Green diesel production by hydrorefining renewable feedstocks Life cycle analysis of green diesel produced from renewable feedstocks indicates relatively high energy efficiency and low greenhouse gas emissions TOM N KALNES and TERRY MARKER UOP DAVID R SHONNARD and KEN P KOERS Michigan Technological Unversty proximately 50% of globally produced crude petroleum i cfined into trarcportation els the fastest rowing component of the enaigy secon bh sharply ning use of a non-renenvable vedetock has a significant impact on teenhouse gas emissions. Biomacs x the nly renetcable energy cource that can be dawverted into liquid transportation fle bhereione, increasing biofuel usage in the angportation sector ean significantly duce greenhouce gas ‘a wellaz wars energy source, enhance enegy sowrity and stimulate the rural agscultra sonoury. Worldwide production of biofuele seexperenced rapic growths and increased ematonal market domand. Projected ture shortages of aude oil coupled ‘th the growing worldywide demand fo ‘anzportation els has also saised interest \symthetic diesel (syndiesel) produced by ‘ream derived from coal (CTL), stranded atural gas (GTL or biomass (BTL). “This sctle Spectad aderpoot ° os iceman dente om cm ‘Sey nage Stee om vos reble3 coulpus to thee of conventional biodiecel producion, Fads containing fewer ‘unsaturates require ess hydrogen input for instance, palm oil compared vith rapeseed cil. Higher procesing seventy recuts in a lovrer decal ous point at the expance of yield shift rom dice to lower molecular ‘Weight foes, The process is flexible. Operating conditions ean be adjusted and optimized to accommodate changes in fedctock and setconal vation in decal ‘loud point specication. Gosen discal i of higher quality thon biodievel and ie imal in both composition sand combustion properties to ayndieel. A compazicon of thece fue: with petroleum (esl fusls enown in Tale 2 In conenet to fatty acid methyl esters, whose fuel properies depend on feed ongin, green heel product ic independent of fd origin fad cold low properties can be sonia by adjusting ydeoizomercation ceactor severity, making the process more flee ‘han biodieeel production with sexpact 0 feedctock election and plant oestion. se bending qualtes rom 3 petlewn sliner's parpective gree diesel © poem dice blending component Theoling ranges comparable to conventional diel prod, and geen cea cubtantlly higher etane content and lower density Thee properties enable ‘Pines to optimize the amount of Ince tlie rine sesme that canbe Blended into the reinery diesl pool, while cil ses all esate deol specication For hi razon, sebinery optimisation cx linear progeamiing. (LF) sucky at pevormed to determine theimpact of gen diesel (or syndic Bending in a Typical EU petroleum diecel pool’ A hydroteater evap wae aso employed to desulpharise fhe low cotane diesel cange pends produced an the reunery mud cataty cracking FCO) anit. ‘The baie of the ena ae ae fellow: ‘© Nowtnemn European lection © 150000 barrels por day (bpd) expacity Crude mie: 508 Brent/% Ar Light) 6% Arab Heavy © Crude price: $191/MT Brent, $158/ ‘Arab Light $123/MT Arb Heawy 1 Refinery produet sate: LPG, gcoline,j Ad, Euro IV diecel an fue oil ‘© Diesel coud point -7*C winter, 2° ‘Thesecults ofthe sty (se Tbe 3) sho ‘hat the introduction of green dizcal ( syndiecel) into the excting reinery diee ‘oo enables the refiner to blend low eetar Sesulparod ight cjele oil (L.CO) into tuaasporaton diesel pool, thus improv cveral refinery yields and the operat rmargia. The smproved margin help jac the investment in the green diesel unit ax icllate hydcoteater revamp. ‘Sula blending studies were peony sumung FAME wae uced to moet the EL 575% renewable fol target In this x the specif gravity of FAME (038) didn allow forthe addation of any deculphuri CO tothe diesel pool, The refinery mang sctually decreaaed lightly with FAME ds to a ceqused movement of jot ful to diczel pool to meet both dest and vist ‘kod point specications. “Based the resus ofthis study? tw 4 prom price of up to $35 pes bane compared to FAME dus to if supers: properties of low density high cetane anc ‘ontrlid cloud pot” Dies fe cyele analysts Bio-based diecel fuol oubeututes have Ui potential t9 seduce GHG emuccions by seplacing. conventional. petrleunm-bacee