France-headed biochemical process developer Global Bioenergies has announced that according to preliminary Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results on the products to be manufactured in the future IBN-One plant, its renewable ETBE (Ethyl Tert-Butyl Ether) is estimated to enable 69 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to fossil gasoline.
According to a statement, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was carried out by EVEA, a company specialized in the calculation of LCA and eco-design with a study focused on the products to be manufactured in the future IBN-One plant.
Fully renewable ETBE is estimated to enable 69 percent reduction in GHG emissions compared to fossil gasoline and this figure was calculated for the current design planned for the IBN-One plant using a GHG emissions calculator based on 2BSVS, compliant with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED).
As part of the ISOPROD project financed by the Investissements d’Avenir programme and operated by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), an assessment of the environmental impact of the future renewable isobutene plant IBN-One was also performed by EVEA.
The LCA focused on the production of renewable isobutene derived from sugar beet under the IBN-One plant design in collaboration with Cristal Union, partner of Global Bioenergies in this joint-venture.
In terms of usage and end-of-life, we analyzed several dimensions of environmental footprint, greenhouse gases emissions being one of them. Our analysis led to eco-design recommendations which will be implemented in the process. We are proud to have been selected for assessing and improving the environmental performance of such an innovative and possibly game-changing technology, said Samuel Causse, Agro-Resources & Green Chemistry Department Manager at EVEA.
The preliminary results of the analysis, according to the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions calculator compliant with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), was that fully renewable ETBE (Ethyl Tert-Butyl Ether), produced from renewable isobutene and bioethanol, is associated with a reduction of 69 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions if compared to fossil gasoline.
These results are encouraging and promising with sugar beet as a substrate. With second-generation feedstocks, such as wheat straw or wood-derived hydrolysates, renewable isobutene derivatives are expected to achieve an even higher emission reduction, commented Bernard Chaud, Chief Industry Officer at Global Bioenergies and CEO of IBN-One.
The results will have to be confirmed after an on-site audit and a peer review of the LCA. ETBE is today incorporated in gasoline, up to 23 percent. Fully renewable ETBE holds the potential to incorporate 2.7 times more renewable energy in gasoline than using traditional biofuels.
This is just the beginning of a new revolution in the adoption of environmentally friendly liquid fuels. While the world is overwhelmed by news about electric mobility, it is important to remind the public that similar greenhouse gases emissions savings can be achieved using advanced biofuels. Biofuels represent a renewable solution that carries no compromise on car autonomy and requires no nation-scale infrastructure expenditure, said Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies.
