LIFE CYCLE ASSOCIATES Technical Briefing

LCA.8016.9B.2009

California Sugarcane Ethanol:

Life Cycle GHG Emissions
Sugarcane has been successfully grown in California's Imperial Valley for
decades. The soil is relatively rich with deep alluvial clay loam and is Life Cycle GHG Emissions
watered with available irrigation water. The region is one of the most

Total GHG Emissions (g/MJ)

productive agricultural areas in the world and sugarcane can be planted 100
Gasoline
and harvested year round. 80 Electricity Credit
60 Ethanol
Sugarcane grown in the Imperial Valley, converted to ethanol locally using Sugar Cane
40
existing methods and distributed throughout Southern California, results
in lower lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission compared to those 20
from corn ethanol and petroleum fuels. The configuration also yields 0
excess electricity which can be sold on the grid and reduces GHG -20
emissions by displacing natural gas derived power. ol no
l e
an a olin
t h h as
Life Cycle Associates examined the fuel cycle energy inputs and E Et G
n
&P ilia
emissions associated with California Ethanol & Power’s (CE&P) CE ra
z
sugarcane ethanol technology. Energy inputs and GHG emissions were B
calculated over the fuel cycle including sugarcane farming and transport,
GHG Emissions (g/MJ)
sugar extraction, fermentation, processing, fuel transport and vehicle end
CE&P Brazilian
use. Sugarcane Sugarcane
Pathway Component Ethanol Ethanol
Emissions associated with feedstock production and fossil fuel inputs are Sugarcane Farming 14.1 20.9
based on the CA-modified version of Argonne National Laboratory's latest Fuel Production, Delivery 3.6 5.8
GREET model. The GREET model calculates the GHG impacts of a Electricity Credit -13.1 -7.0
variety of petroleum and biofuels options and the CA-modified version has Total 4.6 19.7
been used to calculate GHG emissions in support of California’s Low Life cycle GHG emissions for CE&P ethanol,
Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) [1]. Process data and performance Brazilian ethanol and gasoline.
estimates from CE&P provide the basis for energy inputs for sugarcane
cultivation and ethanol production.
Client Information:
_____________________________________________
California Ethanol + Power, LLC
Summary of Results Imperial Valley, California
www.californiaethanolpower.com
The CE&P pathway including co-product electricity achieves a 95.2%
reduction in GHG emissions on a full fuel cycle basis compared to Contact: Wayne Mitchell, EVP Operations & Technologies
gasoline. The GHG emissions include CO2 from fossil fuels, as well as wmitchell@californiaethanolpower.com
CH4 and N2O generated during the combustion process.
1

Copyright © 2009, Life Cycle Associates, LLC www.LifeCycleAssociates.com

Based on California Ethanol & Power’s process estimates, ethanol
production generates 3 kWh/gal export electricity from bagasse
combustion and the life cycle analysis treats this electricity as a credit
assuming it displaces a mix of 79% natural gas derived electricity (with
the balance new renewable power).

Sugarcane produced in the Imperial Valley produces fewer GHG

emissions than Brazilian sugarcane due to lower transportation inputs for
fuel delivery as well as the higher utilization of bagasse for power
generation. The results appear to the right on page 1, broken out by
feedstock (sugarcane cultivation and transport), fuel (ethanol production
and T&D) and the electricity credit for bagasse-based power. The GHG
emissions shown here do not include an adjustment for any GHG
emissions associated with the displacement of another crop (indirect land Sugarcane Fields in the Imperial Valley
use) [1].
CE&P Brazilian
Nitrogen and phosphate inputs are the only fertilizers used to cultivate Sugarcane Farming Sugarcane Sugarcane
Inputs Ethanol Ethanol
sugarcane in the Imperial Valley, as potash and lime inputs are
Energy (J/J) 0.042 0.042
unnecessary. The following details the life cycle inputs for sugarcane and
Fertilizer
ethanol production.
Nitrogen (g/tonne cane) 1,808 1,092

Summary of Inputs Phosphate (g/tonne cane) 196.3 120.8

K2O (g/tonne cane) 0.0 193.6
The assumed farming energy inputs for tractors and farm equipment are Lime (g/tonne cane) 0.0 5,338
0.042 J/J of ethanol for sugarcane cultivation in both Imperial Valley and Herbicide (g/tonne cane) 26.9 26.9
Brazil (GREET default). Nitrogen (44% urea, 56% ammonium nitrate) Pesticide (g/tonne cane) 2.21 2.21
and phosphate are the only fertilizer inputs for Imperial Valley sugarcane. Straw burned in field 0.0% 80.0%

The GREET default inputs were used for all Brazilian chemical inputs and
herbicide and pesticide in the Imperial Valley. The crop yield is
approximately 6.5 dry tonne of sugar plus 6.5 dry tonne bagasse per acre.

The analysis assumes the same ethanol plant technology as Brazilian

ethanol plants. The bagasse energy input is higher for CE&P ethanol
because all of the bagasse is combusted to meet both thermal and
electrical requirements and to generate export power. The ethanol and
bagasse yields are higher for Imperial Valley sugarcane ethanol than
Brazilian ethanol. A small amount of oil is assumed as lubricant for plant
equipment (GREET default).

CE&P Brazilian
Sugarcane Sugarcane
Ethanol Production Inputs Ethanol Ethanol Sugarcane ethanol plant located near field
Bagasse Energy (J/J ethanol) 1.473 1.089

Prepared by:
Oil Lubricant (J/MJ ethanol) 251 251
Ethanol Yield (gal/wet tonne), anhydrous 27.2 24.0
___________________________
Bagasse Yield (wet tonne/wet tonne cane) 0.280 0.280
Bagasse Moisture Content (% mass) 50.0% 50.0%
Electricity Co-Product Credit (kWh/gal) -3.04 -0.96 Brent Riffel
Brazilian Marg. Stefan Unnasch
RPS Mix
Electricity Mix Displaced 78.7% NG Mix 1.650.461.9048 phone
21.3% Renew. (100% NG) 1.484.313.9504 facsimile

1. CA ARB (2009). LCFS Program. http://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs.htm unnasch@lifecycleassociates.com

Copyright © 2009, Life Cycle Associates, LLC www.LifeCycleAssociates.com