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Carbon-negative biofuels

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  • Mathews, John A.

Abstract

Current Kyoto-based approaches to reducing the earth's greenhouse gas problem involve looking for ways to reduce emissions. But these are palliative at best, and at worst will allow the problem to get out of hand. It is only through sequestration of atmospheric carbon that the problem can be solved. Carbon-negative biofuels represent the first potentially huge assault on the problem, in ways that are already technically feasible and practicable. The key to carbon negativity is to see it not as technically determined but as an issue of strategic choice, whereby farmers and fuel producers can decide how much carbon to return to the soil. Biochar amendment to the soil not only sequesters carbon but also enhances the fertility and vitality of the soil. The time is approaching when biofuels will be carbon negative by definition, and, as such, they will sweep away existing debates over their contribution to the solution of global warming.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathews, John A., 2008. "Carbon-negative biofuels," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 940-945, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:36:y:2008:i:3:p:940-945
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yang, Q. & Chen, G.Q., 2013. "Greenhouse gas emissions of corn–ethanol production in China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 176-184.
    2. Haik, Yousef & Selim, Mohamed Y.E. & Abdulrehman, Tahir, 2011. "Combustion of algae oil methyl ester in an indirect injection diesel engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1827-1835.
    3. Thallam Thattai, A. & Oldenbroek, V. & Schoenmakers, L. & Woudstra, T. & Aravind, P.V., 2016. "Experimental model validation and thermodynamic assessment on high percentage (up to 70%) biomass co-gasification at the 253MWe integrated gasification combined cycle power plant in Buggenum, The Neth," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 381-393.
    4. Phalan, Ben, 2009. "The social and environmental impacts of biofuels in Asia: An overview," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(Supplemen), pages 21-29, November.
    5. Kumar, S. & Shrestha, Pujan & Abdul Salam, P., 2013. "A review of biofuel policies in the major biofuel producing countries of ASEAN: Production, targets, policy drivers and impacts," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 822-836.
    6. Papapostolou, Christiana & Kondili, Emilia & Kaldellis, John K., 2011. "Development and implementation of an optimisation model for biofuels supply chain," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 6019-6026.
    7. Ricci, Olivia, 2012. "Providing adequate economic incentives for bioenergies with CO2 capture and geological storage," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 362-373.
    8. Galinato, Suzette P. & Yoder, Jonathan K. & Granatstein, David, 2011. "The economic value of biochar in crop production and carbon sequestration," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6344-6350, October.
    9. Budzianowski, Wojciech M., 2012. "Negative carbon intensity of renewable energy technologies involving biomass or carbon dioxide as inputs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(9), pages 6507-6521.
    10. Audrey Laude & Christian Jonen, 2011. "Biomass and CCS: The influence of the learning effect," Working Papers halshs-00829779, HAL.
    11. Ko, Chun-Han & Chaiprapat, Sumate & Kim, Lee-Hyung & Hadi, Pejman & Hsu, Shu-Chien & Leu, Shao-Yuan, 2017. "Carbon sequestration potential via energy harvesting from agricultural biomass residues in Mekong River basin, Southeast Asia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P2), pages 1051-1062.
    12. Taylor, Benjamin & Xiao, Ning & Sikorski, Janusz & Yong, Minloon & Harris, Tom & Helme, Tim & Smallbone, Andrew & Bhave, Amit & Kraft, Markus, 2013. "Techno-economic assessment of carbon-negative algal biodiesel for transport solutions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 262-274.
    13. Su, Guangcan & Mohd Zulkifli, Nurin Wahidah & Ong, Hwai Chyuan & Ibrahim, Shaliza & Bu, Quan & Zhu, Ruonan, 2022. "Pyrolysis of oil palm wastes for bioenergy in Malaysia: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    14. Christian JONEN & Audrey LAUDE, 2011. "Biomasse and CCS: The Influence of the Learning Effect," LEO Working Papers / DR LEO 273, Orleans Economics Laboratory / Laboratoire d'Economie d'Orleans (LEO), University of Orleans.
    15. Bello, Sara & Galán-Martín, Ángel & Feijoo, Gumersindo & Moreira, Maria Teresa & Guillén-Gosálbez, Gonzalo, 2020. "BECCS based on bioethanol from wood residues: Potential towards a carbon-negative transport and side-effects," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    16. Laude, Audrey & Jonen, Christian, 2013. "Biomass and CCS: The influence of technical change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 916-924.
    17. Ascher, Simon & Watson, Ian & You, Siming, 2022. "Machine learning methods for modelling the gasification and pyrolysis of biomass and waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    18. Reijnders, L., 2009. "Are forestation, bio-char and landfilled biomass adequate offsets for the climate effects of burning fossil fuels?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 2839-2841, August.
    19. Kauffman, Nathan & Dumortier, Jerome & Hayes, Dermot J. & Brown, Robert C. & Laird, David, 2014. "Producing energy while sequestering carbon? The relationship between biochar and agricultural productivity," ISU General Staff Papers 201404010700001488, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    20. Mathews, John A. & Goldsztein, Hugo, 2009. "Capturing latecomer advantages in the adoption of biofuels: The case of Argentina," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 326-337, January.
    21. Pour, Nasim & Webley, Paul A. & Cook, Peter J., 2018. "Opportunities for application of BECCS in the Australian power sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 615-635.
    22. Goldfarb, Jillian L. & Kriner, Douglas L., 2021. "U.S. public support for biofuels tax credits: Cost frames, local fuel prices, and the moderating influence of partisanship," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    23. Selosse, Sandrine & Ricci, Olivia, 2014. "Achieving negative emissions with BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) in the power sector: New insights from the TIAM-FR (TIMES Integrated Assessment Model France) model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 967-975.
    24. Audrey Laude, 2020. "Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage: are short-term issues set aside?," Post-Print hal-02163610, HAL.
    25. Kong, Sieng-Huat & Loh, Soh-Kheang & Bachmann, Robert Thomas & Rahim, Sahibin Abdul & Salimon, Jumat, 2014. "Biochar from oil palm biomass: A review of its potential and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 729-739.

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