IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i13p5225-d376993.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Assessment of the Potential to Produce Commercially Valuable Lipids on Highway Right-of-Way Land Areas Located Within the Southeastern United States

Author

Listed:
  • Mark E. Zappi

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Civil Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Alex Zappi

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Emmanuel Revellame

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Industrial Technology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Wayne Sharp

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Civil Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Dhan Lord Fortela

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Rafael Hernandez

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Terrence Chambers

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Kary Ritter

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

  • Daniel Gang

    (Energy Institute of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA)

Abstract

Right-of-way (ROW) land areas are required for all publicly owned transportation roadways representing over 40 million acres within the US alone. These relatively unused land assets could support potential farming land for plants and algae that contain high levels of lipids that could be used in the energy industry as an alternative fuel source. This process would offer many benefits including more efficient use of public land, eliminating mowing maintenance, increasing the bioenergy use in the US, providing visually appealing viewscapes, and helping to naturally reduce localized carbon dioxide. This paper analyzed the feasibility and potential optimization strategies of using this concept in the South-Eastern United States by scaling and comparing many of the benefits and risks associated with the selected lipid sources (soybeans, flax, sunflowers, Tung trees, Chinese tallow tree, and microalgae). Based on this assessment, the most attractive option appears to be growing flax in the winter and sunflowers in the summer with Tung Trees grown year-round as an alternative option. This would maximize lipids output while preserving and enhancing right-of-way land areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark E. Zappi & Alex Zappi & Emmanuel Revellame & Wayne Sharp & Dhan Lord Fortela & Rafael Hernandez & Terrence Chambers & Kary Ritter & Daniel Gang, 2020. "An Assessment of the Potential to Produce Commercially Valuable Lipids on Highway Right-of-Way Land Areas Located Within the Southeastern United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-38, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:13:p:5225-:d:376993
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/13/5225/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/13/5225/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Milazzo, M.F. & Spina, F. & Cavallaro, S. & Bart, J.C.J., 2013. "Sustainable soy biodiesel," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 806-852.
    2. Ahmad, A.L. & Yasin, N.H. Mat & Derek, C.J.C. & Lim, J.K., 2011. "Microalgae as a sustainable energy source for biodiesel production: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 584-593, January.
    3. Brennan, Liam & Owende, Philip, 2010. "Biofuels from microalgae--A review of technologies for production, processing, and extractions of biofuels and co-products," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 557-577, February.
    4. Pu Peng & Wenguang Zhou, 2014. "The Next Generation Feedstock of Biofuel: Jatropha or Chlorella as Assessed by Their Life-Cycle Inventories," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-14, July.
    5. Yang, Liuqing & Takase, Mohammed & Zhang, Min & Zhao, Ting & Wu, Xiangyang, 2014. "Potential non-edible oil feedstock for biodiesel production in Africa: A survey," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 461-477.
    6. Azad, A.K. & Rasul, M.G. & Khan, M.M.K. & Sharma, Subhash C. & Hazrat, M.A., 2015. "Prospect of biofuels as an alternative transport fuel in Australia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 331-351.
    7. Birgit Meade, & Puricelli, Estefania & McBride, William D. & Valdes, Constanza & Hoffman, Linwood & Foreman, Linda & Dohlman, Erik, 2016. "Corn and Soybean Production Costs and Export Competitiveness in Argentina, Brazil, and the United States," Economic Information Bulletin 262143, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Olatunji V. Oni & Michael A. Lawrence & Mark E. Zappi & William M. Chirdon, 2023. "A Review of Strategies to Enhance the Water Resistance of Green Wood Adhesives Produced from Sustainable Protein Sources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-21, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tamilselvan, P. & Nallusamy, N. & Rajkumar, S., 2017. "A comprehensive review on performance, combustion and emission characteristics of biodiesel fuelled diesel engines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1134-1159.
