Life Cycle Analysis and Optimization of Jatropha curcas As a Sustainable Biodiesel Feedstock in Argentina

DIAZ MARÍA SOLEDAD; BEAVER ALEXA; GONZÁLEZ CASTAÑO FABIO ANTONIO

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 2nd RCN Conference on Pan American Biofuels and Bioenergy Sustainability 2016; 2016

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Argentina is currently one of the most important biodiesel producer in the world. Biodiesel exports from Argentina reached 1.6 million metric tons in 2014. Domestic production increased approximately 28% in 20141, and production capacity has reached nearly 3 million tons per year.2 Argentine biodiesel production will continue to be focused primarily on exportation in the coming years. Primary destinations for Argentine biodiesel, US, UK, and the Netherlands, are continually developing strict sustainability criteria for biocombustibles based on growing concern about the potential negative impacts of biofuels. For this reason, it is imperative that the sustainability of Argentine biodiesel be evaluated. Most of the biodiesel produced in Argentina is from soybean, a fact which has raised concern over the fuel?s sustainability, as soybeans in Argentina are produced via large-scale monocropping, which may have negative impact on the soil, lack of biodiversity, growing need for deforestation, etc.4Jatropha curcas is an attractive alternative to soybean for biodiesel production. It is able to grow in marginal lands, thus reducing land competition between energy and food crops.5 Jatropha plants can produce seeds for a period of 30 to 50 years with an oil content as high as 48% in comparison to 18% for soybean.6 Furthermore, a recent study comparing various biodiesel feedstocks shows that Jatropha biodiesel production, when coupled with a cogeneration plant, proves to be the best option from an environmental and economical perspective.7 Studies of Jatropha have been completed for countries such as China, Brazil, and India8. In the case of Argentina, recent work by the authors has addressed LCA for Jatropha based biodiesel9,10.In this work, as a first step, we carry out Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) 11 for the Jatropha biodiesel supply chain in Argentina using the ReCiPe method12. Our analysis includes aspects of the supply chain such as seed cultivation, seed transportation, oil extraction, biodiesel production, biodiesel mixing, and the use of biodiesel in a diesel combustion engine. Furthermore, this work includes land use change and water usage, aspects which are typically omitted due to their complexity and the lack of available information. The obtained results from this analysis reveal those aspects which contribute most to the overall environmental damage, so as to better focus efforts to minimize environmental impact throughout the Jatropha biodiesel supply chain.As sustainability also encompasses economic and social impacts; in a second step, we formulate a multi-objective optimization problem to maximize profit while minimizing environmental impact, utilizing the Ɛ-constraint method.13 We obtain Pareto-optimal curves, which demonstrate the trade-off between economic and enrivonmental impacts and provide an useful decision-making tool. This study strives to provide a comprehensive view of the sustainability of Jatropha biodiesel in Argentina, which could support its resurgence into the biodiesel market and demonstrate compliance with international standards.References:1 Cámara Argentina de Biocombustibles, CARBIO. (2015). La producción de Biodiesel en Argentina: Una decisión estratégica. [En línea] http://carbio.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Paper-Biodiesel-Abril-del 2015.pdf.2 Huerga, I., Zanuttini M.S., Gross, M., Querini, C. (2014). Biodiesel production from Jatrophacurcas: Integrated process optimization. Energy Conversion and Management, 80, 1-9.3 OECD-FAO. (2011). Agricultural Outlook 2011-2020. [En linea] http://www.agri-outlook.org/48178823.pdf 4 Milazzo, M.F., Spina, F., Cavallaro, S., Bart, J.C.J. (2013). Sustainable soy biodiesel. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 27, 806-852.5 F. Andersen, F. Iturmendi, S. Espinosa, M.S. Diaz. (2012). Optimal design and planning of biodiesel supply chain with land competition. Computers and Chemical Engineering, 47, 170-182.6 Univesidad Nacional de Cuyo, UNCUYO. (2012). Informe: Cultivos energéticos para biocombustibles. [En línea] http://www.imd.uncu.edu.ar/upload/cultivos-energeticos-final.pdf7 Rincón, L.E., Jaramillo, J.J., Cardona, C.A. (2014). Comparison of feedstocks and technologies for biodiesel production: An environmental and techno-economic evaluation. Renewable Energy, 69, 479-487.8 Portugal-Pereira, J., Nakatani, J., Kurisu, K.H., Hanaki, K. (2015). Comparative energy and environmental analysis of Jatropha bioelectricity versus biodiesel production in remote areas. Energy, 83, 284-293.9 Beaver, A., A. Gonzalez Castaño, F. Andersen, M.S. Diaz (2015). Evaluation of Jatropha curcas As a Sustainable Biodiesel Feedstock in Argentina Using Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), 2015 AIChE Annual Meeting, Session: Life Cycle Assessment of Advanced Biofuels, 8-13 November 2015, Salt Lake City, US10 Beaver A., Gonzalez Castaño F.A., Andersen F., Diaz M.S. Life Cycle Analysis of Jatropha Curcas as a Sustainable Biodiesel Feedstock in Argentina, International Congress of Biomass 2016, Giardini Naxos, Taormina, 19-22 June 2016.11 ISO-14040 (2015) International Organization for Standardization. Series of Standards on Environmental Management and Life-Cycle Assessment: ISO 14040, 14041, 14042, 14043.12 PRé-Consultants, (2009), ?ReCiPe 2008: A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonized category indicators at the midpoint and endpoint level,? Amersfoort, The Netherlands: PRé-Consultants.13 G. Guillén-Gosálbez, F.D. Mele, I. Grossmann (2010). A bi-criterion optimization approach for the design and planning of hydrogen supply chains for vehicle use. AIChE J., 56, 650-667.