Bioethanol as an

alternative source
of energy

R. Shanthini
www.rshanthini.com
 What is the problem with petroleum
derivatives as the energy source?

Petroleum supply has peaked

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Source: http://www.exitmundi.nl/oilcrash.htm
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
Petroleum supply peaking is however
not the only problem with the
conventional fossil fuel energy sources!

Fossil fuels releases CO2 that is

not part of the carbon cycle

Carbon balance is upset and

the excess CO2 accumulates
in the environment
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Source: http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer2.php?mid=95&l=&let1=Ear
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 CO2 concentration in the atmosphere
400 383.7
Unit: ppmv
375

350

325

300

275
1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
Year
Source: http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/trends.htm
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
To stabilize the atmospheric CO2
concentration below 550 ppmv by
2100 (climate change concern),
global anthropogenic CO2
emissions must be limited to
about 7 to 8 GTC (= giga tonne C)
per year.
- IPCC, 1996
 Global CO2 emissions from the burning of
fossil fuels & the manufacture of cement
10
Unit: GTC per year
8

6
at 7.9 GTC in 2004
4

0
1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
Year
Source: http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/trends.htm
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Therefore, we need
urgently to switch to
energy sources that are

not upsetting the

carbon balance

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Bio Ethanol as an
alternative source
of energy

Bioethanol is produced from plants

that harness the power of the sun
to convert water and CO2 to sugars
(photosynthesis),
therefore it is a renewable fuel

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Bio Ethanol as an
alternative source
of energy

Bioethanol is produced from plants

that harness the power of the sun
to convert water and CO2 to sugars
(photosynthesis),
therefore it is a renewable fuel

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Bio Ethanol as an
alternative source
of energy

oxygen in the ethanol molecule

helps in complete combustion,
which means less emissions

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Ethanol is a high-octane fuel, and is widely
used as a blending ingredient in petrol

A growing number of cars and trucks

designated as FlexFuel Vehicles (FFV) can
use ethanol blended up to 85 percent with
petrol (E85 fuel)

Today there are more than 6 million FFV's

on U.S. roads alone

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Source: http://www.distill.com/World-Fuel-Ethanol-A&O-2004.html
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
Bioethanol from simple sugars:
Sugar cane and sugar beets store the
energy as simple sugars, glucose (C6H12O6)

yeast
2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2
this simple-looking reaction is a
bioreaction and thus very complex

glucose molecule impure cultures of yeast produce

glycerine and various organic acids
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Yeast can be replaced by the
bacterium Zymomonas mobilis
- gives up to 98% yields
- minimal by-products
- simple fermentation requirements
- several-fold the production rates of yeast

Z. mobilis industrial strain CP4,

originating from Brazil,
vigorously fermenting glucose.
Photo courtesy Katherine M. Pappas
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
sugar
sugar cane crushed and sugar cane
cane
soluble sugar washed out residue

CO2
yeast fermentation of sugars
produces 5 - 12% ethanol wet
solids

distilled to concentrate
dehydrate to
to 80 – 95% ethanol
100% ethanol

used as a petrol used as a

replacement petrol additive
Bioethanol from starch:
Corn, wheat and cassava store the energy
as more complex sugars, called starch

α-amylase
}
starch
(glucose polymer)

dextrins
amyloglucosidase
glucose monomer
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 cassava flour + water + Liquification
alpha-amylase enzyme (at 90 – 95 deg C;
pH = 4 - 4.5; 400 rpm)
Saccharification with
glucosidase enzyme
(at 55 - 65 deg C, pH = 4 - 4.5)

Fermentation with
yeast (40 – 50 hrs) Cooling (32 deg C)

Distillation Dehydration

80-95% ethanol 100% ethanol

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Dry grind process
is the most common method used to make
fuel grade ethanol.

The whole corn kernel is ground and

converted into ethanol.

It is relatively cost effective and requires

less equipment, but is not ideal for mass
producing. 
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 In the wet milling process,
corn is separated into its four basic
components: starch, germ, fiber, and
protein, which are each made into
different products.
Advantage: valuable co-products such as
corn oil
Disadvantages: equipment is expensive
and the process uses hazardous sulfur
dioxide
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
Bioethanol from Biomass (except sugars
and starches):

Rice straw
Paddy husks
Saw dust
Grasses
Bagasse

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

Bioethanol from Biomass (except sugars
and starches):

Cellulose (40 to 60% by weight of the

biomass) made from the six-carbon
sugar, glucose.

Its crystalline structure makes it

resistant to hydrolysis (the chemical
reaction that releases simple, fermentable
sugars).

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

Bioethanol from Biomass (except sugars
and starches):

Hemicellulose (20 to 40% by weight) made

mainly from the five-carbon sugar, xylose.
Its relatively easy to hydrolyze
hemicellulose into simple sugars but normal
yeast can't ferment xylose.
Celunol Corp. has acquired genetically
engineered E. coli bacteria which can turn
almost all xylose into ethanol.
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
Bioethanol from Biomass (except sugars
and starches):

Lignin (10 to 24% by weight of biomass) is

a complex polymer, which provides
structural integrity in plants.
It remains as residual material after the
sugars in the biomass have been converted
to ethanol.
It contains a lot of energy and can be
burned to produce steam and electricity
for the biomass-to-ethanol process.
24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Obstacles to commercial
production of cellulosic ethanol:
Accelerating the breakdown of
cellulose fibers
Research on acid / enzymatic hydrolysis is
ongoing.
Lignin waste problem
Lignin can fuel Combined Heat and Power
plants, however, CHP plants are expensive.
Use of GM microorganisms

Source: DOE's 2006 Annual Energy Outlook

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 A cellulosic ethanol plant with 50
million gallons per year capacity
and a lignin-fired CHP will cost
about $300 million to build

A corn ethanol plant

with the same capacity
could be built for about
$65 million        

Source: DOE's 2006 Annual Energy Outlook

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
 Currently, ethanol yields 25% more
energy output than input to produce it.

Research is on for less costly ways of

producing ethanol,
and better ways to blend it with petrol.

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Is bioethanol a
sustainable energy source?

No, it is not

Why do I say that?

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Bioethanol will be used in engines
that convert heat into work

Engines that convert

heat into work are
very inefficient

Take a look at some examples

24 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini

 Power generation Unit size Energy
type (MW) wasted (MW)
Diesel engine 10 - 30 7 – 22
Gas Turbine 50 - 100 36 – 78
Steam Turbine 200 - 800 120 – 560
Combined (ST & GT) 300 - 600 150 – 380
Nuclear (BWR & PWR) 500 - 1100 330 – 760

According to the
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
when heat is converted into work,
part of the heat energy must be wasted
11 Jan 2008 R. Shanthini
We throwaway energy that
rightfully belong to the future
generations

“Development that meets the

needs of the present without
compromising the ability of
future generations to meet
their own needs."
Our Common Future (1987)
Recently, Scientists at the Virginia state
Polytechnic Institute have developed a
breakthrough method of ethanol production
method called Advanced Bioethanol Technology
(ABT) which lets producers create ethanol from
any biological feedstock that contain enough sugars
or materials that can be converted into sugar such
as starch or cellulose. ABT breaks long chains of
sugars down to be fermented.