Re: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil OrPetrol

2007-10-03 Thread Jan Warnqvist
Dear all, I would really like to read this study this report in 
original,since the article is producing several question marks.
It is well known that the exhaust emissions from fatty acid methyl esters 
are producing higher amounts of nitrious gases than petro diesel does , but 
as far as I can remember, the nitrious oxide corresponds only to a tiny part 
of these. It is also well known that that the higher the cetane number of 
the biodiesel, the lower the emissions of nitrious gases. From that point it 
is a little bit strange to conclude that the the emissions of nitrious gases 
from rape seed oil biodiesel and maize biodiesel are the same, since the 
iodine number of maize oil in general is higher than the corresponding value 
of rape seed oil. This is suggesting in its prolongment that the emissions 
of nitrious gases from BD out of rape seed oil should be lower than from BD 
of maize oil. If the article is displaying the facts from the study 
correctly, then there are two ways to approach this problem:
1) Further product development of the fatty acid methyl esters in order to 
raise the cetane number to a level where the emissions of nitrious gases 
become acceptably lower.
2) New diesel veichles will be equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation 
(EGR) system or an exhaust gas aftertreatment system which will lower the 
production of nitrious gases as required in Euro regulations.
Information on the properties of nitrious oxide can be found at 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide  No doubt has the information on 
the green house effects from nitrious oxide come from this sight,
No matter if the conclusions from the study are right or not, it still makes 
sense to produce biodiesel, not in the least for forcing the development to 
take another path than previous. You know what I mean.

Jan Warnqvist
- Original Message - 
From: "Olivier Morf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 6:40 AM
Subject: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil 
OrPetrol


Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article2507851.ece
September 22, 2007

Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil Or Petrol

By Lewis Smith

A renewable energy source designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is
contributing more to global warming than fossil fuels, a study suggests.

Measurements of emissions from the burning of biofuels derived from rapeseed
and maize have been found to produce more greenhouse gas emissions than they
save.

Other biofuels, especially those likely to see greater use over the next
decade, performed better than fossil fuels but the study raises serious
questions about some of the most commonly produced varieties.

Rapeseed and maize biodiesels were calculated to produce up to 70 per cent
and 50 per cent more greenhouse gases respectively than fossil fuels. The
concerns were raised over the levels of emissions of nitrous oxide, which is
296 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Scientists
found that the use of biofuels released twice as much as nitrous oxide as
previously realised. The research team found that 3 to 5 per cent of the
nitrogen in fertiliser was converted and emitted. In contrast, the figure
used by the International Panel on Climate Change, which assesses the extent
and impact of man-made global warming, was 2 per cent. The findings
illustrated the importance, the researchers said, of ensuring that measures
designed to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions are assessed thoroughly before
being hailed as a solution.

³One wants rational decisions rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon
because superficially something appears to reduce emissions,² said Keith
Smith, a professor at the University of Edinburgh and one of the
researchers.

Maize for ethanol is the prime crop for biofuel in the US where production
for the industry has recently overtaken the use of the plant as a food. In
Europe the main crop is rapeseed, which accounts for 80 per cent of biofuel
production.

Professor Smith told Chemistry World: ³The significance of it is that the
supposed benefits of biofuels are even more disputable than had been thought
hitherto.²

It was accepted by the scientists that other factors, such as the use of
fossil fuels to produce fertiliser, have yet to be fully analysed for their
impact on overall figures. But they concluded that the biofuels ³can
contribute as much or more to global warming by N2 O emissions than cooling
by fossil-fuel savings².

The research is published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics,
where it has been placed for open review. The research team was formed of
scientists from Britain, the US and Germany, and included Professor Paul
Crutzen, who won a Nobel Prize for his work on ozone.

Dr Franz Conen, of the University of Basel in Switzerland, described the
study as an ³astounding insight².

