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Life cycle assessment of Jatropha curcas biodiesel production: a case study in Mexico

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Abstract

The potential of liquid biofuels (like bioethanol and biodiesel) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector has generated a great deal of interest in the last few years, with particular attention being given to Jatropha methyl ester (JME). Jatropha curcas (Jc)—a species native to Mexico—shows some promise as a source of oil for biodiesel. A few studies on biodiesel production from Jc have been conducted in Mexico, but just one study involved a life cycle assessment (LCA) of JME. At the international level, most studies dealing with Jc focus on the biodiesel industrial process, while in this paper we also look in detail at the agricultural production phase. This case study provides preliminary results on GHG emissions and energy balances of JME production in Mexico, applying the LCA methodology recommended by the European Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Four production systems (JME 1–4) were studied, resulting in GHG mitigation of between 41 and 53% with regards to diesel if no direct land-use change (dLUC) change occurs. However, when accounting for GHG emissions arising from direct land-use change (dLUC), total emissions increase from 40 to 508 kg CO2e/GJ. The differences between dLUC on tropical dry forest and dLUC on grassland are of lesser importance than those between systems with and without dLUC. Using JME from plantations on lands, previously not cultivated, leads to GHG emissions three or six times higher than using fossil diesel. These results are an approximation to the environmental and energetic impacts of JME production in Mexico. Further studies should be performed before implementing more plantations to produce biofuel from J. curcas.

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Acknowledgements

Alfredo Fuentes wishes to thank CONACYT for financial support through the Doctoral Fellowship Program. This study was supported by PAPIIT-UNAM No. IT 101512 and 101315. The authors also want to thank René Martínez Bravo and Enrique Riegelhaupt for their support in the field work and development of the life cycle assessment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Posgrado en Ingeniería. Facultad de Ingeniería., Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

    Alfredo Fuentes

  2. Instituto de investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Col. Ex-Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    Alfredo Fuentes & Omar Masera

  3. Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    Carlos García

  4. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113, Bonn, Germany

    Anna Hennecke

  5. Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Walter-Flex-Str. 3, 53113, Bonn, Germany

    Anna Hennecke

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  1. Alfredo Fuentes
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Correspondence to Alfredo Fuentes.

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Fuentes, A., García, C., Hennecke, A. et al. Life cycle assessment of Jatropha curcas biodiesel production: a case study in Mexico. Clean Techn Environ Policy 20, 1721–1733 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-018-1558-7

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