Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The current reality is that the bioeconomy is commonly evidenced in piecemeal
developments, often acting as an adjunct to, or in tandem with, the fossil economy.
A whole range of different products, materials, fuels and energy technologies are
represented.
In some cases, biobased products may offer new functionalities or solutions to
problems. In this case the argument for developing such products is based on the
specific advantages offered that provide the appropriate economic stimulus to
support its commercial development. In other cases, the same material product
can be produced from biobased or petrochemical resources; in this case, where
is the additional value? As an example, polyethylene(PE) can be made from
sugar- and starch-derived dehydrated bioethanol or from fossil feedstocks,
typically naphtha. If the former fails to offer any inherent cost advantage over
its fossil-derived counterpart, then to create a market demand we depend on the
additional 'social or public good' value placed on the material in terms of what is
seen as its preferential environmental credentials, something that is much more
difficult to quantify and value. In current market conditions, market observers
identified that biobased PE was commanding a premium of between 15 and 20%
on prices for fossil PE [1].
It is likely that biobased chemical, material and energy sectors will continue to
be closely linked, and successful commercial development will depend on this
where multiple product streams are generated in biorefinery approaches. For
example, the development of biomass energy supply chains will support the logis-
tics of feedstock supply to other outlets, or the residues from chemical extraction
will be used as a low-carbon fuel.
The impacts of individual biobased developments can have a range of market
impacts depending on the relative technical merits, costs of production and costs
of market introduction. In the case of the latter, this may entail costs for re-tooling
or modification to manufacturing processes.
Some technical developments need additional support or incentives to stimulate
their commercial development. This is where political support comes into play to
encourage uptake in areas which are seen to be of wider benefit to society but
currently suffer, for one reason or another, from 'market failure', that is, where
bio-derived chemicals or materials are not competitive with current alternatives.
From a policy and social perspective, the development of a bioeconomy is seen as
delivering greater sustainability, delivering more environmentally friendly and socially
acceptable products, ideally at little or no extra cost, while providing an opportunity to
stimulate innovative high-tech employment as well as securing employment opportu-
nities in the rural economy. Delivering a sustainable outcome depends on a careful
balancing and weighing of the respective economic, social and environmental impacts,
influenced by a multitude of associated considerations (Figure 8.1).
Delivering sustainability is a challenge, and there can be many unforeseen
impacts. For example, in attempting to curb the development of transport biofuels
derived from food crops, environmental organisations argue that increased biofuel
use results in additional land being cleared to grow the food crops that are diverted