³It is to be hoped that those taking decisions 

Re: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil OrPetrol

2007-10-03 Thread Chris Burck
jan, the study was focused on NO2 released by soil microbes as the
rapeseed crops grow, not on the emissions from burning the fuel.  you
make an excellent point, though.  imo, we should *always* be searching
for ways to reduce the impact of the fuels we burn.

On 10/3/07, Jan Warnqvist <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Dear all, I would really like to read this study this report in
> original,since the article is producing several question marks.
> It is well known that the exhaust emissions from fatty acid methyl esters
> are producing higher amounts of nitrious gases than petro diesel does , but
> as far as I can remember, the nitrious oxide corresponds only to a tiny part
> of these. It is also well known that that the higher the cetane number of
> the biodiesel, the lower the emissions of nitrious gases. From that point it
> is a little bit strange to conclude that the the emissions of nitrious gases
> from rape seed oil biodiesel and maize biodiesel are the same, since the
> iodine number of maize oil in general is higher than the corresponding value
> of rape seed oil. This is suggesting in its prolongment that the emissions
> of nitrious gases from BD out of rape seed oil should be lower than from BD
> of maize oil. If the article is displaying the facts from the study
> correctly, then there are two ways to approach this problem:
> 1) Further product development of the fatty acid methyl esters in order to
> raise the cetane number to a level where the emissions of nitrious gases
> become acceptably lower.
> 2) New diesel veichles will be equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation
> (EGR) system or an exhaust gas aftertreatment system which will lower the
> production of nitrious gases as required in Euro regulations.
> Information on the properties of nitrious oxide can be found at
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide  No doubt has the information on
> the green house effects from nitrious oxide come from this sight,
> No matter if the conclusions from the study are right or not, it still makes
> sense to produce biodiesel, not in the least for forcing the development to
> take another path than previous. You know what I mean.
>
> Jan Warnqvist
> - Original Message -
> From: "Olivier Morf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: 
> Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 6:40 AM
> Subject: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil
> OrPetrol
>
>
> Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article2507851.ece
> September 22, 2007
>
> Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil Or Petrol
>
> By Lewis Smith
>
> A renewable energy source designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is
> contributing more to global warming than fossil fuels, a study suggests.
>
> Measurements of emissions from the burning of biofuels derived from rapeseed
> and maize have been found to produce more greenhouse gas emissions than they
> save.
>
> Other biofuels, especially those likely to see greater use over the next
> decade, performed better than fossil fuels but the study raises serious
> questions about some of the most commonly produced varieties.
>
> Rapeseed and maize biodiesels were calculated to produce up to 70 per cent
> and 50 per cent more greenhouse gases respectively than fossil fuels. The
> concerns were raised over the levels of emissions of nitrous oxide, which is
> 296 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Scientists
> found that the use of biofuels released twice as much as nitrous oxide as
> previously realised. The research team found that 3 to 5 per cent of the
> nitrogen in fertiliser was converted and emitted. In contrast, the figure
> used by the International Panel on Climate Change, which assesses the extent
> and impact of man-made global warming, was 2 per cent. The findings
> illustrated the importance, the researchers said, of ensuring that measures
> designed to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions are assessed thoroughly before
> being hailed as a solution.
>
> ³One wants rational decisions rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon
> because superficially something appears to reduce emissions,² said Keith
> Smith, a professor at the University of Edinburgh and one of the
> researchers.
>
> Maize for ethanol is the prime crop for biofuel in the US where production
> for the industry has recently overtaken the use of the plant as a food. In
> Europe the main crop is rapeseed, which accounts for 80 per cent of biofuel
> production.
>
> Professor Smith told Chemistry World: ³The significance of it is that the
> supposed benefits of biofuels are even more disputable than had been thought
> hitherto.²
>
> It was accepted by the scientists that other factors, such as the 

Re: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil OrPetrol

2007-10-03 Thread Chris Burck
haven't read the actual study, but to me this report simply reeks of
bad intentions, and appears to ignore fundamental questions.  for
instance, of the production that was studied, what agricultural
methods were used (e.g. petrolizers or non-petro/organic fertilizers)?

