Abstract
Impact of climate change on the water resources of the United States exposes the vulnerability of feedstock-specific mandated fuel targets to extreme weather conditions that could become more frequent and intensify in the future. Consequently, a sustainable biofuel policy should consider: (a) how climate change would alter both water supply and demand; and (b) in turn, how related changes in water availability will impact the production of biofuel crops; and (c) the environmental implications of large scale biofuel productions. Understanding the role of biofuels in the water cycle is the key to understanding many of the environmental impacts of biofuels. Therefore, the focus of this study is to model the rarely explored interactions between land use, climate change, water resources and the environment in future biofuel production systems. Results from this study will help explore the impacts of the US biofuel policy and climate change on water and agricultural resources. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to analyze the water quantity and quality consequences of land use and land management related changes in cropping conditions (e.g., more use of marginal lands, greater residue harvest, increased yields), plus management practices due to biofuel crops to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard target on water quality and quantity.
Highlights
The United States is the largest consumer of crude oil in the world and is dependent on foreign sources for up to 60 percent of its consumption [1]
Hydrologic modelling is data intensive but a powerful tool to communicate to stakeholders on water consumption and availability, sediment and nutrients loading, effects of climate variability, and strategies for reducing the impact of agriculture on the hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico
The focus of this paper is on modeling the interaction between land use, climate change, water resources and the environment in future large scale biofuel production systems and is founded on the hypothesis that water quantity and quality will be influenced by climate variability and bioenergy development
Summary
The United States is the largest consumer of crude oil in the world and is dependent on foreign sources for up to 60 percent of its consumption [1]. Fossil fuels contribute about 30 percent of all carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions in the US thereby raising concerns over global climate change [1]. Renewable biofuels offer an excellent alternative energy source to petroleum-based fuels. They have the potential to improve U.S energy security, and mitigate climate change while enhancing rural economies. Biofuels (i.e., biomass derived fuels) are transportation fuels derived from biomass including grains, sugarcane, oil crops, cellulosic materials such as grasses, crop residue, and trees and other organic wastes [2]. Bioethanol and biodiesel are the two main types of biofuels
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