Energy content of biofuel
| Fuel Type
| Specific Energy Density
(MJ/kg)
| Volumetric Energy Density
(MJ/L)
| CO2 Gas made from Fuel Used
(kg/kg)
| Energy per CO2
(MJ/kg)
|
| Solid Fuels
|
| Bagasse (Cane Stalks)
| 9.6
|
| ~+40%(C6H10O5)n+15%(C26H42O21)n+15%(C9H10O2)n1.30
| 7.41
|
| Chaff (Seed Casings)
| 14.6
|
| [Please insert average composition here]
|
|
| Animal Dung/Manure
| [1] 10-[2] 15
|
| [Please insert average composition here]
|
|
| Dried plants (C6H10O5)n
| 10 – 16
| 1.6 - 16.64
| IF50%(C6H10O5)n+25%(C26H42O21)n+25%(C10H12O3)n1.84
| 5.44-8.70
|
| Wood fuel (C6H10O5)n
| 16 – 21
| [3] 2.56 - 21.84
| IF45%(C6H10O5)n+25%(C26H42O21)n+30%(C10H12O3)n1.88
| 8.51-11.17
|
| Charcoal
| 30
|
| [Please insert average composition here]
|
|
| Liquid Fuels
|
| Pyrolysis oil
| 17.5
| 21.35
| (Assumption Of Fuel: Carbon Content = 23% w/w) 0.84
| 20.77
|
| Methanol (CH3-OH)
| 19.9 – 22.7
| 15.9
| 1.37
| 14.49-16.53
|
| Ethanol (CH3-CH2-OH)
| 23.4 – 26.8
| 18.4 - 21.2
| 1.91
| 12.25-14.03
|
| EcaleneTM
| 28.4
| 22.7
| 75%C2H6O+9%C3H8O+7%C4H10O+5%C5H12O+4%Hx 2.03
| 14.02
|
| Butanol(CH3-(CH2)3-OH)
| 36
| 29.2
| 2.37
| 15.16
|
| Fat
| 37.656
| 31.68
| [Please insert average composition here]
|
|
| Biodiesel
| 37.8
| 33.3 – 35.7
| ~2.85
| ~13.26
|
| Sunflower oil (C18H32O2)
| [4] 39.49
| 33.18
| (12%(C16H32O2)+16%(C18H34O2)+71%(LA)+1%(ALA))2.81
| 14.04
|
| Castor oil (C18H34O3)
| [5] 39.5
| 33.21
| (1%PA+1%SA+89.5%ROA+3%OA+4.2%LA+0.3%ALA)2.67
| 14.80
|
| Olive oil (C18H34O2)
| 39.25 - 39.82
| 33 - 33.48
| (15%(C16H32O2)+75%(C18H34O2)+9%(LA)+1%(ALA))2.80
| 14.03
|
| Gaseous Fuels
|
| Methane (CH4)
| 55 – 55.7
| (Liquified) 23.0 – 23.3
| (Methane leak exerts 23 × greenhouse effect of CO2) 2.74
| 20.05-20.30
|
| Hydrogen (H2)
| 120 – 142
| (Liquified) 8.5 – 10.1
| (Hydrogen leak slightly catalyzes ozone depletion) 0.0
|
|
| Fossil Fuels (comparison)
|
| Coal
| 29.3 – 33.5
| 39.85 - 74.43
| (Not Counting:CO,NOx,Sulfates & Particulates) ~3.59
| ~8.16-9.33
|
| Crude Oil
| 41.868
| 28 – 31.4
| (Not Counting:CO,NOx,Sulfates & Particulates) ~3.4
| ~12.31
|
| Gasoline
| 45 – 48.3
| 32 – 34.8
| (Not Counting:CO,NOx,Sulfates & Particulates) ~3.30
| ~13.64-14.64
|
| Diesel
| 48.1
| 40.3
| (Not Counting:CO,NOx,Sulfates & Particulates) ~3.4
| ~14.15
|
| Natural Gas
| 38 – 50
| (Liquified) 25.5 – 28.7
