Nitrogen rate and landscape impacts on life cycle energy use and emissions from switchgrass-derived ethanol
Abstract
Switchgrass-derived ethanol has been proposed as an alternative to fossil fuels to improve sustainability of the US energy sector. In this study, life cycle analysis (LCA) was used to estimate the environmental benefits of this fuel. To better define the LCA environmental impacts associated with fertilization rates and farm-landscape topography, results from a controlled experiment were analyzed. Data from switchgrass plots planted in 2008, consistently managed with three nitrogen rates (0, 56, and 112 kg N ha-1), two landscape positions (shoulder and footslope), and harvested annually (starting in 2009, the year after planting) through 2014 were used as input into the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in transportation (GREET) model. Simulations determined nitrogen (N) rate and landscape impacts on the life cycle energy and emissions from switchgrass ethanol used in a passenger car as ethanol–gasoline blends (10% ethanol:E10, 85% ethanol:E85s). Results indicated that E85s may lead to lower fossil fuels use (58 to 77%), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (33 to 82%), and particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions (15 to 54%) in comparison with gasoline. However, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other criteria pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM10), and sulfur dioxides (SOx) were higher for E85smore »
- Authors:
-
- Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH (United States). Dept. of Systems Engineering and Management
- South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD (United States). Plant Science Dept.
- South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD (United States). North Central Regional Sun Grant Center
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1361199
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1438469
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FC36-05GO85041
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Global Change Biology. Bioenergy
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 8; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 1757-1693
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 09 BIOMASS FUELS; bioethanol; emissions; energy use; greenhouse gases regulated emissions and energy use in transportation; life cycle analysis; switchgrass
Citation Formats
Mbonimpa, Eric G., Kumar, Sandeep, Owens, Vance N., Chintala, Rajesh, Sieverding, Heidi L., and Stone, James J. Nitrogen rate and landscape impacts on life cycle energy use and emissions from switchgrass-derived ethanol. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12296.
Mbonimpa, Eric G., Kumar, Sandeep, Owens, Vance N., Chintala, Rajesh, Sieverding, Heidi L., & Stone, James J. Nitrogen rate and landscape impacts on life cycle energy use and emissions from switchgrass-derived ethanol. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12296
Mbonimpa, Eric G., Kumar, Sandeep, Owens, Vance N., Chintala, Rajesh, Sieverding, Heidi L., and Stone, James J. Mon .
"Nitrogen rate and landscape impacts on life cycle energy use and emissions from switchgrass-derived ethanol". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12296. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1361199.
@article{osti_1361199,
title = {Nitrogen rate and landscape impacts on life cycle energy use and emissions from switchgrass-derived ethanol},
author = {Mbonimpa, Eric G. and Kumar, Sandeep and Owens, Vance N. and Chintala, Rajesh and Sieverding, Heidi L. and Stone, James J.},
abstractNote = {Switchgrass-derived ethanol has been proposed as an alternative to fossil fuels to improve sustainability of the US energy sector. In this study, life cycle analysis (LCA) was used to estimate the environmental benefits of this fuel. To better define the LCA environmental impacts associated with fertilization rates and farm-landscape topography, results from a controlled experiment were analyzed. Data from switchgrass plots planted in 2008, consistently managed with three nitrogen rates (0, 56, and 112 kg N ha-1), two landscape positions (shoulder and footslope), and harvested annually (starting in 2009, the year after planting) through 2014 were used as input into the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in transportation (GREET) model. Simulations determined nitrogen (N) rate and landscape impacts on the life cycle energy and emissions from switchgrass ethanol used in a passenger car as ethanol–gasoline blends (10% ethanol:E10, 85% ethanol:E85s). Results indicated that E85s may lead to lower fossil fuels use (58 to 77%), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (33 to 82%), and particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions (15 to 54%) in comparison with gasoline. However, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other criteria pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM10), and sulfur dioxides (SOx) were higher for E85s than those from gasoline. Nitrogen rate above 56 kg N ha-1 yielded no increased biomass production benefits; but did increase (up to twofold) GHG, VOCs, and criteria pollutants. Lower blend (E10) results were closely similar to those from gasoline. The landscape topography also influenced life cycle impacts. Biomass grown at the footslope of fertilized plots led to higher switchgrass biomass yield, lower GHG, VOCs, and criteria pollutants in comparison with those at the shoulder position. Results also showed that replacing switchgrass before maximum stand life (10–20 years.) can further reduce the energy and emissions reduction benefits.},
doi = {10.1111/gcbb.12296},
journal = {Global Change Biology. Bioenergy},
number = 4,
volume = 8,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 24 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Aug 24 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
Web of Science
Works referenced in this record:
Cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessment in perennial energy crops
journal, August 2009
- Monti, Andrea; Fazio, Simone; Venturi, Gianpietro
- European Journal of Agronomy, Vol. 31, Issue 2
LCA of a biorefinery concept producing bioethanol, bioenergy, and chemicals from switchgrass
journal, October 2009
- Cherubini, Francesco; Jungmeier, Gerfried
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 15, Issue 1
The Ripple Effect: Biofuels, Food Security, and the Environment
journal, November 2007
- Naylor, Rosamond L.; Liska, Adam J.; Burke, Marshall B.
- Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, Vol. 49, Issue 9
A quantitative review comparing the yield of switchgrass in monocultures and mixtures in relation to climate and management factors
journal, February 2010
- Wang, Dan; Lebauer, David S.; Dietze, Michael C.
