EVALUATION OF FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN SUGAR BEET PRODUCTION AS A BIOFUEL RAW MATERIAL

摘要

Indirect and direct energy consumption for the production of biomass, which will be used as a biofuel raw material, is very important. Therefore in this study, it is aimed to evaluate fossil fuel consumption and its associated carbon dioxide (CO_2) emissions to cultivate sugar beet used as a bioethanol raw material. The total diesel consumption of the tractor with the implements/ machines and harvesting machine was calculated as 1071 L per hectare (ha). The total CO_2 emissions for sugar beet cultivation were calculated as 293.8 kgCO_2 per hectare. It was found that the total fossil fuel (die- sel+lubricant oil), energy consumptions and CO_2 emissions for sugar beet cultivation were 107.97 L/ha, 4006.6 MJ/ha and 296.5 kgCO_2/ha, respectively. The specific value of fossil energy consumption related to total fossil fuel was 70.48 MJ per ton tuber. Taking into account the values of specific fuel consumption, 1.9 L fossil fuel was consumed to produce 1 ton sugar beet tuber. Considering the specific value of tuber production, 1 L fossil fuel was consumed to produce 526.57 kg sugar beet tuber. Taking into account the specific value of CO_2 emission, 5.22 CO_2 was released to produce 1 ton sugar beet tuber. For 1 kg ethanol production 0.15 L fossil fuel or 5.72 MJ fossil fuel energy corresponding to this amount of fuel consumption is consumed. As a result, fossil fuel consumption for the production of 1 kg of ethanol from sugar beet molasses results in an emission of 0.42 kgCO_2.