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An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus -Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada

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  • Poritosh Roy

    (School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Animesh Dutta

    (School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Bill Deen

    (Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

Abstract

The life cycle (LC) of ethanol extracted from Miscanthus has been evaluated to identify the potential location for the Miscanthus -based ethanol industry in Ontario, Canada to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and minimize the production cost of ethanol. Four scenarios are established considering the land classes, land use, and cropping patterns in Ontario, Canada. The net energy consumption, emissions, and cost of ethanol are observed to be dependent on the processing plant location and scenarios. The net energy consumption, emissions, and cost vary from 12.9 MJ/L to 13.4 MJ/L, 0.79 $/L to 0.84 $/L, and 0.45 kg-CO 2 e/L to 1.32 kg-CO 2 e/L, respectively, which are reliant on the scenarios. Eastern Ontario has emerged as the best option. This study reveals that Miscanthus is a potential feedstock for the ethanol industries in Ontario, even if it is cultivated on marginal land. This study also highlights the contribution of energy crops ( Miscanthus ) to avoid the potential technical and economic constraints of lignocellulosic biomass for the renewable energy industry. Miscanthus may help avoid competition with food crops for prime land (higher quality land that is suitable for food crops), avoid the food versus fuel debate, help meet the ethanol demand, and achieve the GHG emissions abatement target of Canada.

Suggested Citation

  • Poritosh Roy & Animesh Dutta & Bill Deen, 2015. "An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus -Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:8:y:2015:i:9:p:9266-9281:d:54922
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Sopegno & Efthymios Rodias & Dionysis Bochtis & Patrizia Busato & Remigio Berruto & Valter Boero & Claus Sørensen, 2016. "Model for Energy Analysis of Miscanthus Production and Transportation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Tamara Llano & Natalia Quijorna & Alberto Coz, 2017. "Detoxification of a Lignocellulosic Waste from a Pulp Mill to Enhance Its Fermentation Prospects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Rui Wang & Yanyou Wu & Deke Xing & Hongtao Hang & Xiaolin Xie & Xiuqun Yang & Kaiyan Zhang & Sen Rao, 2017. "Biomass Production of Three Biofuel Energy Plants’ Use of a New Carbon Resource by Carbonic Anhydrase in Simulated Karst Soils: Mechanism and Capacity," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-14, September.
    4. Roy, Poritosh & Dutta, Animesh & Gallant, Jim, 2020. "Evaluation of the life cycle of hydrothermally carbonized biomass for energy and horticulture application," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).

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