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/


Re: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil OrPetrol

2007-10-03 Thread Keith Addison
Hello Jan

I think you have your answers. but here's the whole thing:

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2007/September/21090701.asp
Biofuels could boost global warming, finds study
Chemistry World
21 September 2007

Full research paper:
N2O release from agro-biofuel production negates global warming 
reduction by replacing fossil fuels

Abstract:
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/11191/2007/acpd-7-11191-2007.html
PDF:
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/11191/2007/acpd-7-11191-2007.pdf

HTH

Best

Keith


>Dear all, I would really like to read this study this report in
>original,since the article is producing several question marks.
>It is well known that the exhaust emissions from fatty acid methyl esters
>are producing higher amounts of nitrious gases than petro diesel does , but
>as far as I can remember, the nitrious oxide corresponds only to a tiny part
>of these. It is also well known that that the higher the cetane number of
>the biodiesel, the lower the emissions of nitrious gases. From that point it
>is a little bit strange to conclude that the the emissions of nitrious gases
>from rape seed oil biodiesel and maize biodiesel are the same, since the
>iodine number of maize oil in general is higher than the corresponding value
>of rape seed oil. This is suggesting in its prolongment that the emissions
>of nitrious gases from BD out of rape seed oil should be lower than from BD
>of maize oil. If the article is displaying the facts from the study
>correctly, then there are two ways to approach this problem:
>1) Further product development of the fatty acid methyl esters in order to
>raise the cetane number to a level where the emissions of nitrious gases
>become acceptably lower.
>2) New diesel veichles will be equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation
>(EGR) system or an exhaust gas aftertreatment system which will lower the
>production of nitrious gases as required in Euro regulations.
>Information on the properties of nitrious oxide can be found at
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide  No doubt has the information on
>the green house effects from nitrious oxide come from this sight,
>No matter if the conclusions from the study are right or not, it still makes
>sense to produce biodiesel, not in the least for forcing the development to
>take another path than previous. You know what I mean.
>
>Jan Warnqvist
>- Original Message -
>From: "Olivier Morf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: 
>Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 6:40 AM
>Subject: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil
>OrPetrol
>
>
>Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article2507851.ece
>September 22, 2007
>
>Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil Or Petrol
>
>By Lewis Smith
>
>A renewable energy source designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is
>contributing more to global warming than fossil fuels, a study suggests.
>
>Measurements of emissions from the burning of biofuels derived from rapeseed
>and maize have been found to produce more greenhouse gas emissions than they
>save.
>
>Other biofuels, especially those likely to see greater use over the next
>decade, performed better than fossil fuels but the study raises serious
>questions about some of the most commonly produced varieties.
>
>Rapeseed and maize biodiesels were calculated to produce up to 70 per cent
>and 50 per cent more greenhouse gases respectively than fossil fuels. The
>concerns were raised over the levels of emissions of nitrous oxide, which is
>296 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Scientists
>found that the use of biofuels released twice as much as nitrous oxide as
>previously realised. The research team found that 3 to 5 per cent of the
>nitrogen in fertiliser was converted and emitted. In contrast, the figure
>used by the International Panel on Climate Change, which assesses the extent
>and impact of man-made global warming, was 2 per cent. The findings
>illustrated the importance, the researchers said, of ensuring that measures
>designed to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions are assessed thoroughly before
>being hailed as a solution.
>
>"One wants rational decisions rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon
>because superficially something appears to reduce emissions," said Keith
>Smith, a professor at the University of Edinburgh and one of the
>researchers.
>
>Maize for ethanol is the prime crop for biofuel in the US where production
>for the industry has recently overtaken the use of the plant as a food. In
>Europe the main crop is rapeseed, which accounts for 80 per cent of biofuel
>production.
>
>Professor Smith told Chemistry World: "The significance of it is that the
>suppo