COSTECH Integrated Repository

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy Balances of Jatropha Biodiesel as an Alternative Fuel in Tanzania

Show simple item record

dc.creator Eshton, Bilha
dc.creator Katima, Jamidu H. Y
dc.creator Kituyi, Evans
dc.date 2016-05-27T08:55:55Z
dc.date 2016-05-27T08:55:55Z
dc.date 2013
dc.date.accessioned 2018-03-27T08:41:03Z
dc.date.available 2018-03-27T08:41:03Z
dc.identifier Eshton, B., Katima, J.H. and Kituyi, E., 2013. Greenhouse gas emissions and energy balances of jatropha biodiesel as an alternative fuel in Tanzania. biomass and bioenergy, 58, pp.95-103.
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/2281
dc.identifier 10.1016/j.biombioe.2013.08.020
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/2281
dc.description Full text can be accessed at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961953413003668
dc.description This paper evaluates GHG emissions and energy balances (i.e. net energy value (NEV), net renewable energy value (NREV) and net energy ratio (NER)) of jatropha biodiesel as an alternative fuel in Tanzania by using life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The functional unit (FU) was defined as 1 tonne (t) of combusted jatropha biodiesel. The findings of the study prove wrong the notion that biofuels are carbon neutral, thus can mitigate climate change. A net GHG equivalent emission of about 848 kg t−1 was observed. The processes which account significantly to GHG emissions are the end use of biodiesel (about 82%) followed by farming of jatropha for about 13%. Sensitivity analysis indicates that replacing diesel with biodiesel in irrigation of jatropha farms decreases the net GHG emissions by 7.7% while avoiding irrigation may reduce net GHG emissions by 12%. About 22.0 GJ of energy is consumed to produce 1 t of biodiesel. Biodiesel conversion found to be a major energy consuming process (about 64.7%) followed by jatropha farming for about 30.4% of total energy. The NEV is 19.2 GJ t−1, indicating significant energy gain of jatropha biodiesel. The NREV is 23.1 GJ t−1 while NER is 2.3; the two values indicate that large amount of fossil energy is used to produce biodiesel. The results of the study are meant to inform stakeholders and policy makers in the bioenergy sector.
dc.language en
dc.publisher Elsevier
dc.subject Jatropha biodiesel
dc.subject Greenhouse gas emissions
dc.subject Energy balances
dc.subject Life cycle assessment
dc.subject Tanzania
dc.title Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy Balances of Jatropha Biodiesel as an Alternative Fuel in Tanzania
dc.type Journal Article


Files in this item

Files Size Format View

There are no files associated with this item.

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

Search COSTECH


Advanced Search

Browse

My Account