| 1. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Life cycle assessment of wood-based ethanol production at high gravity conditions
- 2014
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The development of economically feasible and environmentally benign processes for the production of second generation biofuels is an ongoing effort. The production of bio-ethanol from wood (spruce) using high gravity (high solids content) fermentation is one process concept that is currently under development. Such a process will lead to lower water use in the process, and consequently to lower energy use. However, high gravity conditions have adverse effects on the micro-organisms and high yields are thus not guaranteed. All this will affect the environmental impact of the process. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate the environmental impact of the process along its development path. The main objective of the LCA is to help improve the process under development from an environmental point of view. The LCA is based on the results of lab experiments that were done for the high gravity fermentation process using pretreated spruce as the feedstock. These experiments focused on the process configuration and detoxification strategies in order to increase yields. A spreadsheet model was set up that used the experimental data in order to calculate the mass and energy balances of the system under study, from the harvesting of the wood until the produced ethanol leaves the plant (cradle-to-gate). The results of the mass and energy balances were subsequently used in the LCA model in order to calculate the environmental impact of the ethanol production. The outcomes of the LCA for all the process variants studied were compared in order to identify the weak and strong points of the process. This information can then be used for further development of the technology.This poster presents the results of the LCA based on the lab experiments for this wood-based high gravity process under development. Comparisons are made with wood-based ethanol production using a fermentation process at lower solids content, and with ethanol production using first-generation feedstocks and technology. LCA is thus used during the process development and may potentially have a significant influence on this development, and therefore on the sustainability of 2nd generation biofuels that are produced with a high gravity production process.
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| 2. |
- Liptow, Christin, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Ethylene based on woody biomass-what are environmental key issues of a possible future Swedish production on industrial scale
- 2013
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Ingår i: International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1614-7502 .- 0948-3349. ; 18:5, s. 1071-1081
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In order to reduce its environmental impact, the chemical industry no longer produces base chemicals such as ethylene, solely from fossil, but also from biomass-based feedstocks. However, a biomass option suitable for one region might not be as suitable for another region due to, e.g., long transport and the related environmental. Therefore, local biomass alternatives and the environmental impact related to the production of chemicals from these alternatives need to be investigated. This study assesses the environmental impact of producing ethylene from Swedish wood ethanol.The study was conducted following the methodology of life cycle assessment. The life cycle was assessed using a cradle-to-gate perspective for the production of 50,000 tonnes ethylene/year for the impact categories global warming, acidification (ACP), photochemical ozone creation, and eutrophication (EP).The production of enzymes used during the life cycle had a significant effect on all investigated impacts. However, reduced consumption of enzyme product, which could possibly be realized considering the rapid development of enzymes, lowered the overall environmental impact of the ethylene. Another approach could be to use alternative hydrolyzing agents. However, little information on their environmental impact is available. An additional key contributor, with regard to ACP, EP, and POCP, was the ethanol production. Therefore, further improvements with regard to the process' design may have beneficial effects on its environmental impact.The study assessed the environmental impact of wood ethylene and pointed to several directions for improvements, such as improved enzyme production and reduced consumption of enzyme products. Moreover, the analysis showed that further investigations into other process options and increase of ethylene production from biomass are worth continued research.
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| 3. |
- Hermansson, Frida, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Environmental evaluation of bio-composites using LCA - Comparison of two different applications
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 63rd Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bio-composites have been developed in order to e.g. decrease the use of non-renewable resources, such as crude oil (used for plastics manufacturing). In order to investigate the environmental advantages and drawbacks of bio-composites, a LCA was carried out for Durapulp, developed by Södra, and several alternative composites. The goals of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts during the bio-composite's lifespan, to compare effects arising from the choice of polymer used and to suggest methodological choices for comparing environmental impacts of applications with different lifespans. The short lifespan product is represented by a food-packaging unit and the long lifespan product by a car door panel.The results show that bio-composites with a lower polymer fraction have a smaller environmental impact . They also show that the environmental impact of the packaging unit is reduced more when using the bio-composite instead of fossil-based plastic when compared to the case of the car door panel. Moreover, the results show that the different life cycle phases will have a different influence on the overall results for the two applications. This means that for the packaging unit the accuracy data about the manufacturing phase is more important, while detailed data for the use phase is of more importance for the car door panel. Finally, a discussion on the importance of choosing a proper dimension for the reference flow is included.
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| 4. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973
(författare)
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Hur mycket bioprodukter behövs?
- 2014
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Ingår i: Perspektiv på förädling av bioråvara 2014. - 9789198097450 ; , s. 10-11
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 5. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of high gravity process conditions on the environmental impact of ethanol production from wheat straw
- 2014
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Ingår i: Bioresource Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0960-8524 .- 1873-2976. ; 173, s. 148-158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biofuel production processes at high gravity are currently under development. Most of these processes however use sugars or first generation feedstocks as substrate. This paper presents the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the production of bio-ethanol at high gravity conditions from a second generation feedstock, namely, wheat straw. The LCA used lab results of a set of 36 process configurations in which dry matter content, enzyme preparation and loading, and process strategy were varied. The LCA results show that higher dry matter content leads to a higher environmental impact of the ethanol production, but this can be compensated by reducing the impact of enzyme production and use, and by polyethylene glycol addition at high dry matter content. The results also show that the renewable and non-renewable energy use resulting from the different process configurations ultimately determine their environmental impact.
