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128 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the orders of the world's highest energy consumption by fuel?
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1. Petroleum
2. Natural gas 3. Coal 4. Nuclear 5. Biomass 6. Hydroelectric 7. Solar |
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Among U.S. Electricity Flow, what is the biggest flow and what is its portion?
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Conversions Losses: 67%
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Which region of the world has the most Natural Gas Reserve?
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Middle East and Eastern Europe equally have the most Natural Gas Reserve.
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In NA, which country has more Natural Gas reserve?
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United States
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Which region of the world has the most Crude Oil Reserve?
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Middle East, then North America
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In NA, which country has more Crude Oil reserve?
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Canada
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When do the most Crude Oil Reserve Trendlines expect the reserve to RUN OUT?
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2100 ~ 2200
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In 2009, how much did Renewable energy contribute to the Total U.S. Energy Consumption in 2004 Billion Ton Study? What was the largest portion among its sectors and what took the largest portion?
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6%, Bioenergy, Wood Residues and Pulping Liquors
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In 2012, how much did Renewable Energy contribute to the Total U.S. Energy Consumption?
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9%
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How much percentage of petroleum did U.S. import?
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About 50% (45%, more precisely)
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Where do the most of U.S.'s net imports of crude oil come from?
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Western Hemisphere/North America (52%), and then Persian Gulf (22%)
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When is RFS2 effective?
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July 1st, 2010
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What TWO Requirements for Specific Categories of Biofuels does RFS2 establish?
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GHG Reduction and Volume Requirements
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In RFS2, what does EPA include in determining GHG Reduction?
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Indirect Land Use Change Emissions
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What is the total volume requirement by 2022?
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36 Billion Gallons
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What is the volume requirement for Conventional Biofuels by 2022? What is the GHG reduction requirement?
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15 Billion Gallons, 20%
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What is the volume requirement for Advanced Biofuels by 2022?
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21 Billion Gallons
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In RFS2, among Advanced Biofuels category, what is the volume requirement for Cellulosic and what is the GHG Reduction Requirement?
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16 Billion Gallons, 60%
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In RFS2, among Advanced Biofuels category, what is the volume requirement for Biodiesel and what is the GHG Reduction Requirement?
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1 Billion Gallon, 50%
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In RFS2, among Advanced Biofuels category, what is the volume requirement for "Undifferentiated" and what is the GHG Reduction Requirement?
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4 Billion Gallons, 50%
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What are the Renewables used most for in U.S. energy source sector?
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Liquid Fuel for Transportation
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With respect to the same amount of fossil energy used in production of ethanol from CORN and CELLULOSE, what are their relative amount of Resulting Energy and what are their GHG Reduction Percentages? (Results from Argonne National Lab, Michael Wang)
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1.3 times / 10 times
12 - 26 % / 82 - 85 % |
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What are the FIVE Motivations for Biofuels?
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1. Energy Security
2. Home-grown Domestic Energy (Rural Development 3. Economic Benefits 4. Sustainable Development in 3rd World Countries 5. Low-Carbon Energy Alternatives |
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What are the SIX Soil Functions?
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1. Physical Stability/Support
2. Nutrient Cycling 3. Water Regulation 4. Habitat for Plants 5. Filtering/Buffering |
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What are the FOUR Contributions of Soil Organic Matter (SOM)
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1. Glue that is structure for anti-compaction - More Room for Root Growth
2. Absorbing and Retaining of Water, Resisting Erosion 3. Holds Soluble Nutrients 4. Increase in Microorganisms that decrease Pathogens and Diseases |
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What are the FOUR Management Goals for Maintaining or Improving Soil Quality?
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1. Using Renewable Soil Components (e.g. SOM)
2. Minimized Erosion 3. Applying Minimal Pollutants (e.g. manure or pesticide) 4. Crop Rotations, Minimum Tillage, Cover Crops, and Pest Management that decrease Pesticide Usage |
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What is the OBJECTIVE of Tillage?
