol tax with the help of Theodore Roosevelt. This happened just a few years after he broke up Standard Oil-The first combustion engine was built to run on biofuel by Rudolf Diesel. The Model-T, built by Henry Ford Motor Company, could run on both gasoline and alcohol. Alcohol was then considered to be a “superior” fuel to gasoline by many in the industry-At the end of World War I, there was a huge surplus of crops like corn and cotton, which was hurting the rural economy. The Farm Chemurgic movement, founded by William “Billy” Hale, sought to use these crops in industrial applications for both fuel and textiles. They pushed for legislation that required blending alcohol with conventional gas and offering subsidies to oil companies who’d invest in it.
14. -The Chemurgic movement shifted it’s focus from conventional crops to those better suited for fuel and fiber, like Jersusalem artichokes, sorghum, ect. Farmers were unlikely to make the switch since most had invested their money into machines and systems specifically designed around one type of crop.-New Deal programs like the Agricultural Adjustment Act and Crop Insurance set up grain banks which allowed farmers to adjust their output to meet the demands of the market. This made switching to crops favored by the Chemurgistseven less attractive than before.-Leaded gasoline was the “final nail in biofuel’s coffin”. Gasoline caused a “knock”, which limited the development of faster and more powerful engines. Thomas Midgely, an engineer who worked for General Motors, discovered that adding lead compounds to gasoline eliminated the knock. GM held onto the patents, and the gasoline markets became vertically integrated within the company. They used their market power to pressure dealers into dropping the sale of alcohol, and effectively eliminated biofuel from the market.
15. -Self explanatory
16. -Usage of biofuels went into remission for a solid 70 years. The oil embargo and concerns for the national security risks involved with using foreign oil-Nixon pushed the “Project Independence” act through congress in 1974 with the stated goal of becoming completely energy independent by 1980. While it was unrealistic, this legislation got the ball rolling, and every administration since has had plans for finding alternatives to foreign oil.-The public was growing conscious of the damage that gasoline was dealing to both public health and the environment. Thomas Midgelypublished several studies which lead to the removal of lead additives to gas. There was also public concern growing about acid rain, would could be attributed to sulfur compounds present in fossil fuels.
17. -Research was gaining momentum all around the world as biofuels became promising candidates to replace gas. Work was done using sunflowers in South Africa, and Brazil launched their National Alcohol Program in 1975 which has proven to be one of the most successful implementations of biofuels in restructuring a national fuel market.-Regulations passed by the Clinton Administration in the 1990s set new standards to lower sulfur and GHG emissions. Biofuels lack the sulfur compounds that can cause acid rain, and the emissions from burning the fuel contain less GHGs.-Many reasons why biofuels were popular in the earlier part of the century were being considered, like energy security and revitalizing our agricultural communities.
18. -Flex-fuel car sales have been steadily increasing. Where only a quarter of a million flex-fuel cars were sold in 2006, the number jumped to 1.8 million cars sold in 2007, which equals about 1.1% of all cars sold.-Our output of ethanol is six times what it was just ten years ago. We’ve also tripled the number of processing plants now in use.-We surpassed Brazil in ethanol production in 2006. However, we aren’t exporting any yet. All ethanol currently produced is still consumed domestically.
19. -The world debit crisis has driven oil prices down which has slowed down ethanol production. Some biofuel companies have gone bankrupt, and many others hover on the brink.-Numerous studies have been published in the last few years that evaluate the environmental effects of expanding agriculture to accommodate biofuels. Some state that biofuel production may ultimately contribute to GHG emissions through changes in land use.-The media and bloggers have focused their attention on a possible link between the expansion of the biofuel market and famine. A majority of “wall posts”, “tweets”, and other updates state that using biofuels is not unlike “robbing the poor to feed the rich”. While it’s true that studies have been published that suggest biofuels may contribute to famine, our perception of the mechanisms behind it are warped somewhat.
20. -Nearly every political cartoon published about biofuel follows a specific formula: -Malnourished child with dark colored skin and an empty food bowl -Many feature a guy in a business suit, which we can assume is a rich western consumer -A majority of these also feature corn. The U.S. is the only country abroad that uses corn as a major biofuel crop.
21. -The global food crisis doesn’t have a single cause. Many people focus on biofuel production because it’s an easy target. The main causes of hunger are nebulous and hard to control.-Obviously more people means more food consumption, and our rates of production have not risen to match our rise in population-The past 3 years have been devastating on crops worldwide. Droughts, floods, and political instability has driven food production down in many areas, especially in developing countries-Meat consumption is at it’s highest ever around the world, and devoting grain to feedstock for animals results in a net loss of food available-Finally, the high price of fossil fuels are directly contributing to the surge. This is a problem that the production of biofuel aims to solve.
22. -It’s my last slide!-And with that, I’d like to hand things over to Sarah who will be expanding the topic of biofuels in the present
23. This part of the presentation is going to concentrate on biofuels today – I want to tell you a little about renewable bioenergy that is already in use (the kind that you can get at the local gas station) and touch on bioenergy that is forthcoming. I will talk about some of the research being done here at KBS and how it fits into the grand scheme of things. I will also talk about unique uses of the GLBRC sites – I know we have some teachers in the audience today who might be able to appreciate that part.
