Renewable Diesel Production from Canola and Camelina

• Author / Creator

  Miller, Patrick E

• Hydrogenation-derived renewable diesel (HDRD) is a promising alternative fuel due to its excellent low-temperature properties, cetane number, and similarity to fossil diesel. Using Alberta as a basis, data-intensive techno-economic models and life cycle assessment models were developed to estimate costs and environmental impacts of HDRD produced from canola and camelina. The estimated vegetable oil production costs, total HDRD production costs, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), and net energy ratios (NERs) are:
  Canola: $0.55/L, $1.09/L, 33 – 94 gCO2e/MJ, 1.2 – 2.2 MJ/MJ
  Camelina: $0.28/L, $0.85/L, 30 – 82 gCO2e/MJ, 1.0 – 2.3 MJ/MJ.
  These costs are for processing and production plants at their economically optimum sizes of 190 million L/year canola oil plant, 120 million L/year camelina oil plant, and 812 million L/year HDRD plant. HDRD appears to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly to produce from camelina than canola. However, if camelina meal cannot be sold, the total camelina-based HDRD production cost rises to $1.37/L, GHGs rise and NER drops, making canola-based HDRD more attractive.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Life-cycle assessment
  • Vegetable oil
  • Camelina
  • Techno-economic assessment
  • Canola
  • Renewable diesel

• Graduation date

  Fall 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R32B8VP46

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.