Comparative evaluation of GHG emissions from the use of Miscanthus for bio-hydrocarbon production via fast pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading

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dc.contributor.authorShemfe, Mobolaji B.
dc.contributor.authorWhittaker, Carly
dc.contributor.authorGu, Sai
dc.contributor.authorFidalgo Fernandez, Beatriz
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-04T12:17:37Z
dc.date.available2016-08-04T12:17:37Z
dc.date.issued2016-05-13
dc.description.abstractThis study examines the GHG emissions associated with producing bio-hydrocarbons via fast pyrolysis of Miscanthus. The feedstock is then upgraded to bio-oil products via hydroprocessing and zeolite cracking. Inventory data for this study were obtained from current commercial cultivation practices of Miscanthus in the UK and state-of-the-art process models developed in Aspen Plus®. The system boundary considered spans from the cultivation of Miscanthus to conversion of the pyrolysis-derived bio-oil into bio-hydrocarbons up to the refinery gate. The Miscanthus cultivation subsystem considers three scenarios for soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rates. These were assumed as follows: (i) excluding (SOC), (ii) low SOC and (iii) high (SOC) for best and worst cases. Overall, Miscanthus cultivation contributed moderate to negative values to GHG emissions, from analysis of excluding SOC to high SOC scenarios. Furthermore, the rate of SOC in the Miscanthus cultivation subsystem has significant effects on total GHG emissions. Where SOC is excluded, the fast pyrolysis subsystem shows the highest positive contribution to GHG emissions, while the credit for exported electricity was the main ‘negative’ GHG emission contributor for both upgrading pathways. Comparison between the bio-hydrocarbons produced from the two upgrading routes and fossil fuels indicates GHG emission savings between 68% and 87%. Sensitivity analysis reveals that bio-hydrocarbon yield and nitrogen gas feed to the fast pyrolysis reactor are the main parameters that influence the total GHG emissions for both pathways.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationMobolaji B. Shemfe, Carly Whittaker, Sai Gu, Beatriz Fidalgo, Comparative evaluation of GHG emissions from the use of Miscanthus for bio-hydrocarbon production via fast pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading, Applied Energy, Volume 176, 15 August 2016, pp22-33en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0306-2619
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.04.113
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/10224
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherElsevieren_UK
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectFast pyrolysisen_UK
dc.subjectBiorefineryen_UK
dc.subjectGHG emissionsen_UK
dc.subjectBio-oil upgradingen_UK
dc.subjectMiscanthusen_UK
dc.subjectLife cycle assessmenten_UK
dc.titleComparative evaluation of GHG emissions from the use of Miscanthus for bio-hydrocarbon production via fast pyrolysis and bio-oil upgradingen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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