Biofuels: Myths and Realities

Policy Interventions in India

The National Biofuel Mission -2003 National Policy on Biofuels- 2009
Mainstreaming biofuels Target: blending biofuels up to 20 per cent with petrol and diesel by 2017 Non-food feedstocks raised on marginal lands Non-edible oilseed crops (Jatropha, Pongamia)

 US Biofuel Policy

Policy Measure
Incentives and Policies Have Played a Major Role in Bio fuel Use:
In U.S. ,$0.51/gallon incentive for ethanol, $1.00/gallon incentive for biodiesel Brazil case: now a self-sustaining economically

Bio fuels in CDM (India)

Project
30 TPD Biodiesel project using oil seeds from Jatropha and Pongamia in Andra Pradesh, India Biodiesel production and switching fossil fuels from petro-diesel to bio diesel in transport sector Manufacturing of Biodiesel from Crude Palm Oil and Jatropha Oil

Host Country
India

GHG reduction
26 k t CO2 26 k t CO2 60 k t CO2

India

India

BIO Fuel Production

Market Mechanism & Biofuel Mandates

Biofuel producers
Outcompete other users of the feedstock Quantity of Ceven at the higher prices.

Other consumers
Less than if the mandate did not exist Quantity B instead of A) Higher Prices

Biofuel Policy Implications

National Biofuel Policy Policy Intervention

Biofuel Mandates

Technology improvements

Boosts biofuel production

Market Intervention

Feedstock production

Increased demand for feedstock

Price incentive for farmers to grow feedstock

Feedstock Market

Challenges of Sustainability:

Feedstock Type

Feedstock Managem ent

Biofuels - Challenges of Challenge of Sustainability

Sustainability
Feedstock Extent

Feedstock Location

Original Conditions

Environme ntal Attributes

Feedstoc k Type Feedstoc k Manage ment Feedstoc k Location

Challenge of Sustainability
Original Conditio ns Feedstoc k Extent
Environ mental Attribute s

Feedstock Location
Feedstock Location

Expansion of cultivated land Reallocation of agricultural resources due to relative price gains

Intensifying production per unit by reducing fallow periods and increasing agricultural inputs

Implications

Change in land cover

Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) Agricultural Landscape Carbon Emissions

Change in species population sizes

Followed by

Monoculture Destruction of Habitat

Disappearance of species

Colonization of other species

Change in management

Property Rights Poor peoples rights under threat Fertility due to higher use of fertilizers Change in water flow, quality & quantity Change in soil quality & erosion

Changes in diversity

Changes in ecosystems capacity to provide services, pollination, soil stabilization

Marginal land?

Definition A relative term Uncertainties Economical Definition Yields and prices barely covers cost of production Not in commercial use vs lands yielding profit

Land values Ecological services Spiritual and cultural values Traditional uses by lower income groups for their livelihood

Misuse Poor definitions used to justify change to a new land use Perverse incentives Productive land -> marginal status in order to qualify for programs

Feedstoc k Type Feedstoc k Manage ment Feedstoc k Location

Challenge of Sustainability
Original Conditio ns Feedstoc k Extent
Environ mental Attribute s

Original Conditions?
Original Conditions

Feedstoc k Type Feedstoc k Manage ment Feedstoc k Location

Challenge of Sustainability
Original Conditio ns Feedstoc k Extent
Environ mental Attribute s

Environmental Attributes
Soil? Air? Water?

Environmental Attributes

Water Issues
Bio fuel crops compete for water

High BOD of water for Ethanol production

Clean water for liquefaction of the feedstock Non contact water, primarily used for cooling

Effect on green water Vs blue water

Water Issues
E.g. water for bio fuel crops will endanger environmental flows in the Krishna Basin

Feedstoc k Type Feedstoc k Manage ment Feedstoc k Location

Challenge of Sustainability
Original Conditio ns Feedstoc k Extent
Environ mental Attribute s

Feedstock Type?
Feedstock Type

Crop residues? Edible?

Food Vs Fuel
U . N. food adviser stated: "The ambitious goals for bio fuel production set by the United States and the European Union are irresponsible. I am calling for a freeze on all investment in this sector. 100 million people are currently at risk due to the food price increases.

Food Vs Fuel
Bio fuels policies : contributing to high agricultural prices
levels and volatility
Poor spend 50-80% of household income on food. The International Food Policy Research Institute estimated food price inflation to be 135 percent by 2020. Case of market driven expansion of ethanol and maize price in U.S. Case of 20072008 world food price crisis

Economics of agriculture being rewritten

Shifting most of his food field to corn field Feed cost for animals

Feedstoc k Type Feedstoc k Manage ment Feedstoc k Location

Challenge of Sustainability
Original Conditio ns Feedstoc k Extent
Environ mental Attribute s

Feedstock Management
Fertilizers? Monoculture?

