Energy from biological processes. Vol. I

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:5925156

Depending on a variety of factors - including the availability of cropland, improved crop yields, the development of efficient conversion processes, proper resource management, and the level of policy support - bioenergy could supply as little as 4-6 quadrillion Btu/yr or as much as 12-17 quads/yr by 2000 (or up to 15-20% of the current US energy consumption). The high prediction comprises up to 10 quads/yr from wood, 0-5 quads from grasses and legume herbage (depending on cropland needs for food production), 1 quad from crop residues, 0.3 quad of biogas from animal manure, and about 0.2 quad of ethanol from grains. The bioenergy conversion processes that would be most efficient in displacing large quantities of oil are direct combustion and gasification for process heat and steam and home heat. Combustion technology for wood is commercially available, while suitable gasification units probably can be developed soon. Assuming that market and feedstock supply conditions are favorable, development and deployment of these technologies could provide the difference of up to 10 quads/yr between the high and low estimates for bioenergy use in 2000, displacing the energy equivalent of 4.5 million bbl/day of premium fuels (oil and natural gas). Both the quantity of biomass that can be obtained on a renewable basis, and the economic, environmental, and other consequences of obtaining it will depend critically on the behavior of growers and harvesters.

• Research Organization: Office of Technology Assessment (U.S. Congress), Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 5925156
• Report Number(s): OTA-E-124
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
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090222 -- Alcohol Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CROPS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
GASIFICATION
GRASS
MANURES
ORGANIC WASTES
OXIDATION
PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTES
WOOD