Second-Generation Biofuels : Economics and Policies

Carriquiry, Miguel A.; Du, Xiaodong; Timilsina, Govinda R.

Second-Generation Biofuels : Economics and Policies

2010

Carriquiry, Miguel A. | Du, Xiaodong | Timilsina, Govinda R.

Recent increases in production of crop-based (or first-generation) biofuels have engendered increasing concerns over potential conflicts with food supplies and land protection, as well as disputes over greenhouse gas reductions. This has heightened a sense of urgency around the development of biofuels produced from non-food biomass (second-generation biofuels). This study reviews the economic potential and environmental implications of production of second-generation biofuels from a variety of various feedstocks. Although second-generation biofuels could significantly contribute to the future energy supply mix, cost is a major barrier to increasing commercial production in the near to medium term. Depending on various factors, the cost of second-generation (cellulosic) ethanol can be two to three times as high as the current price of gasoline on an energy equivalent basis. The cost of biodiesel produced from microalgae, a prospective feedstock, is many times higher than the current price of diesel. Policy instruments for increasing biofuels use, such as fiscal incentives, should be based on the relative merits of different types of biofuels.

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AGROVOC Keywords

agricultural land air air quality alfalfa alternative energy animal feed availability barley biodiesel bioenergy biofuels biological processes biomass biomass production birds calculation carbohydrates carbon cellulose chemical composition chemicals climate climate change climate change mitigation co2 commercialization crop production crop residues crude oil cultivation deforestation electricity emission energy balance energy crops energy demand energy security energy sources energy technology environmental protection enzymatic hydrolysis enzymes esters ethanol fao feedstocks fermentation food crops food production forage crops forest products forest thinning forestry forestry production forests fossil fossil fuels grain grain crops grasses grazing greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse gases harvesting hay heat heat exchangers hemicellulose jatropha land use land use change lignin lipids liquid fuels maize methanol microalgae natural resources nitrogen nutrient management oils oilseeds organic matter pesticides petroleum power price volatility produce production costs production systems pyrolysis rain rainfall rapeseed rapeseed oil raw materials renewable energy rice husks rice straw rural areas solar energy sorghum soybean oil soybeans spring sugar sugarcane sugars temperature tillage trees unep vegetable oils vehicles wheat wholesale prices wind winter wheat

Bibliographic information

Other Subjects

Biofuels production; Production of biomass; Energy from biomass; Barrels per day; Cellulosic ethanol; Raw biomass; Hybrid poplar; Ethanol plants; Biomass for energy; Biomass feedstock; Production of ethanol; Algal biomass; Transportation fuels; Oil extraction; Ethanol yield; Marginal lands; Cellulosic feedstock; Oil yields; Utilities; Emission increases; Rapeseeds; World energy consumption; Forest residues; Feedstock costs; Hybrid systems; Fuel ethanol; Crop yields; Photosynthetic energy capture; Forest; Annual crops; Conversion facility; Cellulosic ethanol production; Potential yields; Lignocellulosic biomass; Biomass feedstocks; Fossil diesel; Feedstock cost; Crop; Approach; Biofuels industry; Energy prices; Price of gasoline; Agricultural activities; Feedstock development program; Greenhouse; Plant biomass; Diesel; Grains; Acid; Feedstock prices; Spot markets; Tree species; Dry biomass; Biomass materials; Corn ethanol; Oil equivalent; Crop residue; Carbon balance; Tax credit; Degraded areas; Ash; Oil; Biomass processing; Bio-diesel; Fuel production; Conserve soil; Biofuels technology; Energy supply; Power plant; Natural resource; Supply curve; Oil yield; Grease; Hybrid system; Feedstock handling; Agricultural residue; Biofuel production; Conversion process; Feedstock; Ethanol plant; Sugarcane bagasse; Vegetable oil; Environmental impacts; Steam turbine; Oil price; Oil crisis; Commodity; Renewable fuels; Unit operations; Renewable fuel; Production methods; Ethanol gasoline; Agricultural residues; Negative impact; Corn cobs; Oil prices; Biomass energy production; Biomass yield; Feedstock demand; Energy projects; Flue gas; Transport sector; Wood processing; Energy mix; Ethanol production; Corn; Production cost; Fuel; Wood processing mill residues; Carbon debt; Generation; Residue feedstocks; Fossil energy; Biomass productivity; Conversion efficiency; Biomass energy; Ghg; Waste products; Carbon reduction; Wildlife habitat; Greenhouse gas; Tax incentives; Biomass for energy production; Soil type; Fuel wood; Source of fuel; Clean water; Carbon in soils; Energy crop; Algal physiology; Greenhouse gas reductions; Sugarcane ethanol; Cellulosic feedstocks; Ethanol industry; Emission reductions; Energy outlook; Corn stover; Global energy supply; Biofuel

License

Paper is funded by the Knowledge for Change Program (KCP),Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5406http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/World BankCreative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0

Source

Paper is funded by the Knowledge for Change Program (KCP),Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5406

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http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3891

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