One of the most important books to do with our energy crisis is Alice Friedman’s When Trucks Stop Running. Our transportation system, particularly trucks and trains, remains totally dependent on the diesel fuel that they use. This means that it is vital that we either electrify the transportation fleet, or else we find alternative sources of diesel fuel.
Regarding synthetic fuel, Hydrocarbon Processing magazine has just published an article, BP’s Cherry Point refinery turns feedstock into renewable diesel fuel. The article states,
. . . the refinery uses conventional crude oil along with biomass-based feedstocks, like food waste and beef tallow, to produce a blended fuel.
It is encouraging to see this initiative, but the article does not address follow-on questions and other concerns. These include:
Currently bp is aiming to make 2.6 million barrels per year of biodiesel. The United States alone uses 1.44 billion barrels of diesel. Therefore, the amount of biodiesel planned is only a tiny fraction of what is needed. If we are to achieve Net Zero by the year 2050 this process will have to be scaled up at an extraordinary pace. The resources required (money, equipment, skilled personnel) will be phenomenal.
The article quotes Nigel Dunn, the SVP for biofuels growth. He says, “Biofuels have the potential to be one of the most cost-effective de-carbonization options available.”
The key word in this statement is ‘potential’. Time is pressing.The article does not discuss the ERoEI (Energy Returned on Energy Invested) for the biodiesel. This is the energy needed to create the energy embedded in the new fuel. Many analysts believe that the figure is not much greater than one. If that is the case, the project becomes self-defeating. In particular, if large amounts of fossil fuels are needed to run the equipment that makes the biodiesel then there may be little or no net reduction in emissions.
For a project such as this to be scaled up at a world-wide scale enormous amounts of bio feedstock is required. There will not be sufficient waste material ― so vast amounts of agricultural land will be needed to grow the corn and other crops that will be needed.
