Hydrocarbon Processing - October 2022 - 41

Biofuels,
Alternative/
Renewable Fuels
M. CARUGO and J. VALENTINE,
Emerson Automation Solutions, Austin, Texas
Accelerating the transition to renewable fuels
The global push to neutralize carbonbased
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
by 2050 not only holds great promise for
the future of the planet, but it also stands to
create millions of jobs, spur rapid growth
and drive technological innovation. Businesses
in every industry around the world
have rolled out environmental and social
responsibility (ESR) initiatives, often with
bold plans to decarbonize their operations
in line with the global 2050 net-zero goal,
although these plans differ in scope and
strategy. Since the transportation industry
accounts for roughly 30% of all GHGs
in the U.S.,1
new kinds of renewable fuels
made from organic sources (such as plant
oils or animal waste) are expected to play
a leading role in the transition to an environmentally
sustainable economy.
How policy and technology changes
are shaping biofuels' future. Biofuels
are not new. At 17.5 Bgpy, ethanol, which is
made from corn and mixed with gasoline,
is the most-produced alternative transportation
fuel in the U.S.2
Developed in the
1970s and put into wide use by the 1980s,3
its advantages and cost-related drawbacks
are well understood. Today's new green fuels
are sourced from agricultural waste and
crops that are chemically identical to traditional
fossil fuel-based products; however,
they provide better performance with a
smaller carbon footprint.
Advances in automation technologies
make it more feasible to convert previously
unusable raw materials (e.g., switchgrass
and used cooking grease) into feedstocks
that can be processed into high-quality
combustible fuels that compete with fossil-based
products like jet fuel and automotive
gasoline-as well as, increasingly,
electric power and natural gas. Meanwhile,
leaders in the airline, railroad and trucking
sectors have begun powering their fleets
with renewable fuels, all of which have created
opportunities for savvy downstream
operators to stay ahead of the curve.
Carbon intensity (CI) is the amount
of GHG emissions per unit of transportation
energy delivered during a fuel's " wellto-wheel "
lifecycle-measured in grams
of carbon dioxide (CO2
) equivalent per
megajoule of energy. Waste-based biofuel
feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, have
lower CI scores than those that could be
turned into an edible food source (e.g.,
corn). Other factors affecting CI include
the distance from feedstock source to the
processing facility, and the energy and
GHG emissions required to process the
fuel into a finished product.
Research shows that, depending on
assumptions about future policies and
societal norms, the decline in the share of
hydrocarbons in the global energy system
could be dramatic, especially with the corresponding
rise in demand for renewable
energy as the world increasingly electrifies.
If the 2050 net-zero goal is met, then
the share of hydrocarbons in primary energy
streams could drop from around 85%
in 2018 to between 20%-70%, with the
share of renewable energy increasing to
between 20%-60%.4
Government programs such as the European
Green Party's Green New Deal and
the European Union's Renewable Energy
Directive (RED II) that sets the target for
renewable consumption at 32% by 20305
are primary reasons why more refiners are
exploring these new fuels today. The U.S.
government currently offers federal tax
credits6
to biofuel refiners, and Canada,
California and Oregon have implemented
their own low-carbon fuel standards
(LCFS), which use a system of incentives
and penalties to encourage industries to
meet CI goals in both the manufacture and
use of renewable transportation fuels.7
How the market landscape is shifting.
These policies have driven real changes in
the market. Data from California shows
that, as fossil-based ultra-low-sulfur diesel
(ULSD) consumption decreased between
2011- 2020 and CI dropped along
with it, renewable diesel and other biofuels
more than made up the difference
in supporting demand without effecting
CI.7
Biodiesel consumption worldwide
has more than doubled over the last 10 yr
to 682,000 bpd and is growing at more
than 11%/yr.8
Current market forecasts
see global demand for renewable diesel
on the rise through 2026 at beyond.9
The combination of government
policies, corporate initiatives and recent
breakthroughs in automation technology
have turned more sustainable renewable
fuels like green diesel and sustainable aviation
fuel (SAF) into the fastest-growing
alternative energy streams in the market.
SAF, which produces up to 70% less carbon
than fossil fuels, could effectively
bridge current renewable technologies
with future hybrid, electric or hydrogenpowered
engine designs.
In February 2022, Singapore's civil
aviation authority announced it would
support the city-state's
flagship carrier
Singapore Airlines in buying SAF from
ExxonMobil to fuel part of its passenger
fleet.10
Finnish oil refiner Neste Oyj will
provide 1.25 MMl of SAF, which is mixed
with refined jet fuel at ExxonMobil's faciliHydrocarbon
Processing | OCTOBER 2022 41
Hydrocarbon Processing - October 2022

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