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Achieve Soil Porosity for Soil Aeration and Water Accessibility
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What do Primary and Secondary Tillage do?
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Primary: Buries Weeds, Weed Seeds, and Plant Residue
Secondary: Create a Seedbed |
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List the THREE Tillage Methods in terms of increasing Residue Coverage.
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Conventional Tillage: <15% Coverage
Reduced Tillage: 15 to 30% Coverage Conservation Tillage: >30% Coverage |
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Why Not No-Till? (SIX Reasons)
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1. Lower Yields
2. Colder, Wetter Soil 3. Weed Management Issues 4. Soil Compaction 5. Nutrient and Manure Management Issues 6. Insect and Disease Issues |
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What are the FOUR Main Ways that Nitrogen is LOST from the Soil System?
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1. Denitrification
2. Leaching/runoff 3. Volatilization 4. Crop Harvest |
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What are the FOUR Main Ways that Nitrogen is GAINED from the Soil System?
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1. N Fixation
2. Ammonification 3. Nitrification 4. Fertilization |
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What are the FIVE Benefits of Growing Perennial Crops?
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1. No Tillage after Plating
2. Reduction in Required N 3. Increased SOM, Soil Aggregation, and Diversity 4. Sequestration of Soil Carbon 5. Possible Financial Incentive for More GHG Reduction |
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What Crops Need the MOST and the LEAST Million acres to Produce 36 bgy?
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Prarie and Miscanthus
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What is Lignocellulosic Biomass?
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Biomass that is Non-Starch, Fibrous Part of Plant (Woody)
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What is the Composition of Lignocellulose?
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Cellulose: 30 ~ 50%
Hemicellulose: 20 ~ 40% Lignin: 15 ~ 25% Other: 5 ~ 35% |
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What are PROs of Woody Crop?
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1. Long Stand Duration
2. More Cold-Tolerant 3. Increased Genetic Diversity 4. Good Yield Potential 5. Adaptability to Specialized Conditions |
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What are CONs of Woody Crop?
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1. Expensive Plating/Harvesting Equipment
2. High Lignin 3. Slow to Return Investment 4. Difficult to Finance |
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What are PROs of Perennial Grass?
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1. Reduced Fuel, Pesticides, and Fertilizer
2. High Biomass Production 3. On Land Not Suitable for Annual Crop 4. Soil/Water Conservation 5. Carbon Sequestration 6. Wildlife Habitat |
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What are CONs of Perennial Grass?
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1. Low Bulk Density (Harvest, Storage, Transportation
2. Pretreatment and Processing |
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What are CONs of Miscanthus?
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1. High Cost of Establishment
2. Low Genetic Diversity 3. Little Yield for Beginning Years 4. Cold Tolerance Issue at High Latitude |
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What are the differences between Switchgrass and Prarie Cord Grass?
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Switchgrass is a good seed producer while Prarie Cord Grass is not (But Prarie Cord Grass is more tolerant to water-logging while Switchgrass is not)
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List ONE Characteristic of Miscanthus, Hybrid Poplar, Tall Wheatgrass, and Sorghum.
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Miscanthus: Highest Yield in the Midwest U.S.
Hybrid Poplar: Harvested in every 3-5 years Tall Wheatgrass: Dormant in Summer, Good for Hot, Arid Areas Sorghum: Perennial, so Flexible Planting |
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In what Region of Illinois do Miscanthus, Corn, and Soybeans grow the MOST?
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Corn and Soybean: North
Miscanthus: South |
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What are the THREE Modes of Transportation for Ethanol? List in the Order of Increasing Cost.
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Barge - Rail - Truck
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What are the problems with Blend Wall?
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- Limited amount of E85 Pumps for Existing Vehicles
- Due to Low Energy Content, Has to be Low Priced |
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What would Solve the Blend Wall Trouble?
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- Mixing in Hydrocarbon (or "Drop-In Fuel") that are similar enough to Gasoline would allow unlimited blending and increase the amount of biofuel that can be used
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What has happened to the number of ethanol plants, both those under construction and those in production, in the U.S. over the past 5 years?
