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

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

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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