Low-Carbon Fuel Pathways Through Renewable Feedstock Intermediaries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current low carbon intensity energy strategies face challenges in reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the lifecycle of transportation fuels and hydrogen production, including inefficiencies in energy transmission, high carbon intensity in production and transport, and the need for specialized infrastructure and equipment, which can negate environmental benefits.
Innovation Solution
Implementing systems and methods that integrate low carbon intensity alternative energy sources into feedstock selection, transportation, refining, and distribution pathways, using renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power to reduce carbon emissions across all stages of fuel and hydrogen production, allowing for conventional fuels to be used in traditional retail outlets without requiring special vehicles or equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If renewable energy is transmitted from remote locations to end users over long distances, then low carbon intensity energy can be delivered to consumers, but energy loss occurs and transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses low carbon intensity feedstocks as intermediaries to transfer the environmental benefit of renewable energy to transportation fuels. Instead of transmitting electricity directly, renewable energy is used to process feedstocks (such as agricultural residues, forestry waste, or dedicated energy crops) into liquid transportation fuels through conversion processes. This intermediary approach allows the carbon intensity benefits to be embedded in the fuel itself, eliminating the need for long-distance electrical transmission while delivering low carbon intensity energy to consumers through existing fuel distribution infrastructure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electric vehicles and charging stations are deployed to utilize renewable power, then direct use of low carbon energy is achieved, but considerable expense is incurred and indirect carbon emissions from construction are overlooked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates low carbon intensity transportation fuels that can be used in conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, making the low carbon energy solution universal and compatible with existing vehicle fleets. This eliminates the need for specialized electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, allowing the same fuel to serve multiple functions in both traditional and emerging vehicle types. The resulting fuels can be distributed through existing retail outlets, providing multi-functionality across the entire transportation ecosystem without requiring consumers to make significant infrastructure investments.
3Productivity
If renewable energy sources are located at long distances from end users, then alternative energy generation is achieved, but the environmental benefits are negated by high carbon intensity in transportation and distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by converting renewable energy into chemical energy storage in the form of low carbon intensity feedstocks at or near the renewable energy sources. These feedstocks are processed into liquid fuels before distribution, embedding the carbon intensity benefits in advance. This preliminary conversion eliminates the need for high carbon intensity transportation of finished fuels, as the low carbon intensity is already locked into the chemical structure of the feedstocks and resulting fuels. The approach allows renewable energy to be utilized at remote locations without requiring long-distance transmission or creating high carbon emission distribution chains.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods to provide low carbon intensity (CI) transportation fuels through one or more targeted reductions of carbon emissions based upon an analysis of carbon emissions associated with a combination of various options for feedstock procurement, feedstock refining, processing, or transformation, and fuel product distribution pathways to end users. Such options are selected to maintain the total CI (carbon emissions per unit energy) of the transportation fuel below a pre-selected threshold that defines an upper limit of CI for the transportation fuel.