Biofuels are becoming a cost-competitive, climate-friendly solution to reducing carbon emissions from cars and trucks, according to two new studies.
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory conducted the research in collaboration with DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The results show that biofuels combined with advanced engine design can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 60%, while improving fuel efficiency or reducing tailpipe emissions.
Biofuels have clear advantages over fossil gasoline. But the energy efficiency of the engine itself is also crucial. Designing low-carbon fuels and engines to work together can maximize energy efficiency and vehicle performance.
“We are at the intersection of new innovations in engines and biofuels,” said Troy Hawkins, Argonne fuels and product group manager. “Our goal is to develop new biofuels that can be blended with conventional fuels to improve engine performance. That means a gasoline-powered car or truck can go farther for the same amount of fuel. Or a diesel car can meet stricter emissions standards."
In both studies, Argonne scientists collaborated with other national laboratories to identify promising fuels for different types of engines. The researchers considered cost, environmental impact and potential for expansion into commercial markets.
The research was supported by the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) program, jointly led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Bioenergy Technologies, and Office of Automotive Technologies.
Argonne is part of the Co-Optimas consortium of nine national laboratories and more than 20 university and industry partners. The consortium studies how to innovate simultaneously in fuels and engines to improve fuel economy and vehicle performance while reducing emissions.
Finding Biofuel Pathways
Research in the Co-Optimas project builds on the goal of identifying and understanding biofuels. Biofuels are produced from the organic material of biomass, including plants, agricultural waste and wet waste.
Biofuels can be blended with conventional fuels to reduce emissions and improve fuel and engine performance.
Working with Co-Optima fuel experts, the researchers used a screening process to develop a list of biofuels for their study, Benavid said.
"We worked with other experts and used specific criteria to narrow down the many
biofuel candidates to a short list for our study," Benavid said, "based on desired performance and engine combustion patterns. Converting biomass to biofuels is a complex process involving variables in feedstock, conversion technology and fuel type. Finding biofuel pathways that simultaneously meet economic, technological and energy goals is particularly challenging."
Benavid is co-first author of one of the studies. The team evaluated 12 biofuel production pathways to optimize multi-mode internal combustion engines. Multi-mode internal combustion engines can achieve greater efficiency and cost savings by using different methods of ignition, combustion and fuel preparation according to driving needs. The researchers used renewable biomass feedstocks derived from agricultural and forestry by-products such as wood waste and agricultural by-products such as corn stover. The conversion techniques they used included fermentation, HPHT catalysis, or a combination of both.
"We found that not only were the seven biofuels cost-competitive to produce, but the seven biofuels also varied in the feedstocks and conversion technologies used," Buterin said. This means biorefineries have more flexibility to choose where and how to build their facilities." Researchers at NREL and PNNL conducted a techno-economic assessment of biofuel production pathways, analyzing costs and technical performance. "Our findings suggest that many biofuels are competitive with current petroleum fuel costs," Phillips said.
The researchers also analyzed environmental impacts. A life cycle analysis of the pathways using the Argonnes GREET (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Used in Technology) model shows impressive results. Ten biofuels have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% compared to fossil gasoline. The list includes alcohols, furan mixtures and alkenes.
Biofuel Prospects for Diesel Engines
The second study was co-authored by Butlin. The researchers analyzed 25 optimized pathways for producing biofuels to improve combustion in hybrid-controlled compression-ignition engines. This is a diesel engine mainly used for cargo transportation. To develop biofuel production pathways, the researchers used a variety of feedstocks, ranging from plant material, such as wood chips or corn stover, to oils from soybeans and papayas, to wet waste and recycled grease. The conversion technologies they use include fermentation, gasification and hydrothermal liquefaction.
Damon Hartley, head of INL's Operations Research and Analysis Group, said the various biomass resources available had huge potential to replace some fuels and chemicals derived from petroleum. One of the biggest hurdles, however, is the variable quality of raw materials. This has a big impact on how the material behaves in transitions. As in the first study, most techniques performed well. Most biofuels are cost competitive with current natural gas prices.
In terms of environmental impact, according to the GREET life cycle analysis, 12 of the 25 pathways have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60%. "We assessed lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for each hybrid controlled compression ignition engine path," Hawkins said. upstream emissions."
Creating Biofuel Pathways
The researchers do not plan to develop a definitive list of biofuels, Benavid said. Instead, these studies provide guidance for stakeholders to choose the biofuel pathway that best meets their needs. “We provide guidance to researchers and industry for biofuel assessments based on many complex variables,” he said. Life cycle and techno-economic analysis are important to guide stakeholders early on. We cannot tell stakeholders what choices to make. But these tools can point them in the right direction from the start. While many biofuel pathways may be cost-competitive, it is too early to lock in prices in a volatile natural gas market.
In the long run, Hawkins said, the challenge is to offer cost-competitive prices. While these biofuel production pathways are targeting passenger cars and diesel trucks, Argonne researchers are also investigating their potential for use in hard-to-electrify industries such as aviation and maritime. The goal is to introduce biofuels to the market across a range of industries as quickly as possible.
"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been working to develop sustainable decarbonization solutions for the transportation sector," Hawkins said, with biofuels a big part of that. "We will continue to expand the important work of Co-Optimas."
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