ecel fuel. The magnitude ofthis eduction con ect be detonnined by lie oye analysis (LCA). nan earlier publication de author potted the Ecolsing proces: t9 be ver) promising with spect 19 GHG seduction (GHG emiesions fom geen deca wene more than 50% lower than from petroleum diece and about 40% les than rom bieicel* Following this several LCA studie: ‘were perfomed to determine the impact of biofuel feedstock, allocation. methoe and other stdy assumptions on biokie production, Study acumptons tou evecal lerahure sougces viene evaluated ‘These included the effete of feedstocks>eceed ol, palm cil and inedible tallow. forms ofthat energy (oes, biomass and 20 tur inventory data cousces were included on), Of futher interest i the Focal Enosgy the scope of the expanded study, with Demand (FED), which accounts for all of aim of adding confidence tothe study’> the fossil energy sources wed throughout clusions. The study’smajoracsumptions the life cyde, including the fossil energy dlseferences are chown in Table 4. Even contained in the fuel This i particulatly ough the LCAs reported in the sources in amportant, becauce hiofuels offen require le 4 used dilieent allsention methods, lager amounts of biomace-derivad enessy, 2s inventory data enabled usto cleslate which is a renewable couse of energy. dd apply energy allocation factors to the Greenhouse gic emiccions were calculated ‘Aneportedherebazedanpmductandee- eng the Esondicator 95 method in unite Duet lower heating values. These dies of CO, equivalents for all GHGs, Peimacy ¢hlightimpostantdlferenesin LCAinput CHGe of concean were CO, NO and CH, {a for many raw material choices. Other (PCC, 2007). GHG emissions were derived portant shidy accumphons for green frm all combustion prosessee consuming oland biodiesel are theinducion ofN,O fuels containing foes earbon (dizcal for sesions whith contribute significantly to trancportation, electidty concumption 2 greenhouse gas inventonise of biofuels and £0 on). The combustion of bio-baced sm agricultural activities, and the effets fuels in vehicle engines was not included land use, Although N,O emissions are in the GHG asoessaent, For example, green uded in this study, the effects of N,O diesel contains eathon derived only from fiaton are not. This {stor and land se senevrable le, and thessiore CO, smussione ange, although important, are not within fllowing combaction do noe cownt to3rae4s >ocope of this study, but will be inciuded CH total. For biodiecel, only methanol futuze work dened CO, Gsumed to be of fecal The system boundaries incde the origin) was included in GHG totals from Towing life cycle stages: raw material combustion emissions traction, raw material traneportation, raw atenal processing to final product, product _ Comparsons of dleselUfe cycles "seportation and end we combustion na LCAinputsforlov sulphur petroleum diese! ‘eeinjectiondnternal combustion engine). were taken from the ecoinvent database in rend use, bodies] ic offen mixed with SimaPro 7.0, assuming average European twoleum diesel a a concentration of 20% technology. Biodiesel and green diesel 20). Green diesel can bewzed asa straight inwentory data were input into SimaPr0 7.0 Ms nputyns (ouput re 2 Currulative energy demand for petroleum diesel FT syndiesel biodiesel and geen desl Mu onoweiMy (otout) fre transported 19 9 processing fac Where they are cxuched to extzaet oil. T conveion of plant cil to biodiecel w modeled using data from a 2003 Neer eport! and conversion to green dies war modelled using data from UOP ar En. Tallow, unlke energy crops, ‘considesed a waste fgom the me processing industy, and thas camies ¢ environmental burden:. However, tlle ust sill be traneported and rencered become a sable Feedstock. Once rallo hhaz boon rendered, it ean be process into biofuel i accomdance with input da supplied by a 2002 Mterature source? + converted into groen digcl in accordan ‘with data supplied by UOR, Unlike the cases Based on apecee and tallow cils the palm oi case ean ¥ really, depending on the process? / Standard practice, palm meal isom the « ‘Saacion sep i burned on-site for paw generation, 20 displacing fossil fuels, Pal co mill effzent (POME), a mutsient i Luguid, © anaerabically digested on-site [produce soli that can be used ae