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Title: Life Cycle Assessment Comparing the Use of Jatropha Biodiesel in the Indian Road and Rail Sectors

Abstract

This life cycle assessment of Jatropha biodiesel production and use evaluates the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission (not considering land-use change), net energy value (NEV), and net petroleum consumption impacts of substituting Jatropha biodiesel for conventional petroleum diesel in India. Several blends of biodiesel with petroleum diesel are evaluated for the rail freight, rail passenger, road freight, and road-passenger transport sectors that currently rely heavily on petroleum diesel. For the base case, Jatropha cultivation, processing, and use conditions that were analyzed, the use of B20 results in a net reduction in GHG emissions and petroleum consumption of 14% and 17%, respectively, and a NEV increase of 58% compared with the use of 100% petroleum diesel. While the road-passenger transport sector provides the greatest sustainability benefits per 1000 gross tonne kilometers, the road freight sector eventually provides the greatest absolute benefits owing to substantially higher projected utilization by year 2020. Nevertheless, introduction of biodiesel to the rail sector might present the fewest logistic and capital expenditure challenges in the near term. Sensitivity analyses confirmed that the sustainability benefits are maintained under multiple plausible cultivation, processing, and distribution scenarios. However, the sustainability of any individual Jatropha plantation will depend on site-specific conditions.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
979832
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-6A2-47462
AEK-9-99274-01; TRN: US201012%%1179
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; BASES; CAPITAL; CARGO; CULTIVATION; DISTRIBUTION; EMISSION; EXPENDITURES; GREENHOUSES; INDIA; LAND USE; LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT; NET ENERGY; PETROLEUM; PROCESSING; PRODUCTION; REDUCTION; ROADS; SENSITIVITY; TRANSPORT; USES; LCA; SENSITIVITY ANALYSES; SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS; JATROPHA; BIODIESEL; JATROPHA BIODIESEL; PETROLEUM DIESEL; JATROPHA PRODUCTION; JATROPHA CULTIVATION; TRANSPORTATION; TRANSPORT SECTORS; NET GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS; NET ENERGY VALUE (NEV); NET PETROLEUM CONSUMPTION; Energy Analysis

Citation Formats

Whitaker, M, and Heath, G. Life Cycle Assessment Comparing the Use of Jatropha Biodiesel in the Indian Road and Rail Sectors. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.2172/979832.
Whitaker, M, & Heath, G. Life Cycle Assessment Comparing the Use of Jatropha Biodiesel in the Indian Road and Rail Sectors. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/979832
Whitaker, M, and Heath, G. 2010. "Life Cycle Assessment Comparing the Use of Jatropha Biodiesel in the Indian Road and Rail Sectors". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/979832. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/979832.
@article{osti_979832,
title = {Life Cycle Assessment Comparing the Use of Jatropha Biodiesel in the Indian Road and Rail Sectors},
author = {Whitaker, M and Heath, G},
abstractNote = {This life cycle assessment of Jatropha biodiesel production and use evaluates the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission (not considering land-use change), net energy value (NEV), and net petroleum consumption impacts of substituting Jatropha biodiesel for conventional petroleum diesel in India. Several blends of biodiesel with petroleum diesel are evaluated for the rail freight, rail passenger, road freight, and road-passenger transport sectors that currently rely heavily on petroleum diesel. For the base case, Jatropha cultivation, processing, and use conditions that were analyzed, the use of B20 results in a net reduction in GHG emissions and petroleum consumption of 14% and 17%, respectively, and a NEV increase of 58% compared with the use of 100% petroleum diesel. While the road-passenger transport sector provides the greatest sustainability benefits per 1000 gross tonne kilometers, the road freight sector eventually provides the greatest absolute benefits owing to substantially higher projected utilization by year 2020. Nevertheless, introduction of biodiesel to the rail sector might present the fewest logistic and capital expenditure challenges in the near term. Sensitivity analyses confirmed that the sustainability benefits are maintained under multiple plausible cultivation, processing, and distribution scenarios. However, the sustainability of any individual Jatropha plantation will depend on site-specific conditions.},
doi = {10.2172/979832},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/979832}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}