The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process
Forest residue has been proposed as a feasible candidate for cellulosic biofuels. However, the number of studies assessing its water use remains limited. This work aims to analyze the impacts of forest-based biofuel on water resources and quality by using a water footprint approach. A method establi...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035015 |
| _version_ | 1827870675720732672 |
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| author | Yi-Wen Chiu May Wu |
| author_facet | Yi-Wen Chiu May Wu |
| author_sort | Yi-Wen Chiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forest residue has been proposed as a feasible candidate for cellulosic biofuels. However, the number of studies assessing its water use remains limited. This work aims to analyze the impacts of forest-based biofuel on water resources and quality by using a water footprint approach. A method established here is tailored to the production system, which includes softwood, hardwood, and short-rotation woody crops. The method is then applied to selected areas in the southeastern region of the United States to quantify the county-level water footprint of the biofuel produced via a mixed alcohol gasification process, under several logistic systems, and at various refinery scales. The results indicate that the blue water sourced from surface or groundwater is minimal, at 2.4 liters per liter of biofuel (l/l). The regional-average green water (rainfall) footprint falls between 400 and 443 l/l. The biofuel pathway appears to have a low nitrogen grey water footprint averaging 25 l/l at the regional level, indicating minimal impacts on water quality. Feedstock mix plays a key role in determining the magnitude and the spatial distribution of the water footprint in these regions. Compared with other potential feedstock, forest wood residue shows promise with its low blue and grey water footprint. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:00:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72a5bb8fccb4407b901945f326c876c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:00:39Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-72a5bb8fccb4407b901945f326c876c42023-08-09T14:39:20ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262013-01-018303501510.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035015The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification processYi-Wen Chiu0May Wu1Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory , 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USAEnergy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory , 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USAForest residue has been proposed as a feasible candidate for cellulosic biofuels. However, the number of studies assessing its water use remains limited. This work aims to analyze the impacts of forest-based biofuel on water resources and quality by using a water footprint approach. A method established here is tailored to the production system, which includes softwood, hardwood, and short-rotation woody crops. The method is then applied to selected areas in the southeastern region of the United States to quantify the county-level water footprint of the biofuel produced via a mixed alcohol gasification process, under several logistic systems, and at various refinery scales. The results indicate that the blue water sourced from surface or groundwater is minimal, at 2.4 liters per liter of biofuel (l/l). The regional-average green water (rainfall) footprint falls between 400 and 443 l/l. The biofuel pathway appears to have a low nitrogen grey water footprint averaging 25 l/l at the regional level, indicating minimal impacts on water quality. Feedstock mix plays a key role in determining the magnitude and the spatial distribution of the water footprint in these regions. Compared with other potential feedstock, forest wood residue shows promise with its low blue and grey water footprint.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035015biofuelsforest biomassthinning residuelogging residueshort-rotation woody cropwater footprint |
| spellingShingle | Yi-Wen Chiu May Wu The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process Environmental Research Letters biofuels forest biomass thinning residue logging residue short-rotation woody crop water footprint |
| title | The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process |
| title_full | The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process |
| title_fullStr | The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process |
| title_full_unstemmed | The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process |
| title_short | The water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process |
| title_sort | water footprint of biofuel produced from forest wood residue via a mixed alcohol gasification process |
| topic | biofuels forest biomass thinning residue logging residue short-rotation woody crop water footprint |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035015 |
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