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author = {Masum, F and Zaimes, G and Tan, E and Li, S and Dutta, A and Ramasamy, K and Hawkins, T},
title = {Comparing Life-Cycle Emissions of Biofuels for Marine Applications: Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wet Wastes, Pyrolysis of Wood, Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis of Landfill Gas, and Solvolysis of Wood},
journal = {Environmental Science & Technology},
year = {2023},
month = {aug},
publisher = {American Chemical Society},
volume = {57},
number = {34},
pages = {12701--12712},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.3c00388},
url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c00388},
keywords = {Biogenic Gases, Forest Biomass, Wastes and Byproducts, Bio-crude, Bio-oil, Ethanol, Renewable Diesel (HVO / FT), Catalysis, Thermochemical, Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and Air Emissions, Fuel Production Pathways, Unspecified Vessel Segment},
}
RIS
TI - Comparing Life-Cycle Emissions of Biofuels for Marine Applications: Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wet Wastes, Pyrolysis of Wood, Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis of Landfill Gas, and Solvolysis of Wood
AU - Masum, F
AU - Zaimes, G
AU - Tan, E
AU - Li, S
AU - Dutta, A
AU - Ramasamy, K
AU - Hawkins, T
T2 - Environmental Science & Technology
AB - Recent restrictions on marine fuel sulfur content and a heightened regulatory focus on maritime decarbonization are driving the deployment of low-carbon and low-sulfur alternative fuels for maritime transport. In this study, we quantified the life-cycle greenhouse gas and sulfur oxide emissions of several novel marine biofuel candidates and benchmarked the results against the emissions reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization. A total of 11 biofuel pathways via four conversion processes are considered, including (1) biocrudes derived from hydrothermal liquefaction of wastewater sludge and manure, (2) bio-oils from catalytic fast pyrolysis of woody biomass, (3) diesel via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of landfill gas, and (4) lignin ethanol oil from reductive catalytic fractionation of poplar. Our analysis reveals that marine biofuels' life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions range from -60 to 56 gCO2e MJ-1, representing a 41-163% reduction compared with conventional low-sulfur fuel oil, thus demonstrating a considerable potential for decarbonizing the maritime sector. Due to the net-negative carbon emissions from their life cycles, all waste-based pathways showed over 100% greenhouse gas reduction potential with respect to low-sulfur fuel oil. However, while most biofuel feedstocks have a naturally occurring low-sulfur content, the waste feedstocks considered here have higher sulfur content, requiring hydrotreating prior to use as a marine fuel. Combining the break-even price estimates from a published techno-economic analysis, which was performed concurrently with this study, the marginal greenhouse gas abatement cost was estimated to range from -$120 to $370 tCO2e-1 across the pathways considered. Lower marginal greenhouse gas abatement costs were associated with waste-based pathways, while higher marginal greenhouse gas abatement costs were associated with the other biomass-based pathways. Except for lignin ethanol oil, all candidates show the potential to be competitive with a carbon credit of $200 tCO2e-1 in 2016 dollars, which is within the range of prices recently received in connection with California's low-carbon fuel standard.
DA - 2023/08//
PY - 2023
PB - American Chemical Society
VL - 57
IS - 34
SP - 12701
EP - 12712
UR - https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c00388
DO - 10.1021/acs.est.3c00388
LA - English
KW - Biogenic Gases
KW - Forest Biomass
KW - Wastes and Byproducts
KW - Bio-crude
KW - Bio-oil
KW - Ethanol
KW - Renewable Diesel (HVO / FT)
KW - Catalysis
KW - Thermochemical
KW - Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and Air Emissions
KW - Fuel Production Pathways
KW - Unspecified Vessel Segment
ER -
Abstract
Recent restrictions on marine fuel sulfur content and a heightened regulatory focus on maritime decarbonization are driving the deployment of low-carbon and low-sulfur alternative fuels for maritime transport. In this study, we quantified the life-cycle greenhouse gas and sulfur oxide emissions of several novel marine biofuel candidates and benchmarked the results against the emissions reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization. A total of 11 biofuel pathways via four conversion processes are considered, including (1) biocrudes derived from hydrothermal liquefaction of wastewater sludge and manure, (2) bio-oils from catalytic fast pyrolysis of woody biomass, (3) diesel via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of landfill gas, and (4) lignin ethanol oil from reductive catalytic fractionation of poplar. Our analysis reveals that marine biofuels' life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions range from -60 to 56 gCO2e MJ-1, representing a 41-163% reduction compared with conventional low-sulfur fuel oil, thus demonstrating a considerable potential for decarbonizing the maritime sector. Due to the net-negative carbon emissions from their life cycles, all waste-based pathways showed over 100% greenhouse gas reduction potential with respect to low-sulfur fuel oil. However, while most biofuel feedstocks have a naturally occurring low-sulfur content, the waste feedstocks considered here have higher sulfur content, requiring hydrotreating prior to use as a marine fuel. Combining the break-even price estimates from a published techno-economic analysis, which was performed concurrently with this study, the marginal greenhouse gas abatement cost was estimated to range from -$120 to $370 tCO2e-1 across the pathways considered. Lower marginal greenhouse gas abatement costs were associated with waste-based pathways, while higher marginal greenhouse gas abatement costs were associated with the other biomass-based pathways. Except for lignin ethanol oil, all candidates show the potential to be competitive with a carbon credit of $200 tCO2e-1 in 2016 dollars, which is within the range of prices recently received in connection with California's low-carbon fuel standard.