Environmental Effects of Large- Scale Algal Fuel Production For National Research Council Committee on the Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels Virginia Dale and Tanya Kuritz Oak Ridge National Laboratory June 2011
Roadmap for Talk Sustainability issues Effects of algal fuels on key indicators of sustainability Conclusions and research needs Key assumptions: Renewable energy must be provided by a variety of sources Biofuels must be located and implemented to best address sustainability constraints
Challenges of Sustainability type Corn? Residues? Open vs closed system? Fertilizers? Harvesting method? Cellulosic perennials? Algae? Riparian? Near refinery? Adjacent forest? Cold? Wet? Native forest? Pasture? Ag field? CRP? Soil carbon? Water quality & quantity? 20% of watershed? 5% of watershed? Patchy? Blocky? Runoff? Wildlife? Environmental Attributes Must address all six dimensions for a region Revised from: Dale, Fargione, Kline, Wiens 2010. Biofuels: Implications for Land Use and Biodiversity. Biofuels and Sustainability report of the Ecological Society of America http://www.esa.org/biofuelsreports 3
Sustainability and Adaptive Management Focus on sustainability provides opportunity to decide how production of algal fuels might be done right (Kline et al. 2009) a positive example for other agricultural systems. Adaptive management fosters Learning appropriate ways to manage these systems while the industry is expanding. Documenting ways to be resilient in the face of changes in climate change while addressing ecosystem services (Folke et al. 2004). The regional approach considers Current social and economic activities Methods of production Infrastructure Cumulative effects over space and time
Environmental and Socioeconomic Indicators Cross-cutting issues: Land-use change, Ecosystem services, GMOs
U. S. Water Use by Sectors Livestock Domestic Public Supply Thermoelectric power Less than 1 percent Less than 1 percent 11 percent 48 percent Less than 1 percent Less than 1 percent 5 percent 34 percent Mining Aquaculture Industrial Irrigation
Indicators of Environmental Sustainability for Bioenergy Systems Category Indicator Units Soil quality Water quality and quantity 1. Total organic carbon (TOC) Mg/ha 2. Total nitrogen (N) Mg/ha 3. Extractable phosphorus (P) Mg/ha 4. Bulk density g/cm 3 5. Nitrate concentration in concentration: mg/l; streams (and export) export: kg/ha/yr 6. Total phosphorus (P) concentration: mg/l; concentration in streams (and export: kg/ha/yr export) 7. Suspended sediment concentration: mg/l; concentration in streams (and export: kg/ha/yr export) 8. Herbicide concentration in concentration: mg/l; streams (and export) export: kg/ha/yr 9. storm flow L/s 10. Minimum base flow L/s 11. Consumptive water use (incorporates base flow) feedstock production: m 3 /ha/day; biorefinery: m 3 /day Category Indicator Units Greenhouse gases Biodiversity 12. CO 2 equivalent emissions (CO 2 and N 2 O) 13. Presence of taxa of special concern 14. Habitat area of taxa of special concern kgc eq /GJ Presence ha Air quality 15. Tropospheric ozone ppb Productivity 16. Carbon monoxide ppm 17. Total particulate µg/m 3 matter less than 2.5μm diameter (PM 2.5 ) 18. Total particulate µg/m 3 matter less than 10μm diameter (PM 10 ) 19. Aboveground net gc/m 2 /year primary productivity (ANPP) / Yield 7 McBride et al. (2011). Indicators to support environmental sustainability of bioenergy systems. Ecological Indicators 11(5):1277-1289.