24. This is a pretty short presentation – about 15 minutes. In that time, here are some of the topics I hope to cover.
25. First of all, I want to start off with this quote from an issue of Scientific American. There is something special about this quote that may not be readily apparent….
26. This quote is from an article published in 1918! Our search for renewable energies is not new. It has been persisting for almost a century. With technology how it is today, maybe we can finally start to see some real results.
27. Why ARE we, and have we BEEN, interested in renewable resources? We want to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels - gas, oil, coal. We want to reduce our reliance on foreign oil – most of which comes from outside our borders. We want to lower emissions of greenhouse gases – like methane, sulfur, and carbon dioxide. The idea of growing biofuel crops IN ADDITION to food crops also excites farmers.
28. There is a very human dimension to all of these factors – having renewable fuel source is being sustainable - it ensures fuel sources forfuture generations. Having energy independence, or being able to produce all of our own oil, means that the US no longer has to rely on oil from volatile areas (the middle East) – local conflicts cause oil prices to drastically rise and fall. Being independent means more stable. Lowering greenhouse gas emissions takes away gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. As for rural economies… farmers will have more people to grow their crops for, stimulating the agriculture sector.
29. There are some problems with fossil fuels. 1) It’s finite; 2) It’s dirty; 3) We need to get it from other countries.
30. Largely because of coal and petroleum combustion, the amount of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in the air today are 35% and 18% higher, respectively, than they were before the industrial era.
31. Largely because of coal and petroleum combustion, the amount of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in the air today are 35% and 18% higher, respectively, than they were before the industrial era.
32. Largely because of coal and petroleum combustion, the amount of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in the air today are 35% and 18% higher, respectively, than they were before the industrial era.
33. Corn ethanol burns much more cleanly – the emissions are 30% water, and all of the other pollutants are reduced. For many, it is the environmental benefits are most appealing. [Should I have drawbacks after this slide?]
34. Corn ethanol burns much more cleanly – the emissions are 30% water, and all of the other pollutants are reduced. For many, it is the environmental benefits are most appealing. [Should I have drawbacks after this slide?]
35. All of us in this room are coming from a different background– some people came from Detroit, Lansing – even as far away as Washington State. Because of that, I want to frame this in terms of policy that affects all of us.
36. We get a lot of oil from OPEC countries. (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) It’s an oil cartel – agreement between competing companies.
37. The colored sections are non-OPEC countries.
38. 2007, Bush signed the Independence and Security of 2007.
39. Taken right out of the Act: Some goals are to achieve greater energy security and independence, increase production of clean renewable fuels, promote research….. And to protect consumer and increase efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles. This is a step in the right direction!
40. Let’s talk aboutbiofuels you can get today. Two weeks ago, I rented this car – I was driving to a place called Ithaca, NY (which is beautiful) – and of course, had to stop to fill up along the way. Well, when I popped open the little door to pump the gasoline in, I saw this:
41. No E-85. What is E-85 exactly? Some of us know a little bit about It – it relates because it’s a biofuel in use today.
42. Biofuels – Local interest
43. Flex-Fuel Vehicles
44. Flex-Fuel Vehicles
45. Ethanol
46. 1 hectare is about 2.5 acres.
47. The southwestern Brazilian Amazon is one of the world’s largest agricultural frontiers. Native vegetation and pastures are rapidly being converted to heavily mechanized row-crop agriculture, including soybean and corn. Researchers from MBL’s Ecosystems Center and Brown University are studying how regional land cover and land use change affect carbon (CO2) and nitrogen (N2O) emissions to the atmosphere.
48. Brazil – A Case Study
49. Biofuels – Local interest
50. Biofuels – Local interest
51. Biofuels – Local interest
52. Energy Policy
53. Energy Policy
54. Energy Policy
55. Cellulose is basically fibrous plant material.
56. Agricultural wastes are a largely untapped resource. As of now, these agricultural residues are just plowed back into the soil, composted, burned or disposed in landfills.
57. Cellulosic biomass from trees,grasses, or agricultural wastes is harvested and delivered to the biorefinery. Biomassis ground into small, uniform particles. Thermal or chemical pretreatment separatescellulose from other biomass materials and opens up the cellulose surface to enzymatic attack. (3) A mix of enzymes is added to break down cellulose into simple sugars. (4) Microbes produce ethanol by fermenting sugars from cellulose and other biomass carbohydrates. (5) Ethanol is separated from water and other components of the fermentation broth and purified through distillation.
58. Because plants have undergone hundreds of millions of years of evolution to resist breakdown, the major component of plant cell walls, cellulose, is a challenge to convert. Converting it to ethanol is a complex and energy intensive process. Even though scientists know how to convert cellulose to ethanol, research is still being done on how this could be done on a large-scale.