Abstract
To date, feedstock resource assessments have evaluated cellulosic and algal feedstocks independently, without consideration of demands for, and resource allocation to, each other. We assess potential land competition between algal and terrestrial feedstocks in the United States, and evaluate a scenario in which 41.5 × 109 L yr-1 of second-generation biofuels are produced on pastureland, the most likely land base where both feedstock types may be deployed. Under this scenario, open-pond microalgae production is projected to use 1.2 × 106 ha of private pastureland, while terrestrial biomass feedstocks would use 14.0 × 106 ha of private pastureland. A spatial meta-analysis indicates that potential competition for land under this scenario would be concentrated in 110 counties, containing 1.0 and 1.7 × 106 ha of algal and terrestrial dedicated feedstock production, respectively. A land competition index applied to these 110 counties suggests that 38 to 59 counties could experience competition for upwards of 40% of a county's pastureland, representing 2%-5% of total pastureland in the U.S.; therefore suggesting little overall competition between algae production, terrestrial energy feedstocks and alternative uses for existing agricultural production such as livestock grazing.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 201-214 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Renewable Energy |
Volume | 93 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 1 2016 |
Funding
This project was funded by the US Department of Energy (USDOE) , Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) , Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) as well as by program development funds within Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) Environmental Sciences Division. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 . Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.
Funders | Funder number |
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US Department of Energy | |
U.S. Department of Energy | DE-AC05-00OR22725 |
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy | |
Oak Ridge National Laboratory | |
Bioenergy Technologies Office |
Keywords
- Agricultural policy analysis
- Bioenergy
- Biofuels
- Land use
- Microalgae