IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i14p3968-d250517.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Sustainability Assessment of Bioethanol (EtOH) Production: The Case of Cassava in Colombia

Author

Listed:
  • Claudia Pabon-Pereira

    (Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago 7910000, Chile)

  • Maja Slingerland

    (Plant Production Systems group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Sanna Hogervorst

    (Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Agrotechnology & Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Jules van Lier

    (Section Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands)

  • Rudy Rabbinge

    (Sustainable Development & Food Security, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AK Wageningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

This paper shows how system design determines sustainability outcomes of cassava bioethanol production in Colombia. The recovery of the energy contained in by-products is recommended as compared to single product production. In particular, this study assesses the energy, greenhouse gases, water, and land use performance of alternative cassava cascades working at different scales, highlighting the implications of including anaerobic digestion technology in the chain. The centralized systems showed a poorer energy and greenhouse gases performance as compared to decentralized ones in part due to the artificial drying of cassava chips in the centralized facility. Under solar drying of cassava chips, systems with anaerobic digestion produced three to five times more energy than demanded and produced greenhouse gas savings of 0.3 kgCO 2eq L EtOH −1 . The water balance output depends upon the water reuse within the ethanol industry, which demands 21–23 L EtOH −1 . In the anaerobic digestion scenarios, assuming liquid flows are treated separately, complete water recovery is feasible. Land use for cassava cultivation was calculated to be 0.27–0.35 ha tEtOH −1 . The energy and water content of the material to digest, the options for digestate reuse, and the recovery of the methane produced are major considerations substantially influencing the role of anaerobic digestion within cassava cascade configurations.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Pabon-Pereira & Maja Slingerland & Sanna Hogervorst & Jules van Lier & Rudy Rabbinge, 2019. "A Sustainability Assessment of Bioethanol (EtOH) Production: The Case of Cassava in Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-23, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:14:p:3968-:d:250517
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/14/3968/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/14/3968/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Niven, Robert K., 2005. "Ethanol in gasoline: environmental impacts and sustainability review article," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 9(6), pages 535-555, December.
    2. Searchinger, Timothy & Heimlich, Ralph & Houghton, R. A. & Dong, Fengxia & Elobeid, Amani & Fabiosa, Jacinto F. & Tokgoz, Simla & Hayes, Dermot J. & Yu, Hun-Hsiang, 2008. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12881, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    3. Nguyen, Thu Lan Thi & Gheewala, Shabbir H. & Garivait, Savitri, 2007. "Energy balance and GHG-abatement cost of cassava utilization for fuel ethanol in Thailand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 4585-4596, September.
    4. Howeler, R. H., 2001. "Nutrient inputs and losses in cassava-based cropping systems: examples from Vietnam and Thailand," Conference Papers h036287, International Water Management Institute.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Vang Rasmussen, Laura & Rasmussen, Kjeld & Birch-Thomsen, Torben & Kristensen, Søren B.P. & Traoré, Oumar, 2012. "The effect of cassava-based bioethanol production on above-ground carbon stocks: A case study from Southern Mali," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 575-583.
    2. Hoekman, S. Kent & Broch, Amber, 2018. "Environmental implications of higher ethanol production and use in the U.S.: A literature review. Part II – Biodiversity, land use change, GHG emissions, and sustainability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 3159-3177.
    3. Zhang, Bo & Sarathy, S. Mani, 2016. "Lifecycle optimized ethanol-gasoline blends for turbocharged engines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 38-53.
    4. Azadeh Maroufmashat & Michael Fowler, 2017. "Transition of Future Energy System Infrastructure; through Power-to-Gas Pathways," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-22, July.
    5. Rahman, Farahiyah Abdul & Aziz, Md Maniruzzaman A. & Saidur, R. & Bakar, Wan Azelee Wan Abu & Hainin, M.R & Putrajaya, Ramadhansyah & Hassan, Norhidayah Abdul, 2017. "Pollution to solution: Capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and its utilization as a renewable energy source for a sustainable future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 112-126.
    6. Hodge, Timothy R., 2011. "The Effect of Ethanol Plants on Residential Property Values: Evidence from Michigan," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 41(2), pages 1-20.
    7. Phalan, Ben, 2009. "The social and environmental impacts of biofuels in Asia: An overview," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(Supplemen), pages 21-29, November.
    8. Khatiwada, Dilip & Venkata, Bharadwaj K. & Silveira, Semida & Johnson, Francis X., 2016. "Energy and GHG balances of ethanol production from cane molasses in Indonesia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 756-768.
    9. Robert Hahn & Caroline Cecot, 2009. "The benefits and costs of ethanol: an evaluation of the government’s analysis," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 275-295, June.
    10. Canabarro, N.I. & Silva-Ortiz, P. & Nogueira, L.A.H. & Cantarella, H. & Maciel-Filho, R. & Souza, G.M., 2023. "Sustainability assessment of ethanol and biodiesel production in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    11. Baka, Jennifer & Roland-Holst, David, 2009. "Food or fuel? What European farmers can contribute to Europe's transport energy requirements and the Doha Round," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 2505-2513, July.
    12. Nguyen, Thu Lan T. & Hermansen, John E. & Mogensen, Lisbeth, 2010. "Fossil energy and GHG saving potentials of pig farming in the EU," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 2561-2571, May.
    13. Sarah Jansen & William Foster & Gustavo Anríquez & Jorge Ortega, 2021. "Understanding Farm-Level Incentives within the Bioeconomy Framework: Prices, Product Quality, Losses, and Bio-Based Alternatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    14. Argueyrolles, Robin & Delzeit, Ruth, 2022. "The interconnections between Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reforms and biofuels," Conference papers 333492, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    15. Aruga, Kentaka, 2011. "非遺伝子組換え大豆とエネルギーの価格関係について [Relationships among the Non-Genetically Modified Soybean and Energy Prices]," MPRA Paper 38186, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Aug 2011.
    16. Ribeiro, Lauro André & Silva, Patrícia Pereira da, 2013. "Surveying techno-economic indicators of microalgae biofuel technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 89-96.
    17. Gal Hochman & Chrysostomos Tabakis, 2020. "Biofuels and Their Potential in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, September.
    18. Mohlin, Kristina & Camuzeaux, Jonathan R. & Muller, Adrian & Schneider, Marius & Wagner, Gernot, 2018. "Factoring in the forgotten role of renewables in CO2 emission trends using decomposition analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 290-296.
    19. Khoo, Hsien H., 2015. "Review of bio-conversion pathways of lignocellulose-to-ethanol: Sustainability assessment based on land footprint projections," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 100-119.
    20. Shirizadeh, Behrang & Quirion, Philippe, 2022. "The importance of renewable gas in achieving carbon-neutrality: Insights from an energy system optimization model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:11:y:2019:i:14:p:3968-:d:250517. 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.