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Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from microalgae-based biofuels

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Abstract

Energy supply for transportation causes a major part of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions responsible for climate change. Therefore, several governments have introduced measures to promote biofuels based on agricultural feedstock in order to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce the import dependency of fossil fuel energy. However, due to the land requirement for the cultivation of agricultural feedstock and the conflict between the use of biomass for food and fuel, the generation of biofuel from microalgae as a promising alternative is discussed more and more. Against this background, the goal of this paper is to estimate the GHG emissions for the provision and use of biodiesel, bioethanol and biomethane from microalgal feedstock. These biofuels have the possibility to reduce the pressure on agricultural land because of the higher area-specific biomass yields. Nevertheless, the energy demand needed for the provision of biofuels from microalgae according to the concepts investigated here is responsible for no significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with fossil fuels or even for a high increase in emissions. From the investigated options, the cultivation in open ponds seems to be more promising than the cultivation in photo-bioreactors, and the provision of biodiesel and biomethane from microalgae shows advantages over the ethanol generation from a greenhouse-gas-reduction point of view.

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Abbreviations

DM:

Dry matter

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

LCA:

Life cycle assessment

OP:

Open pond

opt:

Optimistic

pes:

Pessimistic

PBR:

Photo-bioreactor

wt:

Weight

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Umwelttechnik und Energiewirtschaft, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Eißendorfer Straße 40, 21073, Hamburg, Germany

    Jana Weinberg & Martin Kaltschmitt

  2. Institut für Biologie I, Abteilung Pflanzenphysiologie, Universität Leipzig, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Christian Wilhelm

Authors
  1. Jana Weinberg
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  2. Martin Kaltschmitt
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  3. Christian Wilhelm
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Correspondence to Jana Weinberg.

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Weinberg, J., Kaltschmitt, M. & Wilhelm, C. Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from microalgae-based biofuels. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 2, 179–194 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0044-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0044-4

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