The Role of Biorefinery Co-Products, Market Proximity and Feedstock Environmental Footprint in Meeting Biofuel Policy Goals for Winter Barley-to-Ethanol

Sabrina Spatari, Alexander Stadel, Paul R. Adler, Saurajyoti Kar, William J. Parton, Kevin B. Hicks, Andrew J. McAloon and Patrick L. Gurian
Additional contact information
Sabrina Spatari: Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Alexander Stadel: Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Paul R. Adler: Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, The United States Department of Agriculture-The Agricultural Research Service, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Saurajyoti Kar: Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
William J. Parton: Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Kevin B. Hicks: Sustainable Biofuels and CoProducts Research Unit, The United States Department of Agriculture-The Agricultural Research Service, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Andrew J. McAloon: Sustainable Biofuels and CoProducts Research Unit, The United States Department of Agriculture-The Agricultural Research Service, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Patrick L. Gurian: Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Renewable fuel standards for biofuels have been written into policy in the U.S. to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of transportation energy supply. Biofuel feedstocks sourced from within a regional market have the potential to also address sustainability goals. The U.S. Mid-Atlantic region could meet the advanced fuel designation specified in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), which requires a 50% reduction in GHG emissions relative to a gasoline baseline fuel, through ethanol produced from winter barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.). We estimate technology configurations and winter barley grown on available winter fallow agricultural land in six Mid-Atlantic states. Using spatially weighted stochastic GHG emission estimates for winter barley supply from 374 counties and biorefinery data from a commercial dry-grind facility design with multiple co-products, we conclude that winter barley would meet RFS2 goals even with the U.S. EPA’s indirect land use change estimates. Using a conservative threshold for soil GHG emissions sourced from barley produced on winter fallow lands in the U.S. MidAtlantic, a biorefinery located near densely populated metropolitan areas in the Eastern U.S. seaboard could economically meet the requirements of an advanced biofuel with the co-production of CO 2 for the soft drink industry.

Keywords: biofuel policy; life cycle assessment; GHG mitigation; energy security; indirect land use change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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