The sustainability challenge and the role of ag-biosciences

The Sustainability
Challenge
and the Role of
AgBiosciences
Dennis Hall
Northeast Bioenergy & Bioproducts
2011 OBIC Training Program
This project is supported by AFRI Competitive
Grant no. 2011-67009-30055 from the USDA,
NIFA. (NBB) Educational Tools and Training

Entering the “BioCentury”
“There is no other arena of economic
activity, or field of science and
innovation, that so directly addresses
human survival and quality of life,
global economic development, and
prospects for an environmentally
sustainable future as agriculture and
agbioscience. “

POWER & PROMISE:
Agbioscience in the North Central
United States


Towards Sustainability
-  The Energy Challenge
-  Sources, consumption, issues
-  The Future of Energy
-  Sustainability
-  Possible Solutions: Renewables
-  Why Bio?
-  Systems Approach
-  Definition and Examples
-  Meet the Bioeconomy
Grant no. 2011-67009-30055 from the USDA, Northeast Bioenergy & Bioproducts

Energy Basics
•  Energy: The capacity to do work
•  Work: Application of force over a
distance
•  Power: The rate at which work is done
•  Energy is measured in British Thermal Units
(BTUs)
•  1 gallon of gasoline contains about 100,000
BTUs of Energy


BIOMASS Energy Sources
OIL

SOLAR
NATURAL
GAS

WIND
COAL
Hydro

GEOTHERMAL NUCLEAR

US Energy Consumption, 2002
Commercial Energy Consumption
Renewable 6%
Nuclear 8%

Nearly 60% of
Gas 20% Oil 43% oil is imported

Coal 22%


US Primary Energy Consumption
by Source and Sector, 2009


Energy Issues
-  Increasing energy demand
-  High dependence on fossil fuels
-  Environmental impacts of fossil
fuel consumption

-  Low efficiency
-  Declining supply of fossil fuels

Energy Issues
•  Increasing energy demand
Annual ! in energy consumption worldwide
1% from 1972 – 2010

Developed countries w/ 20% world population
Consume 80% of commercial energy
India
Energy consumption has doubled since 1992

China
Was self-sufficient, now 2nd largest fuel importer

Energy Issues
•  High dependence on fossil fuels
Renewable 6%
Nuclear 8%

> 80% Energy
Oil 43% supply from
Gas 20%
fossil fuels

Coal 22%


Energy Issues
•  Environmental impacts of fossil fuel
consumption
!  Climate change by Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
release

!  Air pollution: Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Nitrous
Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter, metals,
radiation

!  Wildlife habitat destruction (ex: oil spills)

Energy Issues
•  Low energy efficiency throughout
entire process

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Energy Issues
•  Depletion of fossil fuels
Coal: ~ 10 trillion metric tons
Proven reserves will last 200 yrs at present
consumption rate (pcr)

Oil: ~ 4 trillion barrels (half recoverable)
Proven reserves will last 40 yrs at pcr
(28.5 billion barrels/yr)

Natural gas: ~ 10,000 trillion ft3
Proven reserves (6200 trillion ft3) will last 60
yrs at pcr

Energy: An Overview
-  Energy Basics
-  Sustainability
-  Why Bioenergy


The Future of Energy
•  Energy issues are not going away

Demand + Supply = Cost


Increasing Population & Environmental impacts of
Energy Demand fossil fuel consumption

A Non
Sustainable
Declining supply of fossil Situation!
fuels & high dependence

Sustainability
•  Widely used term
•  Little agreement on what it means
•  SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA
•  Renewable
•  A more environmentally friendly option
•  Options that decrease dependence on
fossil fuels


Sustainability

SOCIAL ECONOMIC
VALUES VALUES

ENVIRONMENTAL
VALUES


Possible Solutions

Large impact, quickly through energy
conservation and increased efficiencies
BUT ""..
•  Can not just conserve our way to
sustainability
SO "".
•  Developing renewable energy sources
& energy diversification are important
strategy options


Renewable Sources
BIOMASS
-  Solar
-  Wind
-  Geothermal SOLAR

-  Hydro
-  Fuel Cells
FUEL CELL WIND
-  Biomass Hydro

GEOTHERMAL


Contribution of
Renewable Energy Sources


Energy Generation &
Consumption Data
Energy Information Administration
(EIA)
www.eia.gov
"

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United States
Electric Power Sector Consumption (Trillion Btu)
1960 0% 2% 1% 2009
1%

19% 7%

7% 22%
52% 48%
22%
1% 18%
Price: ~
9.8c/kWh

New York State
1960 2% 2009
2% 2% 2%
2%
10%
21%
20%

10% 56% 28%

11% 34%
Price: ~
15.5c/kWh

District of Columbia
1960 2009
1% 100%

Price: ~
99% 12.7c/kWh
Petroleum
NIFA.
Coal (NBB) Educational Tools and Training

Ohio


Challenges of Some
Renewables
•  Ever tried to drive a car powered by
a wind turbine?
•  Would you be willing to only heat
your home when the sun shines?
•  How about using only paddlewheels
to run your assembly line?