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Plants previously under construction are now operating but very few new plants have been built, so little net change
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According to the USDAs Regional Roadmap, how many advanced fuel biorefineries will need to be built by 2022 in order to meet the RFS2 mandates?
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527 at an estimated cost of $168 B
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As the biomass yield per acre increases, the area surrounding a biorefining facility required to produce a given volume of biofuel also increases.
True or False? |
False
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Aside from greenhouse gas reduction, what are the two other main performance indicators for a biomass system as explained by Dr. Rodriguez?
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Delivered cost and energy consumption
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What are the two classifications of farmers? According to Dr. Rodriguez's research, which tends to be more profitable?
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Factual and Social; factual is more profitable
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What is the main energy (i.e., cost) component of harvesting, transporting, processing, etc. for switchgrass (SWG) and miscanthus (MxG) according to Dr. Rodriguez's models?
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Transportation for SWG
Packing/baling for MxG |
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What are the main components of Yellow Dent Corn Components?
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Starch, Protein, Fiber (Hemicellulose, Starch, Cellulose), No Lignin!
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What are the TWO Main Components of Enzymes Present in Yellow Dent Corn?
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Amylose: Easier to Break Down; Comprises 25% of #2 Dent
Amylopectin: More Difficult to Break Down; Comprises 75% |
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How does Glucose turn into Ethanol? Describe the Total of FOUR Processes.
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Glucose - Pyruvate - Acetadehyde - Ethanol
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What are the THREE products produced from a given amount of corn in a dry grind ethanol plant? In What Proportion?
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1/3 ethanol, 1/3 CO2, 1/3 DDGS
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Where does the resulting 1/3 DDGS go to?
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To Livestock Feed
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What are the SIX Ethanol Processing Steps?
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1. Grain Receiving, Testing, and Cleaning
2. Grinding & Mixing 3. Cooking & Liquefaction 4. Saccharification & Fermentation 5. Distillation & Dehydration 6. Co-Product Recovery |
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Approximately what percentage of harvested corn in the U.S. is currently processed in ethanol production facilities?
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40%
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What organism do Saccharification and Fermentation Processes need? What does it need to produce Ethanol? What conditions does it need to be optimized?
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Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae);
they require sugar; Temp., pH, [EtOH], [Lactic Acid], etc |
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What is Wet Distiller Grains?
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They are Wet Cakes, and they can be sold as animal feed (High Nutritional Value), but Cost of Transportation is too high and has a Short Shelf Life
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How much of Solids is WDG?
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~35% Solids
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Why are DDGS fed primarily to cattle and not to
swine and poultry? |
The Microbial Community in the gut of Ruminants is able to break down the Cellulose and Hemicellulose found in DDGS whereas Monogastric animals like pigs and chickens CANNOT utilize these Fiber Fractions.
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One of the main benefits of sugarcane production is that the canes can be stored either in the field or on site at the plant for up to 6 months, ensuring a year-round supply.
True or False? |
False
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What are the components of a corn kernel with their corresponding percent composition?
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Germ Oil: 4%
Starch: 72% Protein: 10% Fiber: 10% |
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What are some co-products other than DDGS from Dry Grind Ethanol Plants?
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Thin Stillage, CO2 (Carbonation for Beverage, Coolant)
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What are some possible future co-products from Dry Grind Ethanol Plants?
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Corn Fiber (Corn Fiber Oil [Medicinal], Gum [Food[)
Corn Protein (Adhesives, Textile) |
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What is sugarcane bagasse typically used for currently?
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Electricity Generation
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Currently, ethanol producers can obtain approximately how many gallons of ethanol per bushel of corn?
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2.8
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In dry grind ethanol production, which enzymes are added, and in what order?
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Alpha-amylase, then gluco-amylase
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What are the FIVE Technical Barriers and Challenges for Cellulosic Ethanol?