| (Ethane,Propane & Butane N/C:CO,NOx & Sulfates) ~3.00
| ~12.67-16.67
|
| Ethane (CH3-CH3)
| 51.9
| (Liquified) ~24.0
| 2.93
| 17.71
|
| Uranium-235 (235U)
| 77,000,000
| (Pure)1,470,700,000
| [Greater for lower ore conc.(Mining,Refining,Moving)] 0.0
| (NETT) >12.67
|
| Nuclear fusion (2H-3H)
| 300,000,000
| (Liquified)53,414,377.6
| (Sea-Bed Hydrogen-Isotope Mining-Method Dependent) 0.0
|
|
| Fuel Cell Energy Storage (comparison)
|
| Direct-Methanol
| 4.5466
| [6] 3.6
| ~1.37
| ~3.31
|
| Proton-Exchange (R&D)
| up to 5.68
| up to 4.5
| (IFF Fuel is recycled) 0.0
|
|
| Sodium Hydride (R&D)
| up to 11.13
| up to 10.24
| (Bladder for Sodium Oxide Recycling) 0.0
|
|
| Battery Energy Storage (comparison)
|
| Lead-acid battery
| 0.108
| ~0.1
| (200-600 Deep-Cycle Tolerance) 0.0
|
|
| Nickel-iron battery
| [7]0.0487 - 0.1127
| 0.0658 - 0.1772
| (<40y Life)(2k-3k Cycle Tolerance IF no Memory effect) 0.0
|
|
| Nickel-cadmium battery
| 0.162 - 0.288
| ~0.24
| (1k-1.5k Cycle Tolerance IF no Memory effect) 0.0
|
|
| Nickel metal hydride
| 0.22 - 0.324
| 0.36
| (300-500 Cycle Tolerance IF no Memory effect) 0.0
|
|
| Super iron battery
| 0.33
| [8] (1.5 * NiMH) 0.54
| [9] (~300 Deep-Cycle Tolerance) 0.0
|
|
| Zinc-air battery
| 0.396 - 0.72
| [10] 0.5924 - 0.8442
| (Recyclable by Smelting & Remixing, not Recharging) 0.0
|
|
| Lithium ion battery
| 0.54 - 0.72
| 0.9 - 1.9
| (3-5 y Life) (500-1k Deep-Cycle Tolerance) 0.0
|
|
| Lithium-Ion-Polymer
| 0.65 - 0.87
| (1.2 * Li-Ion)1.08 - 2.28
| (3-5 y Life) (300-500 Deep-Cycle Tolerance) 0.0
|
|
| DURACELL® Zinc-Air
| 1.0584 - 1.5912
| 5.148 - 6.3216
| (1-3 y Shelf-life) (Recyclable not Rechargeable) 0.0
|
|
| Aluminium battery
| 1.8 - 4.788
| 7.56
| (10-30 y Life) (3k+ Deep-Cycle Tolerance) 0.0
|
|
| PolyPlusBC Li-Aircell®
| 3.6 - 32.4
| 3.6 - 17.64
| (May be Rechargeable)(Might leak sulfates) 0.0
|
|
Notes
- While all CO2 gas output ratios are calculated to within a less than 1% margin of error (assuming total oxidation of the carbon content of fuel), ratios preceded by a Tilde (~) indicate a margin of error of up to (but no greater than) 9%. Ratios listed do not include emissions from fuel Cultivation/Mining, Purification/Refining & Transportation. Fuel availability is typically 74-84.3% NET from source Energy Balance.
