The global energy consumption is 410 ExaJoules per annum, equivalent to on average 2.2 kW per capita. However, the energy consumption is very unequally distributed: a Dutch person consumes 6 kW, an American even 11 kW, while a few billion poor people use mainly biomass and waste as fuel, equivalent to 0.5 kW. The energy consumption is analysed in terms of human needs as well as in type of energy source.
It is concluded that liquid fuels have a major advantage in storage and transport. As a consequence their use in off-grid shaft and power generation as well as in transportation fuels give diesel and gasoline a value equal to electricity, much higher than coal, biomass, crude oil, or natural gas.
Assuming that the population grows to 10 billion people, and that those people need ca. 4 kW for a decent living, the global energy demand will grow to 1300 EJ/year. The share of oil is decreasing from 50% in 1970 but ca. 1 kW oil per person will always be needed, which is still much more than today’s oil production of 3.8 gigaton/y !
In view of climate change biofuels need to be developed to replace fossil resources. Of course, biomass should not compete with food and feed, and be produced in a sustainable way. Significant amounts of agricultural and forestry waste can be used for 2nd generation biofuels. The ultimate 3rd generation biofuels is based on algae having the best overall photosynthesis efficiency. Biomass conversion processes are required to meet the costly logistics of distributed production of biomass as well as to upgrade biomass to clean, safe liquid fuels. Biomass pyrolysis is being developed and research is ongoing to separate chemicals from pyrolysis oil and to upgrade pyrolysis oil to refinery feedstock for diesel and gasoline production. |