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1. Sustainable Agronomic Base
2. Plant Cell Wall Recalcitrance 3. Carbohydrate Heterogeneity 4. Process Development/integration/qualification 5. Integrated Biorefinery Scenario Assesment |
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What are the DOE's TWO Priority Platforms for Biomass Conversion Technology?
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Sugar Platform (Hydrolysis, Biochemical Conversion)
Thermochemical Platform (Gasification, Pyrolysis) |
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What is Lignocellulose?
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Structure provider for plants
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What are THREE Major Components of Lignocellulose?
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Cellulose (38 - 50%)
Lignin (15 - 25%) Hemicellulose (23 - 32%) |
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What are TWO interesting Properties of Glucose?
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1. Linear Polymer of Glucose Linked by beta-1,4 bonds
2. Cellulose crystallinity resists enzymatic attack |
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What are THREE interesting Properties of hemicellulose?
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1. Serves as an interface between Lignin and Cellulose
2. Hydrolysis of Hemicellulose can open Biomass Structure 3. 70% of xylan is acylated which hinders enzymatic attack |
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What are TWO interesting Properties of Lignin?
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1. Lignin prevents enzyme access to the carbohydrate
fraction of biomass 2. To enhance digestibility, high-lignin biomass must undergo chemical treatment to remove or alter lignin |
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What are the THREE Basic Steps to Processing Cellulosic Ethanol?
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1. Pretreatment - Cellulose
2. Hydrolysis (Enzyme) - Break Down Cellulose - Starch 3. Fermentation - Sugar -> Ethanol |
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How are Cellulose Feedstocks different from Starch or Sugar Feedstocks?
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Starch and Sugar feedstocks are Sugar Cane and Corn Kernels, and Cellulose Feedstocks are:
Corn Stover, Switchgrass, MSW, Forest Residues, Ag Residues, and Wood Chips. |
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What are the FIVE Reasons that DDGS should be utilized?
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1. Dry-Grind Ethanol Plants' Major Co-Product is DDGS
2. ~40 Million Btons produced from 200 factories 3. DDGS are already aggregated, so no harvest/transportation costs 4. No Lignin, so can skip expensive pretreatment 5. Ethanol Plants can profit |
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The goal of [a] is to alter the physical features and chemical composition of the lignocellulose to make it more digestible.
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[a]: Pretreatment
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What process is common to ethanol production via biochemical processing from all feedstocks?
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Fermentation
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What is NOT a key to the importance of research into xylose metabolism?
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Strains of S. cerevisiae currently used in ethanol plants can metabolize both glucose and xylose.
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What was the problem with early genetically modified S. cerevisiae with respect to fermentation rate?
What is cellobiose? How does Dr. Jin's work with xylose and cellobiose fermentation help solve the problem? |
Early recombinant S. cerevisiae preferentially utilized glucose first and then xylose making fermentation times very long.
Cellobiose is two glucose molecules linked. By stopping the hydrolysis of cellulose at Cellobiose (dimeric glucose) and adding in genes to metabolize it, Jin's lab has created a recombinant form that can simultaneously metabolize cellulose and xylose which increases the efficiency of the fermentation. |
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Researchers investigating bovine rumen and termite guts are trying to isolate cellulases and other metabolic enzymes produced by numerous microorganisms that can efficiently deconstruct lignocellulosic substrates.
True or False? |
True
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In Dr. Blaschek's lecture, he referred to the "biphasic metabolic pathway" for fermentation of the microbe he works with. What does that mean?
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The bug produces various acids in the initial phase and then re-absorbs those acids in a later phase to produce solvents.
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Dr. Blaschek referred to the problem of butanol toxicity. In one sentence, explain why this is problematic.
Then, in a second sentence, briefly describe one engineering approach to solving this problem that Dr. Blaschek mentioned. |
Butanol is toxic to the bacteria, so as it is produced it inhibits further butanol production, resulting in low yields and low butanol concentration in the fermentation tank.
