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Search results for: “ethanol”

  • Sugar production: the economics?

    Sugar production: the economics?

    The costs of sugar production are estimated at $260/ton for a 10% IRR at a world-scale sugar refinery, in a major sugar-producing region. Higher returns are achievable at recent world sugar prices, and by valorizing waste streams such as molasses for ethanol and bagasse for cogenerated electricity.

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  • Sustainable aviation fuel: flight path?

    Sustainable aviation fuel: flight path?

    As things stand, we argue Europe will be forced to scale back its SAF targets, due to Sustainable Aviation Fuel costs and land constraints. However, our 17-page report asks what could improve the outlook. Specifically, what yields, costs and other properties would we need to see from an oil crop to get excited about unlocking…

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  • Biomass accumulation: CO2 fixed by trees and energy crops?

    Biomass accumulation: CO2 fixed by trees and energy crops?

    Different plant species fix 3-30 tons of CO2 per acre per year, as they accumulate biomass at 2-40 tons per hectare per year. The numbers matter for biofuels and for nature-based solutions. Hence this data-file compiles technical data into CO2 and biomass accumulation by plant species and by tree species, in different regions globally.

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  • Biofuel technologies: an overview?

    Biofuel technologies: an overview?

    Biofuels are currently displacing 3.5Mboed of oil and gas. But they are not carbon-free, and their weighted average CO2 emissions are only c50% lower. This data-file breaks down the biofuels market across seven key feedstocks, to help identify which opportunities can scale for the lowest costs and CO2, versus others that require further technical progress.

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  • Biomass to biofuel, or biomass for burial?

    Biomass to biofuel, or biomass for burial?

    Greater decarbonization at a lower cost is achievable by burying biomass (such as corn or sugarcane) rather than converting it into bio-ethanol.ย This model captures the economics. Detailed costs and CO2 comparisons are shown under different iterations.ย 

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  • US decarbonization: energy and CO2 emissions?

    US decarbonization: energy and CO2 emissions?

    The US consumes 25,000 TWH of primary energy per year, which equates to 13,000 TWH of useful energy, and emits 6GTpa of CO2. This model captures our best estimates for what a pragmatic and economical decarbonization of the US will look like, reaching net zero in 2050, with forecasts for wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, oil,…

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  • Global commodity trade: by product by region?

    Global commodity trade: by product by region?

    Commodities comprise over $6trn of of the world’s $33trn pa in global trade, or around 20%, alongside $10trn in services, $2trn of electronic goods, $1trn in cars, $1trn in mechanical capital goods. This data-file breaks down global commodity imports and exports, by country and by region.

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  • Global CCS Projects Database

    Global CCS Projects Database

    Over 400 CCS projects are tracked in our global CCS projects database. The average project is 2MTpa in size, with capex of $600/Tpa, underpinning over 400MTpa of risked global CCS by 2035, up 10x from 2019 levels. The largest CO2 sources are hubs, gas processing, blue hydrogen, gas power and coal power. The most active…

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  • Biofuels: better to bury than burn?

    Biofuels: better to bury than burn?

    The global bioethanol industry could be disrupted by a carbon price. Somewhere between $15-50/ton, it becomes more economical to bury the biofuel crop, rather than convert it into biofuels. This would remove 8x more CO2 per acre, at a lower total cost. Ethanol mills and blenders would be displaced.

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  • Jet fuel demand: by region and forecasts to 2050?

    Jet fuel demand: by region and forecasts to 2050?

    Jet fuel demand ran at 8Mbpd in 2019, the last year before COVID, and could rise to 18Mbpd by 2050, as global population rises 25%, jet fuel demand per capita doubles and fuel economy per aviation mile rises by 20%. This data file breaks down jet fuel demand by region, including our forecasts through 2050,…

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