    2. Bharathiraja, B. & Chakravarthy, M. & Ranjith Kumar, R. & Yogendran, D. & Yuvaraj, D. & Jayamuthunagai, J. & Praveen Kumar, R. & Palani, S., 2015. "Aquatic biomass (algae) as a future feed stock for bio-refineries: A review on cultivation, processing and products," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 634-653.
    3. Mahmudul, H.M. & Hagos, F.Y. & Mamat, R. & Adam, A. Abdul & Ishak, W.F.W. & Alenezi, R., 2017. "Production, characterization and performance of biodiesel as an alternative fuel in diesel engines – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 497-509.
    4. Nirmala, N. & Dawn, S.S., 2021. "Optimization of Chlorella variabilis. MK039712.1 lipid transesterification using Response Surface Methodology and analytical characterization of biodiesel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1663-1673.
    5. Venu, Harish & Raju, V. Dhana & Subramani, Lingesan & Appavu, Prabhu, 2020. "Experimental assessment on the regulated and unregulated emissions of DI diesel engine fuelled with Chlorella emersonii methyl ester (CEME)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 88-102.
    6. Chadwick, Dara T. & McDonnell, Kevin P. & Brennan, Liam P. & Fagan, Colette C. & Everard, Colm D., 2014. "Evaluation of infrared techniques for the assessment of biomass and biofuel quality parameters and conversion technology processes: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 672-681.
    7. Souza, Simone P. & Gopal, Anand R. & Seabra, Joaquim E.A., 2015. "Life cycle assessment of biofuels from an integrated Brazilian algae-sugarcane biorefinery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 373-381.
    8. Severo, Ihana Aguiar & Siqueira, Stefania Fortes & Deprá, Mariany Costa & Maroneze, Mariana Manzoni & Zepka, Leila Queiroz & Jacob-Lopes, Eduardo, 2019. "Biodiesel facilities: What can we address to make biorefineries commercially competitive?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 686-705.
    9. Lin, Kuang C. & Lin, Yuan-Chung & Hsiao, Yi-Hsing, 2014. "Microwave plasma studies of Spirulina algae pyrolysis with relevance to hydrogen production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 567-574.
    10. Bhuiya, M.M.K. & Rasul, M.G. & Khan, M.M.K. & Ashwath, N. & Azad, A.K., 2016. "Prospects of 2nd generation biodiesel as a sustainable fuel—Part: 1 selection of feedstocks, oil extraction techniques and conversion technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1109-1128.
    11. Gan, Peck Yean & Li, Zhi Dong, 2014. "Econometric study on Malaysia׳s palm oil position in the world market to 2035," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 740-747.
    12. Salim, Mohamad Agus & Yuniarti, Yeni & Taufikurohman, Opik, 2013. "Production of Biodiesel and Growth of Staurastrum sp. in Response to CO2 Induction," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 3(02), pages 1-5, February.
    13. Haonan Zhang & Zhengquan Gao & Zhe Li & Huanmin Du & Bin Lin & Meng Cui & Yonghao Yin & Fengming Lei & Chunyu Yu & Chunxiao Meng, 2017. "Laser Radiation Induces Growth and Lipid Accumulation in the Seawater Microalga Chlorella pacifica," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
    14. Galadima, Ahmad & Muraza, Oki, 2018. "Hydrothermal liquefaction of algae and bio-oil upgrading into liquid fuels: Role of heterogeneous catalysts," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 1037-1048.
    15. Jessa DG. Carino & Pierangeli G. Vital, 2023. "Characterization of isolated UV-C-irradiated mutants of microalga Chlorella vulgaris for future biofuel application," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1258-1275, February.
    16. Esveidi Montserrat Valdovinos-García & Juan Barajas-Fernández & María de los Ángeles Olán-Acosta & Moisés Abraham Petriz-Prieto & Adriana Guzmán-López & Micael Gerardo Bravo-Sánchez, 2020. "Techno-Economic Study of CO 2 Capture of a Thermoelectric Plant Using Microalgae ( Chlorella vulgaris ) for Production of Feedstock for Bioenergy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    17. Piloto-Rodríguez, Ramón & Sánchez-Borroto, Yisel & Melo-Espinosa, Eliezer Ahmed & Verhelst, Sebastian, 2017. "Assessment of diesel engine performance when fueled with biodiesel from algae and microalgae: An overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 833-842.
    18. Shah, Syed Hasnain & Raja, Iftikhar Ahmed & Rizwan, Muhammad & Rashid, Naim & Mahmood, Qaisar & Shah, Fayyaz Ali & Pervez, Arshid, 2018. "Potential of microalgal biodiesel production and its sustainability perspectives in Pakistan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 76-92.
    19. Mofijur, M. & Rasul, M.G. & Hyde, J. & Azad, A.K. & Mamat, R. & Bhuiya, M.M.K., 2016. "Role of biofuel and their binary (diesel–biodiesel) and ternary (ethanol–biodiesel–diesel) blends on internal combustion engines emission reduction," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 265-278.
    20. Sharifzadeh, Mahdi & Wang, Lei & Shah, Nilay, 2015. "Integrated biorefineries: CO2 utilization for maximum biomass conversion," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 151-161.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:13:p:5225-:d:376993. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.