Gas Stripping essentially removes the butanol as it is produced so it does not limit further fermentation. |
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What is the type of microbe and its scientific name that Dr. Blaschek's group has been working on?
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The bacterium Clostridium beijerinckii
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Biobutanol is often considered a "drop-in" fuel for gasoline. What does this mean?
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It can be used as a substitute for petro-based gasoline that is compatible with current infrastructure with essentially no modifications
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In ABE fermentation, low [a] results from incomplete utilization of the sugar substrates and low [b] results from sequential rather than simultaneous uptake and metabolism of the different sugars. (Choose from the following terms: activation energy; GHG emissions; phase shift; pressure; productivity; yield)
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[a]: Yield
[b]: Productivity |
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What inhibitory compounds have no or little effect on the ability of BA101 to undergo ABE fermentation?
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Hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural
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What is NOT true in comparing butanol with ethanol?
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Butanol has limited usefulness as a chemical -- only as a liquid fuel.
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What does ABE of "ABE Fermentation" stand for? Write the products in order of their relative production ratio starting with the GREATEST to LEAST.
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Butanol (6), Acetone (3), Ethanol (1)
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What are the THREE Limitations to be overcome to make bio-butanol a reality?
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1. Butanol Toxicity to Bacteria that results Low Conc.
2. Low Yield 3. Low Productivity |
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What would be the solution to the above limitations?
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Integrated approach with better microbe and better engineering
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What are the THREE Chemical Derivatives of ABE Fermentation?
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1. Butyl and methacrylate esters
2. 1,3-Butadiene (synthetic rubber) 3. Butyl acetate (solvent for paint lacquers) |
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What is so special about Clostridium beijerinckii BA101?
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BA101 exhibits reduced acid production and
increased carbohydrate utilization. |
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Why Algae for Biofuels Feedstock?
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It has a way greater yield, from 600 to 10,000 gal/acre
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How does Algae Production synergize with power Production?
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CO2 emissions from power plants can be put into growth of algae.
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How does Algae Production synergize with waste water treatment? What is the problem with that method?
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Algae can absorb Residual Nutrients from waste water, but it produces low-oil biomass.
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What are the FOUR Problems with current algal biofuel paradigms?
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1. Energy Balance
2. Contamination at Large-Scale w/ Low-Oil Species 3. Cost or Environmental Impacts of Inputs 4. Most energy spent on drying, extraction & harvesting |
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What is the problem with High-Oil, or "Fat" Algae?
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High-Oil Algae is contaminated easily.
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How does using Algae as Biofuels Feedstock enhance the Environment? What is the whole process called?
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Algae Separation cleans waste water and Hypothermal Liquefaction of Algae produces Biocrude Oil. Resulting CO2 & Post-HTL Waste Water with Nutrients are used to grow Algae again.
It is called Multi-Cycle Nutrient Reuse. |
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What are the FOUR steps of E2-Energy confirmed at bench scale?
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1. Algae can be grown in raw ww and post-liquefaction ww.
2. Organics and nutrients can be removed from ww and recovered during algal biomass production. 3. Algal biomass in ww can be converted into biocrude oil via hydrothermal liquefaction. 4. Nutrients can be recycled within this system to maximize the biomass and bioenergy production from wastes. |
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What does FAME stand for?
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Fatty Acid Methyl Esters
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What is the term used for the chemical process of producing biodiesel from vegetable oil or animal fat?
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Transesterification
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When starting with 1000 gallons of vegetable oil and 10 gallons of alcohol, how many gallons of biodiesel can be expected to be produced typically?
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1000 gallons + 10 gallons of glycerine
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Of the challenges to bringing algal fuels to scale discussed in lecture this week, which one can hydrothermal liquefaction especially address? Explain.
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High energy demand for dewatering and oil extraction; don't need to dewater or extract oil from algael cells prior to HTL; ability to produce biocrude from low-lipid algae; contamination of pure algae strain not an issue
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What is FALSE about the advantages of biodiesel over petro diesel?