Feedstock Management

Feedstoc k Type Feedstoc k Manage ment Feedstoc k Location

Challenge of Sustainability
Original Conditio ns Feedstoc k Extent
Environ mental Attribute s

Feedstock Extent?
Feedstock Extent

Sustainability
Biofuels are sustainable only if:
Reduce GHGs as compared to fossil fuels Shall not violate human rights or labor rights Shall contribute to the social and economic development of local, rural and indigenous people Shall not impair food security Shall promote practices that improve soil health and minimize degradation Contamination or depletion of water resources reduced Shall be produced in a cost effective way Shall not violate land rights

Jatropha Curcus: A case study of Sustainable Development (Malawi,Africa)

Facts about Jatropha

Facts may be known, but refreshing your memory is always good for better understanding

Jatropha is not a weed It grows well with 600mm of annual rainfall (best yield) It can provide maximum yield even at 250mm annual rainfall provided very high humidity present Yield adversely affected by frost

Sustainable Development Model

Women Empowerment Poverty Reduction Soil Erosion Control

Energy supply to rural household

Will the project be feasible for corporates now?

Introduction to Sustainable Practices

Alternate uses for Jatropha

Sap used for healing wounds

Seeds as medicine to cure constipation

Jatropha
Shades for coffee plants Leaves used to make tea which cures malaria
Alternate uses really a sustainable practice?

Story of Women Empowerment

Present 2003
Women given common property rights to Jatropha hedges Women allowed to establish shops to sell Jatropha soaps Money made from selling soaps collectively used to grow Jatropha in wastelands

1995
Introduction of biodiesel production in Malawi Huge amount of glycerol left wasted Male dominated society Women not allowed to work for livelihood or own property

Landlords demanded money from women for making soaps out of plants Women reduced production of soaps to just meet their household needs Village head intervened to sort out the problem

1990

Women started using glycerol to make soaps

Common Property Regime

Jatropha hedges and farmslands mainly owned by males As soon as women sell soaps, men come asking for money Hence, women make soaps only for their family use Recently, village chief has taken initiative and has declared Jatropha hedges as common property Men even gave women plots to grow Jatropha People without farm lands- Open access provided to them on wild Jatropha trees

Rural Development

Suggestions

Suggestions- Water

Suggestions
Use of less water consuming and more productive crops
Grow less thirsty bio fuel crops

More effective water policies and more efficient water institutions

e.g. Squeeze out more crop per drop

Case of Sweet sorghum

Encouraging new technologies

ethanol, from waste straw and wood chippings using enzymes

Suggestions
Policymakers need to encourage
farmers to grow bio fuel crops under rain fed rather than irrigated conditions synergies between bio fuel crops and other goals
e.g. scheme for growing bio fuel crops and, at the same time protecting watersheds

Case of Velchal & Kothalpur, AP

Suggestions- Food vs Fuel

Suggestions
Freeze on first generation bio fuel production Non-food crops for bio fuel
Second and third generation bio fuel production like Ligno cellulosic material and biomass of algae

Bio mass of Algae

Conifer Seedlings

Suggestions
Holistic System Engineering
Fuel from waste bio product

In case of corn, use only Stover rest pass to human food in gradients

Use of off Growing Season Crops

Pennycress as a non-edible plant , off growing and twice productive crop

Misconception
Biofuels are Clean and Green!
Biofuel champions assurance. Photosynthesis by fuel crops removes GHG
Reduces fossil fuel consumption

Over entire cycle

From land clearing to consumption, savings are outweighed
Emissions from deforestation Burning, Cultivation Soil Carbon loss

How Green?

Some Considerations
Energy balance
Biofuel environment utility <- Net energy balance
How much energy consumed in generation? What sources does it come from?

If not sustainable
Simply mitigation of environmental pollution
From Urban to Rural

But what about stock fuels? Gasoline?

Energy balance only 85%
Takes more energy to produce than it releases Why not biofuels then? Theyre less harmful at most

Major Hurdles
Monetary costs
Even if technically feasible, Biofuels will be costlier In US, more than $3 per
Consumption limited to urban rich And rural? Poor?

Greenhouse gases
19% more CO2 for same energy release

Alternate fuels-Ethanol
Ethanol as fuel-Efficiency & Ergonomics

R&D investment, newer designs-> increased cost 50% larger volume of engines 20-30% lower fuel efficiency Dilutes fuel value Tough to handle->tightly sealed containers
Miscible with water

Ethanol is Hygroscopic Catastrophe!

Grave pollution danger, pipeline shipping tough
Doesnt evaporate easily over water

Low Henry co-efficient

Some Considerations
Hemp ethanol

Only minor engine modification As much Oxygen as CO2 later Plants deposit 10% as roots, 30% as leaves Highly biodegradable

Brazil has made a strong case

I went down to Brazil and I saw President Lula down there. I dont know if you know this, but the vast majority of fuel to fuel the cars in Brazil is made from sugar.

President GEORGE W. BUSH

Biofuels to provide 10% of Europe's transport power by 2020. For that Europe must plant 70% of its farmland with fuel crops!

Thank- You!!