- While Uranium-235 (235U) fission produces no CO2 gas directly, the indirect fossil fuel burning processes of Mining, Milling, Refining, Moving & Radioactive waste disposal, etc. of intermediate to low-grade uranium ore concentrations, produces the equivalent CO2 gas emissions per MJ of net-output-energy of a Natural Gas fired power station. Prof.Mark Diesendorf, Inst. of Environmental Studies, UNSW
Yields of common crops associated with biofuels production
| Crop
| Oil
(kg/ha)
| Oil
(L/ha)
| Oil
(lbs/acre)
| Oil
(US gal/acre)
| Oil per seeds
(kg/100 kg)
| Melting Range (°C)
| Iodine
number
| Cetane
number
|
Oil /
Fat
| Methyl
Ester
| Ethyl
Ester
|
| Groundnut
|
|
|
|
| (Kernel)42
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Copra
|
|
|
|
| 62
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tallow
|
|
|
|
|
| 35 - 42
| 16
| 12
| 40 - 60
| 75
|
| Lard
|
|
|
|
|
| 32 - 36
| 14
| 10
| 60 - 70
| 65
|
| Corn (maize)
| 145
| 172
| 129
| 18
|
| -5
| -10
| -12
| 115 - 124
| 53
|
| Cashew nut
| 148
| 176
| 132
| 19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Oats
| 183
| 217
| 163
| 23
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lupine
| 195
| 232
| 175
| 25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Kenaf
| 230
| 273
| 205
| 29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Calendula
| 256
| 305
| 229
| 33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Cotton
| 273
| 325
| 244
| 35
| (Seed)13
| -1 - 0
| -5
| -8
| 100 - 115
| 55
|
| Hemp
| 305
| 363
| 272
| 39
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Soybean
| 375
| 446
| 335
| 48
| 14
| -16 - -12
| -10
| -12
| 125 - 140
| 53
|
| Coffee
| 386
| 459
| 345
| 49
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Linseed (flax)
| 402
| 478
| 359
| 51
|
| -24
|
|
| 178
|
|
| Hazelnuts
| 405
| 482
| 362
| 51
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Euphorbia
| 440
| 524
| 393
| 56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pumpkin seed
| 449
| 534
| 401
| 57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Coriander
| 450
| 536
| 402
| 57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mustard seed
| 481
| 572
| 430
| 61
| 35
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Camelina
| 490
| 583
| 438
| 62
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sesame
| 585
| 696
| 522
| 74
| 50
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Safflower
| 655
| 779
| 585
| 83
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Rice
| 696
| 828
| 622
| 88
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tung oil tree
| 790
| 940
| 705
| 100
|
| -2.5
|
|
| 168
|
|
| Sunflowers
| 800
| 952
| 714
| 102
| 32
| -18 - -17
| -12
| -14
| 125 - 135
| 52
|
| Cocoa (cacao)
| 863
| 1,026
| 771
| 110
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Peanuts
| 890
| 1,059
| 795
| 113
|
| 3
|
|
| 93
|
|
| Opium poppy
| 978
| 1,163
| 873
| 124
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Rapeseed
| 1,000
| 1,190
| 893
| 127
| 37
| -10 - 5
| -10 - 0
| -12 - -2
| 97 - 115
| 55 - 58
|
| Olives
| 1,019
| 1,212
| 910
| 129
|
| -12 - -6
| -6
| -8
| 77 - 94
| 60
|
| Castor beans
| 1,188
| 1,413
| 1,061
| 151
| (Seed)50
| -18
|
|
| 85
|
|
| Pecan nuts
| 1,505
| 1,791
| 1,344
| 191
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jojoba
| 1,528
| 1,818
| 1,365
| 194
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jatropha
| 1,590
| 1,892
| 1,420
| 202
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Macadamia nuts
| 1,887
| 2,246
| 1,685
| 240
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Brazil nuts
| 2,010
| 2,392
| 1,795
| 255
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Avocado
| 2,217
| 2,638
| 1,980
| 282
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Coconut
| 2,260
| 2,689
| 2,018
| 287
|
| 20 - 25
| -9
| -6
| 8 - 10
| 70
|
| Chinese Tallow
|
| 4,700
|
| 500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Oil palm
| 5,000
| 5,950
| 4,465
| 635
| 20-(Kernal)36
| 20 - 40
| -8 - 21
| -8 - 18
| 12 - 95
| 65 - 85
|
| Algae
|
| 95,000
|
| 10,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Crop
| Oil
(kg/ha)
| Oil
(L/ha)
| Oil
(lbs/acre)
| Oil
(US gal/acre)
| Oil per seeds
(kg/100 kg)
| Melting Range (°C)
| Iodine
number
| Cetane
number
|
Oil /
Fat
| Methyl
Ester
| Ethyl
Ester
|
Oil per seeds = Typical oil extraction from 100 kg. of oil seeds
- Note: Chinese Tallow (Sapium sebiferum, or Tradica Sebifera) is also known as the "Popcorn Tree".
Source: Used with permission from the The Global Petroleum Club
|
