Life Cycle Analysis of Electrofuels: Fischer–Tropsch Fuel Production from Hydrogen and Corn Ethanol Byproduct CO2
Abstract
Electrofuels from renewable H2 and waste CO2 streams are of increasing interest because of their CO2 emissions reduction potentials compared to fossil counterparts. This study evaluated the well-to-wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) fuels from various electrolytic H2 pathways and CO2 sources, using various process designs (i.e., with and without H2 recycle) and system boundaries. Two systems with different boundaries were considered: a stand-alone plant (with CO2 from any source) and an integrated plant with corn ethanol production (supplying CO2). The FT fuel synthesis process was modeled using Aspen Plus, which showed that 45% of the carbon in CO2 can be fixed in the FT fuel, with a fuel production energy efficiency of 58%. Using nuclear or solar/wind electricity, the stand-alone FT fuel production from various plant designs can reduce WTW GHG emissions by 90-108%, relative to petroleum fuels. When integrating the FT fuel production process with corn ethanol production, the WTW GHG emissions of FT fuels are 57-65% lower compared to petroleum counterparts. This study highlights the sensitivity of the carbon intensity of FT fuels to the system boundary selection (i.e., stand-alone vs integrated), which has different implications under various GHG emission credit frameworks.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[1];
[1];
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Systems Assessment Center, Energy Systems Division
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) - Office of Fuel Cell Technologies (FCTO)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1807679
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Science and Technology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 55; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 09 BIOMASS FUELS; 08 HYDROGEN; CO2 from corn ethanol plant; E-fuels system design; Fischer–Tropsch fuel production; GHG emissions; Hydrogen from electrolysis; Life-cycle analysis
Citation Formats
Zang, Guiyan, Sun, Pingping, Elgowainy, Amgad, Bafana, Adarsh, and Wang, Michael. Life Cycle Analysis of Electrofuels: Fischer–Tropsch Fuel Production from Hydrogen and Corn Ethanol Byproduct CO2. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c05893.
Zang, Guiyan, Sun, Pingping, Elgowainy, Amgad, Bafana, Adarsh, & Wang, Michael. Life Cycle Analysis of Electrofuels: Fischer–Tropsch Fuel Production from Hydrogen and Corn Ethanol Byproduct CO2. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c05893
Zang, Guiyan, Sun, Pingping, Elgowainy, Amgad, Bafana, Adarsh, and Wang, Michael. Thu .
"Life Cycle Analysis of Electrofuels: Fischer–Tropsch Fuel Production from Hydrogen and Corn Ethanol Byproduct CO2". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c05893. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1807679.
@article{osti_1807679,
title = {Life Cycle Analysis of Electrofuels: Fischer–Tropsch Fuel Production from Hydrogen and Corn Ethanol Byproduct CO2},
author = {Zang, Guiyan and Sun, Pingping and Elgowainy, Amgad and Bafana, Adarsh and Wang, Michael},
abstractNote = {Electrofuels from renewable H2 and waste CO2 streams are of increasing interest because of their CO2 emissions reduction potentials compared to fossil counterparts. This study evaluated the well-to-wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) fuels from various electrolytic H2 pathways and CO2 sources, using various process designs (i.e., with and without H2 recycle) and system boundaries. Two systems with different boundaries were considered: a stand-alone plant (with CO2 from any source) and an integrated plant with corn ethanol production (supplying CO2). The FT fuel synthesis process was modeled using Aspen Plus, which showed that 45% of the carbon in CO2 can be fixed in the FT fuel, with a fuel production energy efficiency of 58%. Using nuclear or solar/wind electricity, the stand-alone FT fuel production from various plant designs can reduce WTW GHG emissions by 90-108%, relative to petroleum fuels. When integrating the FT fuel production process with corn ethanol production, the WTW GHG emissions of FT fuels are 57-65% lower compared to petroleum counterparts. This study highlights the sensitivity of the carbon intensity of FT fuels to the system boundary selection (i.e., stand-alone vs integrated), which has different implications under various GHG emission credit frameworks.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.0c05893},
journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
number = 6,
volume = 55,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2021},
month = {Thu Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2021}
}
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