Components of the Biofuel Supply Chain Production to Biofuel Biofuel Biofuel End-Uses Land Harvesting & Collection Process Engine Type & Efficiency Type Processing Fuel Type Blend Management Co- Products No experience with algal fuels so uncertainty is high
Depiction of Where Major Categories of Sustainability Indicators Are Affected within the Biofuel Supply Chain Production to Biofuel Biofuel Biofuel End-Uses Land Harvesting & Collection Process Engine Type & Efficiency Type Processing Fuel Type Blend Management Co- Products Major categories of indicators: Environment Socioeconomic [based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory report in prep.] - Soil quality - Water quality and quantity - Greenhouse gases - Biodiversity - Air quality - Productivity - Profitability - Employment - Welfare - Trade and energy security - Legal/regulatory - Natural resource accounting - Aspect of sustainability not affected
Depiction of Where Major Categories of Sustainability Indicators Are Affected within the Supply Chain Major Effects Associated with Algal Fuels Production to End-Uses Land Type Management Soils affected by spills Water influenced by production type If area large, then biodiversity can be affected by fragmentation habitat loss loss of species of special concern Welfare = odor [based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory report in prep.] Major categories of indicators: Environment Socioeconomic - Soil quality - Water quality and quantity - Greenhouse gases - Biodiversity - Air quality - Productivity - Major effect Traditional row crops affect all these aspects of the environment as well - Profitability - Employment - Welfare - Trade and energy security - Legal/regulatory - Natural resource accounting - Aspect of sustainability not affected
Depiction of Where Major Categories of Sustainability Indicators Are Affected within the Supply Chain Major Effects Associated with Algal Fuels Production to End-Uses Land Type Harvesting & Collection Processing Water : Spills during harvest can be a problem Productivity : linked to GHG and harvest system Management Major categories of indicators: Environment Socioeconomic [based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory report in prep.] - Soil quality - Water quality and quantity - Greenhouse gases - Biodiversity - Air quality - Productivity - Major effect - Profitability - Employment - Welfare - Trade and energy security - Legal/regulatory - Natural resource accounting - Aspect of sustainability not affected
Depiction of Where Major Categories of Sustainability Indicators Are Affected within the Supply Chain Major Effects Associated with Algal Fuels Production to End-Uses Land Type Harvesting & Collection Processing Process Fuel Type Water: depends on conversion approach Profitability: Algal fuels not yet profitable Legal/regulatory: Intellectual property Management Co- Products Major categories of indicators: Environment Socioeconomic Profitability: Co- products essential [based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory report in prep.] - Soil quality - Water quality and quantity - Greenhouse gases - Biodiversity - Air quality Productivity - Major effect - Profitability - Employment - Welfare - Trade and energy security - Legal/regulatory - Natural resource accounting - Aspect of sustainability not affected
Depiction of Where Major Categories of Sustainability Indicators Are Affected within the Supply Chain Major Effects Associated with Algal Fuels Production to End-Uses Land Type Harvesting & Collection Processing Process Fuel Type No experience or data = high uncertainty Assume same as other biofuels Management Co- Products Major categories of indicators: Environment Socioeconomic [based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory report in prep.] - Soil quality - Water quality and quantity - Greenhouse gases - Biodiversity - Air quality - Productivity - Major effect - Profitability - Employment - Welfare - Trade and energy security - Legal/regulatory - Natural resource accounting - Aspect of sustainability not affected
Depiction of Where Major Categories of Sustainability Indicators Are Affected within the Supply Chain Major Effects Associated with Algal Fuels Production to End-Uses Land Harvesting & Collection Process Engine Type & Efficiency Type Processing Fuel Type Blend Management Co- Products Major categories of indicators: Environment Socioeconomic [based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory report in prep.] - Soil quality - Water quality and quantity - Greenhouse gases - Biodiversity - Air quality - Productivity - Major effect - Profitability - Employment - Welfare - Trade and energy security - Legal/regulatory - Natural resource accounting - Aspect of sustainability not affected
Agricultural Landscape Major questions Can we create energy from biological sources with little fossil energy input? Can we grow sufficient feedstocks to meet our energy security goals? without significantly raising food prices? with little use of land that is valuable for other purposes? Can we meet our fuel, food, and fiber needs? without increased deforestation? while maintaining or increasing water quality? while maintaining or increasing biodiversity of many types of organisms? Response Yes if we use to landscape design to determine where and how to use resources Using resources in optimal way (considering all aspects of sustainability) Not a one design fits all approach Several research institutions are working to answer these questions. Many unfounded, false, or over-generalized statements about these questions are prevalent in the popular media! 15
Complexities and uncertainties makes it large to estimate effects (e.g., multiple influences on hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico)
Conclusions Sustainability of Algal Fuel Environmental sustainability depends largely on Water resource impacts Lands converted (cumulative effects) GHG consumed Socioeconomic sustainability depends largely on Co-products Potential for spills during conversion Potential for algal fuels to be used in jets Context is important for both
Research & Development Needs for algal Fuels as related to sustainability Algal feedstock eco-designs Location and design of ponds What lands are converted Cumulative effects Harvesting and site preparation strategies to minimize impacts on water, land, and socioeconomic conditions Opportunities for co-products