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That it has slightly higher energy content than petro diesel.
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Why is the existence of Free Fatty Acid problem for Biodiesel?
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- More catalyst will need to be used leading to higher cost
- Soap (fatty acid salt) is formed – washing the finished product more difficult - Water is formed which will retard the main reaction - FFAs are not converted into fuel, reducing the yield |
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What are glycerol produced into?
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– Bar (NaOH) or liquid (KOH) soap
– Feedstock for anaerobic digester to produce methane – Other higher-value uses if cleaned, limited market |
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According to Ted Funk, what is NOT a benefit of anaerobic digesters using manure as a feedstock?
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Reduces the liquid volume by as much as 50% thus reducing fertilizer transportation costs.
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What two main processes are typically used to convert syngas into liquid fuels or chemicals?
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Fermentation and chemical catalysis
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What are the three typical products of pyrolysis?
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Syngas, bio-crude oil and char
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Which two thermochemical processes can be used to produce syngas?
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Gasification and Pyrolysis
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What is the main difference between direct combustion and gasification?
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Direct combustion requires high oxygen levels and gasification does not
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What are the main components of syngas?
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CO and H2
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According to Ted Funk, what is NOT a component of biogas?
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Syngas
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The one major disadvantage of thermochemical processing that keeps it from being more widely used as a biomass conversion platform is:
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High capital and operating costs
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What results in the most biogas being produced via anaerobic digestion?
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Food waste
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What process discussed in lecture is distinctly different from the others in that it is based on an entirely different technology platform?
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Anaerobic Digestion
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What is LCA?
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Measurement of an aspect in the life of a good from
the production of its raw materials (inputs), through its useful life (ideally, though this is not always possible) to its disposal (recycling) - “Born” ~1990, still being developed as a field - Aspects to measure include energy, carbon, water, land use, other critical issues - Examples of model include: GREET, GTAP, CENTURY, and DAYCENT |
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Why is LCA performed?
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Usually to compare the totality of one product,
production system, etc., with another to determine the least costly option (not necessarily economic terms) • Benchmark, evaluate & improve environmental footprint • Compare with competition or alternatives • Product development • Marketing and improvement • Strategic planning • Public policy formation — Becomes immediately important with policy issues such as “Advanced Biofuels” |
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How is LCA performed?
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By measuring the aspect in question at each stage of the production, use, and disposal processes
• Usually very data intensive • Subtract co-product credits from final tally • Inventory environmental impacts of products & processes (many possible impacts, select “key” ones) • Standardizing methodologies and boundaries are essential to ensure accurate comparison • Allocation issues in LCA are both important and controversial |
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What are some LCA standards in plain English ?
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1. Use the most recent/most accurate data possible
2. Select the reference system/functional unit: what exactly are we comparing? 3. Make it easy for others to check your data and methods = transparency 4. Set clear system boundaries (physical & temporal)—must be equal or comparable for reference system of interest 5. Multi-product systems must allocate environmental costs among all products 6. Perform sensitivity analysis: how much do results vary if assumptions or data change? |
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What is the most important issue regarding ILUC?
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U.S. agricultural lands are so efficient that even using all of the available lands may not be enough to meet the demand. The foreign lands may have to be used to meet 150 billion bushels of corn production. Soybean production will be reduced as the result and foreign farmers will displace forests to grow soybeans as response to rising soybean price. Therefore, ILUC of GHG increase will happen as the result.
This methodology and evidence is HOTLY debated, however! |
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What are challenges and uncertainties of LUC?
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- LUC is local & site specific while analytical approaches for ILUC must be global
- Global aggregates & averages do not account for complex factors governing initial conversion -LUC - Data issues: (quality, temporal and spatial scales, resolution) - Uncertainty in baseline - model structure, input specifications (yield, prices, elasticity factors), etc. - Potential for feedstock switching (i.e. where a biofuel can be produced from a variety of feedstocks) - Production of co-products |
