Robust paths to net greenhouse gas mitigation and negative emissions via advanced biofuels
Abstract
Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to most climate stabilization scenarios for displacement of transport sector fossil fuel use and for producing negative emissions via carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, the net greenhouse gas mitigation benefit of such pathways is controversial due to concerns around ecosystem carbon losses from land use change and foregone sequestration benefits from alternative land uses. Here, we couple bottom-up ecosystem simulation with models of cellulosic biofuel production and CCS in order to track ecosystem and supply chain carbon flows for current and future biofuel systems, with comparison to competing land-based biological mitigation schemes. Analyzing three contrasting US case study sites, we show that on land transitioning out of crops or pasture, switchgrass cultivation for cellulosic ethanol production has per-hectare mitigation potential comparable to reforestation and severalfold greater than grassland restoration. In contrast, harvesting and converting existing secondary forest at those sites incurs large initial carbon debt requiring long payback periods. We also highlight how plausible future improvements in energy crop yields and biorefining technology together with CCS would achieve mitigation potential 4 and 15 times greater than forest and grassland restoration, respectively. Finally, we show that recent estimates of induced land use change aremore »
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Illinois, Champaign, IL (United States). Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); USDOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRC) (United States). Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) and Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP); USDA; National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA); Energy Biosciences Institute; Link Foundation
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1650388
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1735527; OSTI ID: 1798724
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725; SC0018420; AC02-06CH11357; 2014/26767-9; 2013-68005-21298; 2012-68005-19703
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Volume: 117 Journal Issue: 36; Journal ID: ISSN 0027-8424
- Publisher:
- National Academy of Sciences
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; biofuels; BECCS; ecosystem modeling; life cycle assessment; negative emissions
Citation Formats
Field, John L., Richard, Tom L., Smithwick, Erica A. H., Cai, Hao, Laser, Mark S., LeBauer, David S., Long, Stephen P., Paustian, Keith, Qin, Zhangcai, Sheehan, John J., Smith, Pete, Wang, Michael Q., and Lynd, Lee R. Robust paths to net greenhouse gas mitigation and negative emissions via advanced biofuels. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1073/pnas.1920877117.
Field, John L., Richard, Tom L., Smithwick, Erica A. H., Cai, Hao, Laser, Mark S., LeBauer, David S., Long, Stephen P., Paustian, Keith, Qin, Zhangcai, Sheehan, John J., Smith, Pete, Wang, Michael Q., & Lynd, Lee R. Robust paths to net greenhouse gas mitigation and negative emissions via advanced biofuels. United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1920877117
Field, John L., Richard, Tom L., Smithwick, Erica A. H., Cai, Hao, Laser, Mark S., LeBauer, David S., Long, Stephen P., Paustian, Keith, Qin, Zhangcai, Sheehan, John J., Smith, Pete, Wang, Michael Q., and Lynd, Lee R. Mon .
"Robust paths to net greenhouse gas mitigation and negative emissions via advanced biofuels". United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1920877117.
@article{osti_1650388,
title = {Robust paths to net greenhouse gas mitigation and negative emissions via advanced biofuels},
author = {Field, John L. and Richard, Tom L. and Smithwick, Erica A. H. and Cai, Hao and Laser, Mark S. and LeBauer, David S. and Long, Stephen P. and Paustian, Keith and Qin, Zhangcai and Sheehan, John J. and Smith, Pete and Wang, Michael Q. and Lynd, Lee R.},
abstractNote = {Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to most climate stabilization scenarios for displacement of transport sector fossil fuel use and for producing negative emissions via carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, the net greenhouse gas mitigation benefit of such pathways is controversial due to concerns around ecosystem carbon losses from land use change and foregone sequestration benefits from alternative land uses. Here, we couple bottom-up ecosystem simulation with models of cellulosic biofuel production and CCS in order to track ecosystem and supply chain carbon flows for current and future biofuel systems, with comparison to competing land-based biological mitigation schemes. Analyzing three contrasting US case study sites, we show that on land transitioning out of crops or pasture, switchgrass cultivation for cellulosic ethanol production has per-hectare mitigation potential comparable to reforestation and severalfold greater than grassland restoration. In contrast, harvesting and converting existing secondary forest at those sites incurs large initial carbon debt requiring long payback periods. We also highlight how plausible future improvements in energy crop yields and biorefining technology together with CCS would achieve mitigation potential 4 and 15 times greater than forest and grassland restoration, respectively. Finally, we show that recent estimates of induced land use change are small relative to the opportunities for improving system performance that we quantify here. While climate and other ecosystem service benefits cannot be taken for granted from cellulosic biofuel deployment, our scenarios illustrate how conventional and carbon-negative biofuel systems could make a near-term, robust, and distinctive contribution to the climate challenge.},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1920877117},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
number = 36,
volume = 117,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 24 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Mon Aug 24 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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