Economic and life-cycle assessment of OME_3–5 as transport fuel: a comparison of production pathways

Abstract

Reducing the contribution of the transport sector to climate change calls for a transition towards renewable fuels. Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OMEn) constitute a promising alternative to fossil-based diesel. This article...

Blend for all or pure for few? Well-to-wheel life cycle assessment of blending electricity-based OME3–5 with fossil diesel

“…, land use and terrestrial eutrophication. 20 Consequently, bio-based OME 3–5 does not perform better or worse than electricity-based OME 3–5 per se . A sound comparison of bio- and CO 2 -based OME 3–5 requires therefore a comprehensive LCA of both, including reliable use-phase emissions and also exergy efficiency as additional metric.…”

“…Therefore, our results contradict earlier findings for respiratory effects and photochemical ozone formation. 20 We thus emphasize to use measured combustion emissions as reliable data basis for future LCA studies of any e-fuel to derive reliable conclusions. In our best-case scenario, most emissions arise during fuel combustion in terms of the carbon footprint.…”

“…We systematically show that the well-to-wheel carbon footprint of e-fuels like diesel-OME 3–5 blends is strongly dependent on the carbon footprint of electricity supply, which is in line with the findings of previous studies. 10,13,14,20…”

“…These results partly contradict earlier findings that OME 3–5 performs worse than fossil diesel in terms of particulate matter and photochemical ozone formation. 20 However, in this previous study, 20 NO x emissions of OME 3–5 combustion 14 are assumed to be one order of magnitude higher than those of fossil diesel combustion. 58 In contrast to the previous study, OME 3–5 combustion has actually shown to enable large reductions of NO x emissions compared to fossil diesel in current literature.…”

“…Rodríguez-Vallejo et al 20 have compared OME 3–5 production for multiple energy and raw material sources to fossil diesel in an economic and environmental assessment from well-to-wheel. The production of OME 3–5 is based on methanol and FA by partial oxidation of methanol.…”