Biofuels 1st gen Ethanol Yeast makes EtOH from plant sugar Corn, sugar cane, sugar beet, sorghum Only use part of plant Use crops for fuel instead of food Net loss of C

Biofuels 1st gen Ethanol Yeast makes EtOH from plant sugar Corn, sugar cane, sugar beet, sorghum Only use part of plant Use crops for fuel instead of food 2nd gen (cellulosic) Ethanol Use cell walls as source of sugar for yeast

Biofuels 2nd gen (cellulosic) Ethanol Use cell walls as source of sugar for yeast Can use entire plant Can use non-crops grown on marginal land Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) C4 perennial: grows from Mexico to 55˚ N

Biofuels Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) C4 perennial: grows from Mexico to 55˚ N C4 = high water efficiency, also deep roots = high nutrient efficiency so grows on poor soil

Biofuels Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Can yield 5.4 x more energy than needed to grow, harvest & convert it to ethanol cf 1.3 x max for corn Also used for soil conservation and phytoremediation

Biofuels Miscanthus giganteus Sterile hybrid of M. sinensis & M. sacchariflorus (both from Asia)hybrid C4 perennial that reproduces solely through rhizomes Non-invasive cf both parents, even though grows > 4m tall cf 1-2 m max for both parents

Biofuels Miscanthus giganteus Non-invasive cf both parents, even though grows > 4m tall cf 1-2 m max for both parents High N efficiency + C4 = grows well on barren land Can yield 20 tons biomass/acre cf 7.6 for corn & 6 for switchgrass

Biofuels Miscanthus giganteus Can yield 20 tons biomass/acre cf 7.6 for corn & 6 for switchgrass could supply 12% of the EU's energy by 2050 Trees poplar

Biofuels Miscanthus giganteus Can yield 20 tons biomass/acre cf 7.6 for corn & 6 for switchgrass could supply 12% of the EU's energy by 2050 Trees Poplar eucalyptus

Biofuels Trees Poplar Eucalyptus Can be harvested in 4-5 years

Biofuels Trees Poplar Eucalyptus Can be harvested in 4-5 years Low maintenance

Biofuels Trees Poplar Eucalyptus Can be harvested in 4-5 years Low maintenance Yield <4 tons biomass/acre cf 20 for M. giganteus

Biofuels Trees Poplar Eucalyptus Can be harvested in 4-5 years Low maintenance Yield <4 tons biomass/acre cf 20 for M. giganteus Sawdust, other waste cell walls

Biofuels 2nd gen (cellulosic) Ethanol Use cell walls as source of sugar for yeast Can use entire plant Can use non-crops grown on marginal land Problem: lignin & other wall chems

Biofuels 2nd gen (cellulosic) Ethanol Problem: lignin & other wall chems

Biofuels 2nd gen (cellulosic) Ethanol Problem: lignin & other wall chems Chemical hydrolysis

Biofuels Problem: lignin & other wall chems Chemical hydrolysis Digest cell walls with enzymes

Biofuels Problem: lignin & other wall chems Chemical hydrolysis Digest cell walls with enzymes Need a cocktail

Biofuels Problem: lignin & other wall chems Chemical hydrolysis Digest cell walls with enzymes Need a a cocktail Fermenting other sugars

Biofuels Fermenting other sugars Use other microbes Mutate yeast

Biofuels Fermenting other sugars Use other microbes Mutate yeast Mutate plants to make simpler cell walls

Biofuels Fermenting other sugars Use other microbes Mutate yeast Mutate plants to make simpler cell walls 10% of Arabidopsis genes are estimated to be involved in plant cell wall metabolism

Biofuels Fermenting other sugars Use other microbes Mutate yeast Mutate plants to make simpler cell walls 10% of Arabidopsis genes are estimated to be involved in plant cell wall metabolism Many mutants reduce lignin synthesis

Biofuels Mutate plants to make simpler cell walls 10% of Arabidopsis genes are estimated to be involved in plant cell wall metabolism Many mutants reduce lignin synthesis Easier to digest cell walls

