Well-to-wake analysis of switchgrass to jet fuel via a novel co-fermentation of sugars and CO2

Lignocellulosic biomass such as switchgrass can be converted to n-butanol using fermentation, which further processed into jet fuel. Traditional acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation only converts sugars derived from ABE. Novel co-fermentation processes convert and gas (CO2/H2) produced during butanol, thus increasing ABE yields by 15.5% compared traditional fermentation. Herein, the environmental impact of a Switchgrass Jet Fuel (STJ) pathway was assessed life cycle assessment (LCA) well-to-wake. LCAs were performed for greenhouse (GHG) emissions fuel production via ideal practical cases seven other pathways. The case assumes 100% sugar recovery 95% yield. 90% an 80% Results are presented based on 100-year global warming potential (GWP) per MJ Co-products allocated various methods. increase in butanol yield technology reduced GWP-100 STJ 6.5% Similarly, with had 14.2%, 47.5%, 73.8%, 44.4% less HRJ, Fischer-Tropsch switchgrass, coal, conventional petroleum results demonstrate that has product while reducing GHG