CARIBBEAN BASIN ETHANOL DEHYDRATION
ENERGY USUAGE AND CO2 EMISSIONS
Hydrous ethanol is imported from Brazil to dehydration plants in the Caribbean Basin
where it is processed through molecular sieve technology into anhydrous ethanol. The
dehydration process requires steam energy to heat and cool ethanol. The energy used to
create steam is generated by burning fossil fuels which range from natural gas in Trinidad
to heavy fuel oil at the plants in the other countries.
Industry experts have calculated that approximately 4000 BTU’s of fuel and .05kwh of
electricity are used in the conversion of one gallon of hydrous to anhydrous ethanol.1 All
this fossil fuel energy usage represents less than 5 gCO2MJ when calculated using the
GREET model.
Additional CO2 emissions are generated from the transportation of the ethanol from
Brazil to the Caribbean Basin and then onward to the United States. These emissions are
no greater than from the transportation of ethanol directly from Brazil to the United
States.
Also, pathways for Brazilian cane-based ethanol through CB ethanol dehydration
facilities are more economically viable than the pathway for ethanol shipped via a direct
route for anhydrous ethanol from Brazil to California. As noted by EPA in their
proposed RFS2 rules, “the most likely route(for Brazilian cane-based ethanol is) through
the Caribbean Basin Initiative”” because the ethanol would not be subject to the 54 cent
per gallon and 2.5% ad valorem tariffs. Indeed, since a duty drawback loophole ended in
September 2008, direct Brazil to U.S. ethanol shipments have practically ceased.
In analyzing the differences in the direct Brazil to U.S. pathway and the CB dehydration
pathway to determine the lifecycle emissions, it is necessary for a fair comparison to look
at such factors as the fugitive emissions from the pipelines carrying the hydrous or
anhydrous ethanol as well the natural gas. Dehydration plants in the Caribbean Basin are
at or near the ports so the distances traveled- and the accompanying fugitive emissions in pipelines are negligible. This is not the case in Brazil. Fossil fuels such as natural gas
may be shipped hundreds of miles and even imported from Bolivia in pipelines of various
age and states of repair.
Since the same technology is used in Brazil and in CB countries to dehydrate ethanol, the
same amount of energy should be generally required to power the dehydration process in
Brazil and the Caribbean Basin. The dehydration plants in the Caribbean Basin are
1. Source: Swain, R.L. Bibb, “Molecular Sieve Dehdyrators. How they became the
industry standard and how they work”, Chapter 19 in the Alcohol Textbook, p. 292
newer than those in Brazil and because of age and technology are more efficient. These
factors as well as the greater emissions from the cyclohexane and benzene used in the
azeotropic distillation of some of the dehydration plants in Brazil needs to be considered
in comparing the dehydration pathways in the Caribbean Basin and Brazil.
We encourage EPA to use these factors as credits and lower the life cycle carbon
footprint of Caribbean Basin dehydration.
The energy usage differs from plant to plant in the Caribbean Basin. The table below
indicates the range.
CO2 EMISSIONS FROM CB ETHANOL DEHYDRATION
ENERGY USAGE
Per Gallon of Anhydrous Produced
Gallons of fuel oil
.031 to .044
BTU of natural gas
5,000
KWH of electricity
.0458 to .0617
CO2 EMISSIONS CALCULATIONS
Natural Gas Fuel Oil
CO2 emissions per gallon of
anhydrous ethanol produced (lbs)
0.47
0.65
CO2 emissions (gCO2/MJ)
2.64
3.67
CO 2 emissions(gCO2/MJ) per gallon
of anhydrous ethanol produced
TOTAL CO2 EMISSIONS FROM
ENERGY USAGE
Electricity
1.31
3.95
4.98
Caribbean Basin ethanol dehydration emits less than 5 g of CO2/MJ from fossil
fuels used to produce anhydrous ethanol. Credits from factors indicated above
should be applied to reduce this number. Nevertheless, this number should be
within the life cycle threshold to classify CB ethanol as an advanced biofuel.