Biofuels Mutate plants to make simpler cell walls 10% of Arabidopsis genes are estimated to be involved in plant cell wall metabolism Many mutants reduce lignin synthesis Easier to digest cell walls Easier for pathogens to attack

Biofuels Mutate plants to make simpler cell walls 10% of Arabidopsis genes are estimated to be involved in plant cell wall metabolism Many mutants reduce lignin synthesis Easier to digest cell walls Easier for pathogens to attack More prone to xylem collapse

Biofuels Biodiesel = fatty acid methyl esters Trans-esterify oils to make them volatile Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2): US must use > 1 billion gallons/year in 2012 through 2022 > 50% reduction in CO 2 cf petrodiesel Oils can be from seeds, algae, used cooking oil, animals

Biofuels Problem: are shifting from growing food to growing fuel! Raises price of soybeans, corn, etc Cut down forests to grow oil crops in tropics Is this environmentally sound? Depends on real costs of growing, processing and delivering products

Biofuels Problem: are shifting from growing food to growing fuel! Raises price of soybeans, corn, etc Cut down forests to grow oil crops in tropics Is this environmentally sound? Depends on real costs of growing, processing and delivering products NO! for corn-based ethanol! Probably yes for cellulosic ethanol Maybe for soy-based biodiesel Maybe for other biodiesel What are the real costs? What else could be grown?

Biofuels Maybe for other biodiesel What are the real costs? What else could be grown? Best to grow in places unsuitable for other crops Pickleweed in salt marshes

Biofuels Maybe for other biodiesel What are the real costs? What else could be grown? Best to grow in places unsuitable for other crops Pickleweed in salt marshes Algae (up to 60% oil) can generate 10x more oil/acre Grow in sewage, etc? Mutate to divert more photosynthate to lipids, ethanol, biogasoline, H 2 or electricity!

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ?

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? Plants that make electricity?

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? Plants that make electricity? Plants that make plastic, antibodies, etc?

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done?

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn crops to make electricity?

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn plants to make electricity? 2x better energy recovery than ethanol or diesel

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn plants to make electricity? 2x better energy recovery than ethanol or diesel EthosGen (Jim Abrams) wants to build an ethanol production plant in Newport Township

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn plants to make electricity? 2x better energy recovery than ethanol or diesel EthosGen (Jim Abrams) wants to build an ethanol production plant in Newport Township Army likes their idea, except want them to make electricity instead!

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn plants to make electricity? 2x better energy recovery than ethanol or diesel EthosGen (Jim Abrams) wants to build an ethanol production plant in Newport Township Army likes their idea, except want them to make electricity instead! Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn plants to make electricity? 2x better energy recovery than ethanol or diesel EthosGen (Jim Abrams) wants to build an ethanol production plant in Newport Township Army likes their idea, except want them to make electricity instead! Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps

Biofuels What else could be grown? Plants that release H 2 ? What else could be done? Burn plants to make electricity? 2x better energy recovery than ethanol or diesel EthosGen (Jim Abrams) wants to build an ethanol production plant in Newport Township Army likes their idea, except want them to make electricity instead! Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps Bioelectricity is best long-term plan

Biofuels Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps Bioelectricity is best long-term plan Direct current (eg solar panels?)

Biofuels Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps Bioelectricity is best long-term plan Direct current (eg solar panels?) Hydrogen via water-splitting?

Biofuels Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps Bioelectricity is best long-term plan Direct current (eg solar panels?) Hydrogen via water-splitting? Something else?

Biofuels Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps Bioelectricity is best long-term plan Direct current (eg solar panels?) Hydrogen via water-splitting? Something else? Photosynthetic vehicles & houses?

Biofuels Conclusion: Renewable fuels are feasible Bioethanol/biodiesel are stopgaps Bioelectricity is best long-term plan Direct current (eg solar panels?) Hydrogen via water-splitting? Something else? Photosynthetic vehicles & houses? We can learn a lot from plants!