Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
production volumes of sulphuric acid (versus that for use in bioethanol production)
the price, just like other chemicals, will have been substantially influenced by the oil
price. No doubt this price rise will have an impact on the process/operating costs.
3 Commentary on Future Perspectives
Countries around the world are increasingly more committed to climate change and
reducing emissions of CO
2
. The UK became the first country in 2007 to introduce
a Climate Change Bill which includes legally binding targets for CO
2
reduction
[31, 32]. Other countries have since then have also introduced such Bills.
There are of course many ways to approach such a challenge, including the way
we use our current resources by implementing more (energy) efficient, cleaner tech-
nologies in industry and transport or the use of sustainable sources to generate heat
and electricity or the use of renewable resources to produce fuels and other mate-
rials. These (and more) approaches each play a role. Since the use of petroleum
for transportation fuels represents such a substantial contribution to how we use
our fossil resources (and to CO
2
emission) it is perhaps not surprising that so much
attention is focused on this area and the promotion biofuels as indicated in European
directive EC 3003/30/EC.
3.1 Tackling Adverse Effects of the Use of Biomass
for Non-food Applications
This involves smart strategies in the production and application of biomass.
•
Certification of biomass
A biomass may be certified on sustainability criteria such as the influence of cul-
tivation and harvesting on the environment (e.g. biodiversity and emissions) and
social issues such as impact on food (production and market), working conditions
on the plantations and the benefits for the local community should be considered.
By only using certified biomass in production processes (for biofuel) some of the
issues may be tackled.
A Carbon Certification Project (E4Tech) and Sustainability Reporting Project
(Ecofys) have been defined as part of The Department of Transports (UK)
renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO). Suppliers will be required to show
documentation on the net greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability of the
biofuels they supply and hence such methodologies are required.
•
Use of non-food crops on arid land or areal which could not otherwise be
cultivated for food purposes.
Examples are the use of
Jatropha curcas
and algae cultivation. However stimu-
lation by governments is required so farmers grow certain quotas of food crops
and prevent some growers of turning agricultural land to cultivation of bio-fuel
crops.
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