Energy and greenhouse gas emission savings of biofuels in Spain's transport fuel. The adoption of the EU policy on biofuels

• Published in: Biomass & bioenergy 2009-06, Vol.33 (6), p.920-932
• Main Authors: Lechón, Y., Cabal, H., de la Rúa, C., Caldés, N., Santamaría, M., Sáez, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biodiesel; Bioethanol; Biofuel policy; Brassica napus; Brassica napus L; Economic data; Elaeis guineensis; Elaeis guinnensis Jacq. 1897; Energy; energy balance; Energy economics; Environmental benefits; ethanol; ethanol production; Exact sciences and technology; General, economic and professional studies; Global warming; Glycine max; Glycine max L; grain crops; Greenhouse gas emissions; greenhouse gases; Helianthus; Helianthus annuus; Helianthus annuus L; Hordeum vulgare; Hordeum vulgare L; Life Cycle Assessment; Natural energy; palm oils; public policy; rapeseed oil; soybean oil; sunflower oil; Triticum aestivum; Triticum aestivum L; vegetable oil
• ISSN: 0961-9534; 1873-2909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2009.02.001

Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) the fossil energy benefits and avoided global warming emissions have been evaluated for the EU Biofuels goals in Spain. The Biofuels considered are cereal ethanol, biodiesel from residual oils, and from palm, sunflower, soybeans and rapeseed vegetable oils. Our findings are that the source of the cereal and vegetable oil influences the efficacy of the Biofuels and that results greatly depend on whether or not electricity has been produced as co-product in bioethanol plants and that without CHP the energy balance of ethanol is negative with few greenhouse gas offsets.