Evaluation of Life Cycle Assessment of Jatropha Biodiesel Processed by Esterification of Thai Domestic Rare Earth Oxide Catalysts

Dussadee Rattanaphra, Sittinun Tawkaew, Sinsupha Chuichulcherm, Wilasinee Kingkam, Sasikarn Nuchdang, Kittiwan Kitpakornsanti and Unchalee Suwanmanee ()
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Dussadee Rattanaphra: Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, Nakorn Nayok 26120, Thailand
Sittinun Tawkaew: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakorn Nayok 26120, Thailand
Sinsupha Chuichulcherm: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakorn Nayok 26120, Thailand
Wilasinee Kingkam: Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, Nakorn Nayok 26120, Thailand
Sasikarn Nuchdang: Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, Nakorn Nayok 26120, Thailand
Kittiwan Kitpakornsanti: Climate Change and Environment Research Center, Department of Climate Change and Environment, Technopolis, Phathumthani 12120, Thailand
Unchalee Suwanmanee: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakorn Nayok 26120, Thailand

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: The Thai domestic rare earth oxides, including cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium oxides, with the effects of calcination temperatures (500–1000 °C), were utilized as catalysts for twelve Jatropha biodiesel alternatives via an esterification reaction. This study applied life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology from well-to-wheel analysis to assess energy efficiency and the global warming impact with and without land use change. The results of the life cycle analysis showed that the Jatropha biodiesel alternatives using the La 2 O 3 catalyst in all conditions (0.89–1.06) were found to be potential fuel substitutes for conventional diesel (0.86) in terms of net energy ratios; however, the results showed that they generated a higher global warming impact. Considering the improvement process of Jatropha biodiesel in the utilization of waste heat recovery, the Jatropha biodiesel reduced the impacts of the net energy ratios and the global warming impact by 22–24% and 34–36%, respectively. The alternative Jatropha biodiesel using the La 2 O 3 catalyst with a calcination temperature of 600 °C was shown to be the most environmentally friendly of all the studied fuels; relatively, it had the highest energy ratios of 1.06–1.37 (with and without waste heat recovery) and the lowest total global warming impact of 47.9–70.7 kg CO 2 equivalent (with land use change). The integration of the material and process development by domestic catalysts and the recovery of waste heat would improve the sustainability choices of biofuel production from renewable resources for transportation fuels in Thailand.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; energy efficiency; global warming; Jatropha biodiesel; rare earth catalysts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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