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| 6. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Life cycle assessment during early development stage of a new bio-ethanol production process
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 63rd Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The development of economically feasible and environmentally benign processes for the production of 2nd generation biofuels is an ongoing effort. The production of bio-ethanol from wood (spruce) and wheat straw using a high gravity (high solids content) fermentation process is one concept that is under development. Such a process will lead to lower water use in the process, and consequently to lower energy use. However, high gravity conditions have adverse effects on the micro-organisms and high yields are thus not guaranteed. All this will affect the environmental impact of the process. Life cycle assessment is used to evaluate the environmental impact along the process development path. The life cycle assessment is based on the results of lab experiments that were done for the wood- and straw-based processes. These experiments have been done in order to find appropriate process conditions for obtaining a high yield for ethanol production. Process variables for the straw-based process were the process configuration, type of enzyme, enzyme load and solids content. Experiments for the wood-based process focused on the process configuration and detoxification strategies in order to increase yields. Life cycle inventories were built based on the experimental results, from the extraction of the feedstock material to the plant gate. This paper will discuss the results of the LCA based on the lab experiments for both the straw- and wood-based processes. Comparisons are made with the fossil fuel case and with the ethanol production using first-generation feedstocks and technology.
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| 7. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Life Cycle Assessment of Second Generation Biofuels Production Using High-Gravity Hydrolysis and Fermentation
- 2012
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The search for sustainable production of 2nd generation biofuels is an ongoing effort. This production is not only aiming at substituting fossil-based transportation fuels with their renewable counterparts. It is also aiming at using renewable resources that will not affect food production, an issue that the 1st generation biofuels (e.g. ethanol from corn) have been criticized for. As well, 1st generation biofuels have been shown to be not as advantageous from an environmental perspective as was first expected, for instance due to the increased use of fertilizer. Lignocellulosic materials such as wood and straw are resources that can be used for the production of these 2nd generation biofuels. However, it has been particularly difficult to develop economically feasible processes for the production of these fuels.High gravity processes, i.e. processes with high raw material concentration, have the potential of meet the economic requirements. In order to assess the environmental impact of such a process, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is applied in order to account for these impacts along the value chain of these fuels. This process technology development project focuses on the production of ethanol and 1-butanol using high gravity hydrolysis and fermentation. However, parts of this technology are still in the early stage of development and have not even reached the pilot scale stage. Therefore, lab scale data and information are used to assess the technology under development and process simulation is needed to generate data about the industrial-scale process. This implies that scale-up issues need to be taken into account in the LCA. Issues specific to biofuel production such as land use and land use change, and water use need to be addressed as well. The outcomes of the LCA can then be used to identify the weak and strong points of the process and this information can then be used in the development of the technology.This poster presents a short review of the literature on the relevant issues regarding biofuel production and the use of LCA in technology development. Furthermore, a project plan for the environmental assessment of the technology under study and the use of these assessments in the technology development process is presented. LCA will thus be used during the technology development and will potentially have a significant influence on this development, and therefore on the sustainability of 2nd generation biofuels that are produced with a high gravity production process.
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| 8. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973
(författare)
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Market potential of biorefinery products
- 2012
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Ingår i: Systems Perspectives on Biorefineries 2012. - 9789198030013 ; , s. 26-35
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Human beings have always influenced their habitats and the conversion of natural ecosystems to anthropogenic landscapes is perhaps the most evident alterationof the Earth. Human societies have put almost half of the world’s land surface to their service, and human land use has caused extensive land degradation and biodiversity loss, and also emissions to air and water contributing to impacts such as eutrophication, acidification, stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change. The substitution of biomass with fossil resources has – together with the intensification of agriculture – saved large areas from deforestation and conversion to agricultural land. However, intensified land management and the use of oil, coal and natural gas cause many of the environmental impacts we see today. Societies therefore take measures to reduce the dependence on fossil resources and return to relying more on biomass and other renewable resources.
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| 9. |
- Janssen, Mathias, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Simulation and LCA of a bioethanol process technology in development
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 7th International Society for Industrial Ecology Biennial Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The development of sustainable processes for the production of second generation biofuels is an ongoing effort. Not only does such a process need to be economically feasible, it should also produce a biofuel that has a lower environmental impact compared to first generation biofuels or fossil fuels. In this work, Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used for the evaluation of such a process along its development path. The objectives of this evaluation are to help improve and/or optimize the process in development from an environmental perspective and to help guide this development. In particular, the process under study uses high-gravity fermentation, i.e. a process with a high solids concentration in the fermentation reactor, for the production of ethanol from wood and straw. A simulation model of a plant with an industrially relevant capacity using the high-gravity technology has been set up in order to address issues of scaling up the process in development (process-level scale). Data from lab experiments are used by this model and the simulation results are subsequently used in the LCA model in order to calculate the environmental impact of the technology at an industrial scale. Furthermore, the scale at which biofuels are applied in land transport, partly due to targets set in e.g. the EU Renewable Energy Directive, needs to be accounted for (biofuel sector-level scale). The consequent feedstock use, and resulting land use and land use change impacts, as well as biogenic carbon emissions need to be included in the LCA. This paper discusses the modeling at the aforementioned process level and results are presented in order to demonstrate the importance of considering scale issues at this level. The inclusion of scale issues at the biofuel sector level in LCA will be discussed.
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| 10. |
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