fete fon the palm plantation, a measure th dcplace: impoxted ecties A methan rich biogas 2 produced ae a digestion & product, This is a factor in establisis GHG emixions, becuse the bioge « contain 25 much 2: 70% methane by tia: Fr this study the composition © assum tobe 70% methane, 20% cazbon dioxide, 7 lenexpy inputs compared to those for oo: yndiesel, Rapessed oll biodieel aad goe= dlccel both have a slightly lower CED tha FT syndiesel, with green diesel requinn lightly lower inputs than biodiecel. Whe ‘palm oil ic wed aca fendctock the CED: Substantially higher than sor petroleur iccel. This resect: the reuse of bioma: ‘rac rom palm oi production az fertilize ora thermal encegy source. Since all of the by-produete of palin © ‘production ase used in the oil extrac process, che biomacs energy inpars at drigher- Furthermore, allof tw environment: ‘burdens are enuned by the oil because 9 by-produats leave the process, Rapeseed ¢ ‘eodstodk, for example, shares 39% of th ‘undone svth rapeseed cake So althous {ie inputs for palm ofl are umach lower, th Jack of an allocation somewhat distort th results. Ac with epeased cl. green dice! ‘om palm oll chowe cight beneits ove palm oll biodiesel And for the palm o fence, fewer energy inputs age neeied the Diogee i used ara fue. Tallow looks promising ae 2 feedstoe) ‘Tallow biodizcel has a slightly higher CEI than petzoleum diecel, while tllow-daxive _geen decal =the only fuel to have a lowe ‘CED than petsoleum diex, ‘Fossil Energy Demand (FED) values a: shown in Figure 3, The FED of petcletr icc ic very doce to the CED value 1125 MI per MY of fuel. Coal and nats: ‘os ionaiiends bavi aiaeiibbaiilte tiated 08LOE Cee OS Se Figure 3 Fos energy demand for ptroleum deze, FT syndiesl biodiesel and green diesel The peeduction of FT syndiecel varies lighely ftom biofuel production. The coal pathway snchides inventory data for the ccurwnt European Union (EU) hand coal ami, as well 2¢ gasification using steam seforning and pactial oxidation followed by FTepathesic. The ie cycle forthe conversion fof natural gae to ayndiceel © accumed to represent average conditions in Europe, swhichineludeslong-dictance traneport fom ‘Rucsia and the Middle East. As with the coal pathway, steam reforming of natural gos followed by FT synthesis is included. For the syndiesel hie cycles, inventory data wes input into SamaPeo 7.0 om. dats supplied ‘by 3 2001 study for the US Department of Energy The impact oF exbon cequestation technologies was not included in tis crud. ‘summary of LCA results Figue 2 indicates Cumubtive Energy Demand (CED) for petroleum diesel, FT cyndiecel biodiesel and grean diesel derived fom vanous feedstocks. Table 3 contains a legend fo the abbreviations used in Figure 2. Petroleum dice, which ic used 2s the baseline for comparison, requires 1127 MI of input eneagy to yield 1 MT of diesel fuel, FT cyndiecel sequites higher energy inputs throughout the le cycle, segaedless of feedsteck, although aatural (ge FT syndiecel require: slightly lower values compared with petroleum die requiring about 60% more forall nergy £ the came energy contest of fuel. All of Diofuele have very simdar FED values. F all feedstocks, green diesel has a slight lower energy requirement than biodie: (tha more significant reduction for tallow and palm oil has 2 slightly lower FED th. rapeseed ol Inpalm od production the FE ie reduced when biogas ic combusted. / assessment of the processes that contnby fo the FED shows that tel use (@ embodied energy of the fuelitel ica maj contsbuter for FT syndiesel and petroleu diese buthas a negligible eect forbiofue For rapeseed cil, cultivation is the lage contributor vith oi processing taking abo az much energy az fuel production. TL culivation of of palm requzes Is ene, compared with the cultivation of rapecee as wellas fewer of procesing requiemen but more energy is used for processing t fel Almost all of tallow’ energy deman, are fom fuel production,‘GH euisione Saoasted wit fal Ee ‘eles ae shown in Figure 4. FT yndiesel focaced fom a esdetack of coal prodse= tore than tice ac much greenhouse gs ‘O, equivalent) over its ie cycle compared ‘ith petolown diesel Syadiecd fom aural gue generates lever emicione than ‘maiecel fom coal, bt tl produce: higher ‘nisin than petecum