- GCB Bioenergy, Vol. 2, Issue 1
Well-to-wheels energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of ethanol from corn, sugarcane and cellulosic biomass for US use
journal, December 2012
- Wang, Michael; Han, Jeongwoo; Dunn, Jennifer B.
- Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 7, Issue 4
Ethanol or Bioelectricity? Life Cycle Assessment of Lignocellulosic Bioenergy Use in Light-Duty Vehicles
journal, September 2013
- Luk, Jason M.; Pourbafrani, Mohammad; Saville, Bradley A.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 18
Soil Carbon Storage by Switchgrass Grown for Bioenergy
journal, September 2008
- Liebig, M. A.; Schmer, M. R.; Vogel, K. P.
- BioEnergy Research, Vol. 1, Issue 3-4
Nitrogen fertilizer and landscape position impacts on CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes from a landscape seeded to switchgrass
journal, April 2014
- Mbonimpa, Eric G.; Hong, Chang O.; Owens, Vance N.
- GCB Bioenergy, Vol. 7, Issue 4
Quantifying Variability in Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Inventories of Alternative Middle Distillate Transportation Fuels
journal, May 2011
- Stratton, Russell W.; Wong, Hsin Min; Hileman, James I.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 45, Issue 10
Development of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as a bioenergy feedstock in the United States
journal, June 2005
- McLaughlin, Samuel B.; Adams Kszos, Lynn
- Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 28, Issue 6
Management of Switchgrass-Dominated Conservation Reserve Program Lands for Biomass Production in South Dakota
journal, January 2006
- Mulkey, V. R.; Owens, V. N.; Lee, D. K.
- Crop Science, Vol. 46, Issue 2
Potential ecological impacts of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) biofuel cultivation in the Central Great Plains, USA
journal, August 2011
- Hartman, Jeffrey C.; Nippert, Jesse B.; Orozco, Rebecca A.
- Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 35, Issue 8
Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change
journal, February 2008
- Searchinger, T.; Heimlich, R.; Houghton, R. A.
- Science, Vol. 319, Issue 5867
Methods of dealing with co-products of biofuels in life-cycle analysis and consequent results within the U.S. context
journal, October 2011
- Wang, Michael; Huo, Hong; Arora, Salil
- Energy Policy, Vol. 39, Issue 10
Life cycle assessment of switchgrass-derived ethanol as transport fuel
journal, March 2010
- Bai, Yu; Luo, Lin; van der Voet, Ester
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 15, Issue 5
Life Cycle Assessment of Switchgrass- and Corn Stover-Derived Ethanol-Fueled Automobiles
journal, November 2005
- Spatari, Sabrina; Zhang, Yimin; MacLean, Heather L.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 39, Issue 24
Switchgrass for forage and bioenergy: harvest and nitrogen rate effects on biomass yields and nutrient composition
journal, April 2010
- Guretzky, John A.; Biermacher, Jon T.; Cook, Billy J.
- Plant and Soil, Vol. 339, Issue 1-2
Effect of controlled traffic on field efficiency
journal, May 2010
- Bochtis, D. D.; Sørensen, C. G.; Green, O.
- Biosystems Engineering, Vol. 106, Issue 1
The New Gold Rush: Fueling Ethanol Production while Protecting Water Quality
journal, January 2008
- Simpson, Thomas W.; Sharpley, Andrew N.; Howarth, Robert W.
- Journal of Environment Quality, Vol. 37, Issue 2
Large-scale production, harvest and logistics of switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L. ) - current technology and envisioning a mature technology
journal, March 2009
- Sokhansanj, Shahab; Mani, Sudhagar; Turhollow, Anthony
- Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, Vol. 3, Issue 2
Net energy of cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass
journal, January 2008
- Schmer, M. R.; Vogel, K. P.; Mitchell, R. B.
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 105, Issue 2
Spatial Legume Composition and Diversity across Seeded Landscapes
journal, January 2001
- Harmoney, Keith R.; Moore, Kenneth J.; Brummer, Edward C.
- Agronomy Journal, Vol. 93, Issue 5
Greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture
journal, September 2007
- Smith, Pete; Martino, Daniel; Cai, Zucong
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 363, Issue 1492
Characterizing Model Uncertainties in the Life Cycle of Lignocellulose-Based Ethanol Fuels
journal, November 2010
- Spatari, Sabrina; MacLean, Heather L.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 44, Issue 22
Life cycle assessment of different bioenergy production systems including perennial and annual crops
journal, December 2011
- Fazio, Simone; Monti, Andrea
- Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 35, Issue 12
Nitrogen fertilization of switchgrass increases biomass yield and improves net greenhouse gas balance in northern Michigan, U.S.A
journal, October 2011
- Nikièma, Paligwende; Rothstein, David E.; Min, Doo-Hong
- Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 35, Issue 10
Predicting Tractor fuel Consumption
journal, January 2004
- R. D. Grisso,
- Applied Engineering in Agriculture, Vol. 20, Issue 5
The Biology and Agronomy of Switchgrass for Biofuels
journal, September 2005
- Parrish, David J.; Fike, John H.
- Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, Vol. 24, Issue 5-6
Energy and Emission Benefits of Alternative Transportation Liquid Fuels Derived from Switchgrass: A Fuel Life Cycle Assessment
journal, August 2006
- Wu, M.; Wu, Y.; Wang, M.
- Biotechnology Progress, Vol. 22, Issue 4