Greenhouse gas emissions and energy balance of palm oil biofuel
Márcio Ávila2010, Renewable Energy
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GHG balance of crude palm oil for biodiesel production in the northern region of Brazil
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Biomass has become important as an alternative to fossil fuels and as a means to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly in tropical regions such as Brazil. Therefore, the demand for energy crops has increased strongly, and among such crops, palm oil is distinctive because of its productivity and well-developed production techniques. This paper intends to evaluate crude palm oil's GHG balance through a life-cycle assessment approach. This study is based on the average data of an ideal palm oil system in the northern region of Brazil. In the production of crude palm oil, a large amount of CO 2 sequestration occurs during the growth of palm oil trees. In contrast, the greatest emissions are biotic CO 2 , which returns to the atmosphere and emissions from fertilizer production. The GHG balance of an oil palm plantation is approximately À208 kg CO 2 -equiv./1000 kg crude palm oil per year.
Energy Balances and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Palm Oil Biodiesel in Indonesia
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This study presents a cradle-to-gate assessment of the energy balances and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Indonesian palm oil biodiesel production, including the stages of land-use change (LUC), agricultural phase, transportation, milling, biodiesel processing, and comparing the results from different farming systems, including company plantations and smallholder plantations (either out growers or independent growers) in different locations in Kalimantan and Sumatra of Indonesia. The findings demonstrate that there are considerable differences between the farming systems and the locations in net energy yields (43.6-49.2 GJ t À1 biodiesel yr À1 ) as well as GHG emissions (1969.6-5626.4 kg CO 2eq t À1 biodiesel yr À1 ). The output to input ratios are positive in all cases. The largest GHG emissions result from LUC effects, followed by the transesterification, fertilizer production, agricultural production processes, milling, and transportation. Ecosystem carbon payback times range from 11 to 42 years.
Measured greenhouse gas budgets challenge emission savings from palm-oil biodiesel
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The potential of palm-oil biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared with fossil fuels is increasingly questioned. So far, no measurement-based GHG budgets were available, and plantation age was ignored in Life Cycle Analyses (LCA). Here, we conduct LCA based on measured CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes in young and mature Indonesian oil palm plantations. CO2 dominates the on-site GHG budgets. The young plantation is a carbon source (1012 ± 51 gC m−2 yr−1), the mature plantation a sink (−754 ± 38 gC m−2 yr−1). LCA considering the measured fluxes shows higher GHG emissions for palm-oil biodiesel than traditional LCA assuming carbon neutrality. Plantation rotation-cycle extension and earlier-yielding varieties potentially decrease GHG emissions. Due to the high emissions associated with forest conversion to oil palm, our results indicate that only biodiesel from second rotation-cycle plantations or plantations established on degraded land has the potential for pronounced GHG em...
Greenhouse Gas Assessment and Strategies to Achieve CO2 Sequestration in the Brazilian Palm Oil Life Cycle
2020
As the palm oil production is expanding in Brazilian Amazon region, this study aimed to determinate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since the agricultural phase to transportation of crude palm oil (CPO) and then indicate strategies to achieve the CO 2 sequestration. The scope of this study comprised since the stage of oil palm seedlings production until the transportation of CPO. Inventory data for the year of 2009 included the agricultural production of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and the extraction and transportation of CPO. The management of palm oil mill effluent (POME), use of fertilizers, fuels, pesticides, and electricity contributed to 66.5, 17.9, 15.1, 0.4, and 0.1% of the total emissions, respectively. Agricultural phase, CPO extraction, and transportation emitted 32,131, 79,590, and 1,104 t CO 2 -eq, respectively. The carbon (C) footprint was 0.79 t CO 2 -eq / t CPO, and the highest GHG emissions were associated to the management of POME. On the other hand, the use of all residues from the mill as fertilizer substitute can minimize the GHG emissions and increase soil C stocks. In addition, the methane (CH 4 ) from POME captured and used for steam or electricity is also a viable alternative to reduce the GHG emissions.
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Soybean biodiesel (B100) has been playing an important role in Brazilian energy matrix towards the national bio-based economy. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is the most widely used indicator for assessing the environmental sustainability of biodiesels and received particular attention among decision makers in business and politics, as well as consumers. Former studies have been mainly focused on the GHG emissions from the soybean cultivation, excluding other stages of the biodiesel production. Here, we present a holistic view of the total GHG emissions in four life cycle stages for soybean biodiesel. The aim of this study was to assess the GHG emissions of Brazilian soybean biodiesel production system with an integrated life cycle approach of four stages: agriculture, extraction, production and distribution. Allocation of mass and energy was applied and special attention was paid to the integrated and non-integrated industrial production chain. The results indicated that the largest source of GHG emissions, among four life cycle stages, is the agricultural stage (42-51%) for B100 produced in integrated systems and the production stage (46-52%) for B100 produced in non-integrated systems. Integration of industrial units resulted in significant reduction in life cycle GHG emissions. Without the consideration of LUC and assuming biogenic CO 2 emissions is carbon neutral in our study, the calculated life cycle GHG emissions for domestic soybean biodiesel varied from 23.1 to 25.8 gCO 2 eq. MJ-1 B100 and those for soybean biodiesel exported to EU ranged from 26.5 to 29.2 gCO 2 eq. MJ-1 B100, which represent reductions by 65% up to 72% (depending on the delivery route) of GHG emissions compared with the EU benchmark for diesel fuel. Our findings from a life cycle perspective contributed to identify the major GHG sources in Brazilian soybean biodiesel production system and they can be used to guide mitigation priority for policy and decisionmaking. Projected scenarios in this study would be taken as references for accounting the environmental sustainability of soybean biodiesel within a domestic and global level.