discal, Nether cf te gyndiecel cases considered the potential inpact of emerging carbon sequectation ‘chnologive to capture process emizzions. ‘All of the biofuels concidered produce ‘woes GHG emscsione than petrleum deel, renal, green diesel emits less GHG than lodieset for all feedctocke. For rapeseed [-bazed biofuels, eslivaion accounts for 3 _guifcant portion of te cycle GHG, due in fet to emueione of NO isom the field. time ave sezponaibe fer ever emizione {cultivation compaged wath rapeseed Towever, depending on whether or not iogas ic burned, palm oil processing can sve a signficantetlect on GHG production, biogas isbumned, emissions arelow anaite ele GHG smisions are very lov Inedile low, because it cares no environmental uundens, has very low CHG emission. ocessng tallow for biodiezel adds a anal ‘mount of GHG:? Green discel produced ‘om tallow hac emussions that re greatly ‘duosd, with Ile cycle GHG emicsions 32 rv a5 2% of petroleum diese’ emissions. ammary rowing worldwide demand foe diesel fuel coupled with concems over gltal wang, ‘nseparked interestin enevwablealtematves fat chow the potental for reduced GHG _mizsone ata teaconable coat of production, (CA ctudize indicate that green dizel troduced via the UOP /Eni Feofining process anbean atirucae supplement to petroleum bese Nodiecel and syndiesel. However, the ‘mous of gosen diezl that cat be produced be limited sttmately by feedstock valabity and price, Gosen diesel has quality attnbutes fomparable with those of sydierel fehuding complete compatibility sith ‘etroleun dice high energy density (AL ‘Dk, low speatc gravity (0.78) excellent torage cabity and very low combuction ‘mesons. Furthemose the sold fon rroparies of given disel ean be adjusted fethin the Ecolining poocess, enabling the rroducer to adapt to varying feedstock ‘usce and satsanal product specications ‘As dotemnined by LCA studies, green Lp ‘Figure 4 Greenhouse gas amissons fr pesrleum dace, FT synciesl Boca and green cle iocel produced via the Feofning procecs ‘haz envuroomental benefit over petrolaurs het biodsecl and fossl-denived=yndiezel (oithout carbon sequestration), Although green diesel consumes more total energy fo produce than petroleum derived dial, ‘he majority of tic energy ic renewable ‘Compared to biodierel, green diesel shows higher savings in focal energy per tonne cf biofuel, segandless ofthe source of input ata or differences in study assumptions: ‘Overall, green dicel can centsibute to the ‘world sgroving need for cloan dove fuel Te environmental benefitsaloneare substantial, but when i fue properties compared to thoze of biodiesel ae taken into account st fe dear that given ciecel technology merit fusther snvesngation towards lngge-cale inductrial production, coining 2 mark of UOP LLC and ni Sp References 1 Naxant Cher Systems, ERP Repart Atodesl 0270252, December 2003 2 Rocewell J Conoco Pips Gas o-iguas, LUstof abbreviations used Meaning Pecher pss ‘Natur as rend Rapesed ac cg combasson Baas ables CCtfomia Atemative Diesel Symposia, Aug 2003, 3 Sending Studye Comparathe profabity bending green sel FAME to meat 85 t 110 Blending targets, UOP cnvisenta Epo "November 2007. 4 fatnes, Maer, Shonnard "Green Diese Second Ganeration Soft nsmatdanaoun ofchemicat acta Erghedrng VOLS ATES January 2007 5 Judd B, Boxes from Talow, propat't Energy Fcancy and Consenvation Author} ‘Novemoer 2002, 1 Mavano J Ue Cre Greenhouse Gas Emin ventory for Fcer-opsch Fue, prepare for US BCE National Energy Tachoogy Lanorstory by Energy and Environmental Slaton, Jane 2001 7 Yo Fesbily Stay of Peroring 2 Lie ‘ye Assessment on Crude Pat Ci rocuction In last", ntomatonafoura of LA, Vol 12, N01, Jamar 2007, B Yusott “Renewable Energy from Fai Oi Innovation on tective ilnaton of Wat", Joumalof Cleaner Production Vl 42006. 9 Zheng, "reparation and Properties of Met ters eet Tao” resource Techno, Vol S51, No 2AUguST 1996. Tor N Kanes Senior RD Assit UOP, US. Ema: Tom KainesOv0p com ‘Terry Markers EcfinigTeam eades Renewables RD, UOR, US. en PKoers& an MS cantante, Department of Chemical Engneenng, Micrigan.Tecmolagcal University, Houghton MUS. (Davia ShonnaratsarotessorintneDeparment ‘ot Chemical Engimaarng and Deputy Oractor Of the Sustainable Futres Institute, Michigan “Technolgial Univers, Hout, Ml US.