Why Bioenergy?"
Major Premise:

Agriculture will increasingly provide the
raw materials and energy needed to
drive our transition to a sustainable
world


Why Bioenergy?"
-  Renewable
-  Biomass is the only renewable that directly reduces
our dependency on liquid fuels!
-  Can be created from waste products
-  Can be produced on marginal lands that are often
unsuitable for food production
-  Can help to decrease environmental impacts when
used in place of fossil fuels
-  May help to increase energy efficiency
-  Will help the US become more energy independent
-  Will help create jobs
NIFA.
(NBB) Educational Tools and Training

BIO-terminology
•  BIOMASS: Plant or Animal material
available on a renewable basis
•  BIOBASED: Starting materials are
biologically-based as opposed to fossil-
fuel based
•  BIOPOWER: Electricity, Combined heat
& power
•  BIOFUELS: Liquid -Transportation &
heating fuels
•  BIOPRODUCTS: Industrial chemicals,
polymers

Bioenergy: Not such a new idea"
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Final Script

SAM'S VOICE: I have a big deal coming up that's going to
make us all rich. George, you remember that night in
Martini's bar when you told me you read someplace about
making plastics out of soybeans?
GEORGE: Huh? Yeah-yeah-yeah . . . soybeans. Yeah.
SAM'S VOICE: Well, Dad's snapped up the idea. He's going
to build aThis project is supported by AFRI Competitive
factory outside of Rochester. How do you like that?

Bioenergy: Not such a new idea
Diesel engine invented:
February of 1897
-  Rudolf Diesel s engine was
designed to run on
vegetable oil!
-  Diesel also designed a
solar-powered air engine


Why Bioenergy?"
•  Energy issues are not going away
– supply, demand, cost
•  We need research, education, and
infrastructure to transfer the technology to
move to larger scales
•  Today s students will help discover and
develop the solutions for tomorrow s
energy needs
•  Bioenergy, biofuels, and bio-based products
are going to be an important component of the
solutions!

The Future of Energy
How do we address our
energy needs for the future?
-  Our approach needs to be:
-  Multifaceted
-  System oriented
-  Collective


Energy: An Overview
-  Energy Basics
-  Sustainability
-  Why Bioenergy
-  Definition
-  Examples


The Systems Approach
What is a System?
- A system is something built from
many other components, which interact
for a common purpose
- To define a system, we must include
its context, behavior or purpose and
structure


! The systems approach is a methodological
process that develops solutions by
considering all of the Inter-related parts of a
system and their impact on the system as a
whole
OR
! OPTIMIZING each component individually,
then OPTIMIZING system as a whole, which
may require altering the individual
components


Examples of Designed Systems
!  The commercial air transportation system
!  A Boeing 787 aircraft
!  A computer system network
!  Energy system , regional or national scale

Many systems at Key Ideas:
one level can be • Interaction
considered • Feedback
subsystems at • Broad-based
another level • Systematic

TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE
Production of commodities and generation of waste

Plant Crops Farm Animals Forests

SYSTEMS Processing of commodities and generation of waste

Food and Fiber
Processing Plants
Dairy, Eggs, Meat
Processing Plants
Lumber and Paper
Processing Plants

INTEGRATION
WASTE MATERIALS FROM PRODUCTION and PROCESSING STEPS

Commodities Markets

COUNTY LANDFILL or ON-FARM DUMPING SITES

A BIOBASED INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
Production of commodities and generation of waste

SYSTEMS
INTEGRATION Plant Crops Farm Animals Forests

Processing of commodities and generation of waste

Food and Fiber Dairy, Eggs, Meat Lumber and Paper

Industrial Ecology: Processing Plants Processing Plants Processing Plants

&".,.%'/"/:<'="%2&%">.'."
%2'"7&.%'".%*'&/":?":)'" WASTE MATERIALS FROM PRODUCTION and PROCESSING STEPS

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%2'")'B%"4*:@'.."&=="&=:)+" DEDICATED
CROPS

%2'";&=>'C&<<'<"@2&9) BIOREFINERY Commodities Markets
Extraction of valuable
oils, sugars, starches,
pharmaceutical proteins

Production of biobased
Value-added Markets
chemicals

Production of biobased
This project is supported by AFRI CompetitiveFuels and biobased energy Energy Markets
Biorefinery Wastes

Innovation is about
INTEGRATION & OPTIMIZATION
•  Feedstock development
•  Feedstock production
•  Feedstock Logistics
•  Conversion processes
•  Markets and distribution
•  End use technologies
•  Public policy, human values

SYSTEMS THINKING
•  A systems approach assesses the energy
yield, carbon neutrality, and the full impact of
biofuel production on downstream and
downwind ecosystems.
•  It takes into account all of the flows, controls,
and storage of materials and energy. A
positive energy yield means that more energy
is produced than is consumed by its extraction
and transport.
•  Carbon neutrality means that any fossil fuel
carbon used in the production of biofuels is
offset by carbon sequestration elsewhere in
the system

Carbon Flow & Carbon Neutrality


Energy: An Overview
-  Energy Basics
-  Sustainability
-  Why Bioenergy
-  Definition
-  Examples
-  Meet the Bioeconomy

7 Grand Challenges
•  Enhancing the sustainability, competitiveness, and profitability of
U.S. food and agricultural systems
•  Adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change on
food, feed, fiber, and fuel systems in the United States
•  Supporting the energy security and the development of the
bioeconomy from renewable natural resources
•  Playing a global leadership role to ensure a safe, secure, and
abundant food supply for the United States and the world
•  Improving human health, nutrition, and wellness of the U.S.
population
•  Heightening environmental stewardship through the development
of sustainable management practices
•  Strengthening individual, family, and community development
and resilience.
A Science Roadmap for Food and Agriculture
November, 2010


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Many Thanks!
Use of Presentation Materials and Slides
Corinne Rutzke, Cornell University
C. Lindsay Anderson, Cornell University
Mike Jabot, SUNY Fredonia
Mingxin Guo, Delaware State
Lauren Dowler & Ann Fisher, Pace
University Training Program


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