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Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2013
The objectives of this study are to identify the energy balance of Indonesian palm oil biodiesel production, including the stages of land use change, transport and milling and biodiesel processing, and to estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from different production systems, including large and small holder plantations either dependent or independent, located in Kalimantan and in Sumatra. Results show that the accompanied implications of palm oil biodiesel produced in Kalimantan and Sumatra are different: energy input in Sumatra is higher than in Kalimantan, except for transport processes; the input/output ratios are positive in both regions and all production systems. The findings demonstrate that there are considerable differences between the farming systems and the locations in net energy yields (43.6 to 49.2 GJ t-1 biodiesel yr-1) as well as greenhouse gas emissions (1969.6 to 5626.4 kg CO 2eq t-1 biodiesel yr-1). The output to input ratios are positive in all cases. The largest greenhouse gas emissions result from land use change effects, followed by the transesterification, fertilizer production, agricultural production processes, milling and transportation. Ecosystem carbon payback times range from 11 to 42 years.
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Primary energy production in Indonesia in 2018 consisting of petroleum, natural gas, coal and renewable energy reached 1,504 million BOE (Barrel of Oil Equivalent). Dependence on the use of fuel oil (BBM), especially in the transportation sector, is still high. The global commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions encourages the Indonesian government to support the role of new and renewable energy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become a popular technique applied to evaluate the environmental impact, energy consumption and GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions of biofuel production. To evaluate the life cycle impact of biodiesel, many steps have to be considered including land use change, plantation, milling, refining, fuel conversion. There have been several studies reporting the life cycle of palm oil production. However, most of them are still focused on GHG emissions and energy needs. Therefore, this paper will present LCA with broader impact categories of biodiesel production in...
A meta-analytic review of life cycle assessment and flow analyses studies of palm oil biodiesel
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This work reviews and performs a meta-analysis of the recent life cycle assessment and flow analyses studies palm oil biodiesel. The best available data and information are extracted, summarized, and discussed. Most studies found palm oil biodiesel would produce positive energy balance with an energy ratio between 2.27 and 4.81, and with a net energy production of 112 GJ ha À1 y À1. With the exception of a few studies, most conclude that palm oil biodiesel is a net emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). The origin of oil palm plantation (planted area) is the foremost determinant of GHG emissions and C payback time (CPBT). Converting peatland forest results in GHG emissions up to 60 tons CO 2 equivalent (eq) ha À1 y À1 leading to 420 years of CPBT. In contrast, converting degraded land or grassland for plantation can positively offset the system to become a net sequester of 5 tons CO 2 eq ha À1 y À1. Few studies have discussed cradle-to-grave environmental impacts such as acidification, eutrophication, toxicity, and biodiversity, which open opportunity for further studies.
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Biodiesel derived from palm oil has been recognized as a high-productivity oil crop among the first generation of biofuels. This study evaluated and discussed the net energy balance for biodiesel in Indonesia by calculating the net energy ratio (NER) and net energy production (NEP) form the total energy input and output. The results of the calculation of energy input for the default scenario demonstrated that the primary energy inputs in the biodiesel production lifecycle were the methanol feedstock, energy input during the biodiesel production process, and urea production. These three items amounted to 85% of the total energy input. Next, we considered and evaluated ways to potentially improve the energy balance by utilizing by-products and biogas from wastewater treatment in the palm oil mill. This result emphasized the importance of utilizing the biomass residue and byproducts. Finally, we discussed the need to be aware of energy balance issues between countries when biofuels are transported internationally.
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The production of palm oil biodiesel in Indonesia has the potential to negatively impact the environment if not managed properly. Therefore, we conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) study on the production of palm oil biodiesel to assess the environmental performance in Indonesia. Using an LCA approach, we analyzed the environmental indicators, including the carbon footprint, as well as the harm to human health, ecosystem diversity, and resource availability in palm oil biodiesel production. The functional unit in this study was 1 ton of biodiesel. The life cycle of palm oil biodiesel production consists of three processing units, namely the oil palm plantation, palm oil production, and biodiesel production. The processing unit with the greatest impact on the environment was found to be the oil palm plantation. The environmental benefits, namely the use of phosphate, contributed 62.30% of the 73.40% environmental benefit of the CO2 uptake from the oil palm plantation processing un...
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h i g h l i g h t s " We evaluate energy and carbon equivalence from CPO production based on a CBM. " Energy spent and produced via carbon movement from palm oil mill was determined. " Scenarios were formulated to evaluate the potential reduction of carbon emission. " Utilization of biomass from palm oil mill shows the high potential of C-reduction.
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Oil palm for biodiesel in Brazil—risks and opportunities
Environmental Research Letters, 2015
Although mainly used for other purposes, and historically mainly established at the expense of tropical forests, oil palm can be the most land efficient feedstock for biodiesel. Large parts of Brazil are suitable for oil palm cultivation and a series of policy initiatives have recently been launched to promote oil palm production. These initiatives are however highly debated both in the parliament and in academia. Here we present results of a high resolution modelling study of opportunities and risks associated with oil palm production for biodiesel in Brazil, under different energy, policy, and infrastructure scenarios. Oil palm was found to be profitable on extensive areas, including areas under native vegetation where establishment would cause large land use change (LUC) emissions. However, some 40-60 Mha could support profitable biodiesel production corresponding to approximately 10% of the global diesel demand, without causing direct LUC emissions or impinging on protected areas. Pricing of LUC emissions could make oil palm production unprofitable on most lands where conversion would impact on native ecosystems and carbon stocks, if the carbon price is at the level $125/tC, or higher.
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