Using biomass for climate change mitigation and oil use reduction

Abstract

In this paper, we examine how an increased use of biomass could efficiently meet Swedish energy policy goals of reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and oil use. In particular, we examine the trade-offs inherent when biomass use is intended to pursue multiple objectives. We set up four scenarios in which up to 400 PJ/year of additional biomass is prioritised to reduce CO 2 emissions, reduce oil use, simultaneously reduce both CO 2 emission and oil use, or to produce ethanol to replace gasoline. Technologies analysed for using the biomass include the production of electricity, heat, and transport fuels, and also as construction materials and other products. We find that optimising biomass use for a single objective (either CO 2 emission reduction or oil use reduction) results in high fulfilment of that single objective (17.4 Tg C/year and 350 PJ oil/year, respectively), at a monetary cost of 130-330 million h/year, but with low fulfilment of the other objective. A careful selection of biomass uses for combined benefits results in reductions of 12.6 Tg C/year and 230 PJ oil/year (72% and 67%, respectively, of the reductions achieved in the scenarios with single objectives), with a monetary benefit of 45 million h/ year. Prioritising for ethanol production gives the lowest CO 2 emissions reduction, intermediate oil use reduction, and the highest monetary cost. r

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“…[1][2][3] In comparison to coal-fired plants, the fireside environment in biomass and waste-fired boilers is relatively high in alkali salts (NaCl and KCl) and low in sulfur. Because of the chemical composition of the flue gases, several components, e.g.…”

Systems analysis of integrating biomass gasification with pulp and paper production – Effects on economic performance, CO2 emissions and energy use

“…g DME is assumed to replace diesel as transportation fuel. h Including total feedstock energy with given eciencies, and distribution energy [3,22,24].…”

“…If instead reduction of the dependency on fossil oil is the primary objective biomass will have a given place in the transportation system, as shown by e.g. Gustavsson et al [3], since the renewable alternatives are fewer for transportation than for electricity and heating.…”

Is the Sustainability Revolution Devouring Its Own Children? Understanding Sustainability as a Travelling Concept and the Role Played by Two German Discourses on Sustainability

“…One potential for the forestry and the forest-based sector could be the advantages of wood as a renewable material in the context of energy and climate policy. Research in the forest-based sector shows the advantages of forests and wood with regard to carbon management and climate protection [38][39][40][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68] and energy policy as a renewable energy carrier with low CO2-emissions [69][70][71]. The topics of wood as a renewable energy carrier and its role in climate protection are also included in the concept of strong sustainability (cf.…”