Hemp as

Biofuel

Laura Vandyke

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The United States currently uses 83.6% of all its energy consumed from fossil fuels such
as coal, oil, petroleum and natural gas (Agricultural Land). Due to such, the U.S. is currently the
second largest emitter of Co2, the premier greenhouse gas, at 5,200 million metric tons in 2012
(Overview of Greenhouse Gases). To demonstrate the United States dependency on these fossil
fuels, its transportation sector alone runs 95.1% off fossil fuels, 67.5% of U.S. electric energy
consumption was due to fossil fuel use, and consumed 26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in
2013 (Fossil Fuels-IER). Not only is that in itself costly, but the US spent $388 billion on
imported oil which only equates to 50% of all the crude oil processed in US refineries last year
(How dependent is the US, 2014). These
strong factors lead to the call for research
and development in alternative and
renewable energy sources. In 2013,
renewable sources only accounted for 10%
of total US energy consumption (How
dependent is the US, 2014). Due to hemps
ability to grow quicker, use less fertilizers
and chemicals, and be more cost effective
than most other energy crops grown, hemp
biofuel can be an efficient and viable
alternative biofuel for both renewable
electricity generation and fueling vehicles.
In contrast to fossil fuels, which are exhaustible resources, biofuel is produced from
renewable feedstocks, and thus, its production and use could in theory be sustained indefinitely.
The term biofuel is referred to liquid, gas and solid fuels predominantly produced from biomass
(Demirbas, 2008). Biofuels include bioethanol, biomethanol, vegetable oils, biodiesel, bio-gas,
among others. Liquid biofuels are primarily used to fuel vehicles, but can also fuel engines or
fuel cells for electricity generation. Biofuels are an attractive renewable source due to their
commonly available biomass sources, biofuels have a considerable environmentally friendly
potential producing far less GHG emissions, and can benefit economies across the globe
(Demirbas, 2008).

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There are two biomass based liquid transportation fuels that could replace gasoline and
diesel fuel; bioethanol and biodiesel (Demirbas, 2009). Bioethanol or ethyl alcohol, is produced
when a sugar or starch based crop is broken down and then converted through fermentation into
a bioalcohol. Fermentation is an
anaerobic biological process in which
sugars are converted to alcohol by the
action of microorganisms, usually yeast
(Demirbas, 2008). This bioethanol can
be used as a petrol additive/substitute
by being blended with gasoline without
problems with as much as 1520%
alcohol by volume (Demirbas, 2008).
The US currently focuses mostly on
ethanol development and has, in fact,
doubled its ethanol production from
6.52 billion gallons in 2007 to 13.3 billion gallons in 2013 (eia.gov how much ethanol is
produced). The downside of relying majority on ethanol production is that it is not a substitute
for fuel, its a diluter. The more land needed for ethanol-purpose corn, the less there is for
livestock and domestic reasons.
Biodiesel on the other hand is a direct fuel source that can on its own run vehicles and
machinery. Likewise, it is a rapidly expanding component of the alternative fuel market
(Schmidt, 2007). Biodiesel is a domestically produced, renewable that can be manufactured from
vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease (Biodiesel Fuel Basics). It is a cleanerburning replacement for petroleum diesel fuel and is also nontoxic and biodegradable. The
vegetable oils can be converted to their methyl esters via transesterification process in the
presence of a catalyst. The purpose of the transesterification process is to lower the viscosity, or
thickness, of the oil (Demirbas, 2008). Biodiesel is, however, double the price of petroleum
based diesel. The high price of biodiesel is in large part due to the high price of the feedstock
(Demirbas, 2008).

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Aside from bioethanol and biodiesel, biomass produced for electricity generation is a
third use for hemp in the energy market. There are three main ways to convert biomass into
electricity: pyrolysis, gasification, and direct combustion. Pyrolysis destroys biomass in a
thermal anaerobic environment without the use of steam (Evans et al, 2010). Gasification is the
process of partly oxidizing biomass by the addition of steam to produce combustible gas. The
third, direct combustion is the
oldest yet most inefficient
technology of the three. This
process completely oxidizes
biomass to produce carbon dioxide
and water which is converted to
steam and can then turn turbines
(Evans, 2010). Many researchers assert carbon neutrality with such processes due to the original
carbon capture made by the plants. Biomass power plants, however, can require approximately
the same amount of water for cooling as coal power plants, depending on the facilitys cooling
technology (Environmental Impact of Biomass for Electricity). Additionally, there are emission
issues as well as land use issues that can lead to negative environmental and social impacts.
The most commonly used feedstock for bioethanol and vegetable-oil-based biodiesel are
derived from sugar crops such as sugar cane and sugar beet, starch crops like corn and sorghum,
and oilseed crops like soybean and canola (Economics of Biofuels). Hemp, a variety of the
cannabis plant, is one of the few crops that can produce high yields of both oil and biomass
which in turn can produce both biodiesel and bioethanol (Li, 2010). Hemp seeds have high oil
content, ranging from 26%-38% (Casas 2005). This virgin oil is what can be converted into
hemp biodiesel Studies have also successfully recovered 96% of the glucose from hemps
cellulosic xylem that is left over from the hemp fiber industry allowing for the recycling of the
waste products to create additional biofuel (Li, 2010). Aside from bioethanol and biodiesel, hemp
can set the bar in biomethanol production. Methanol is a variant of ethyl alcohol derived through
synthetic processes. It has been proven that twenty gallons of methanol can be produced per acre
of industrial hemp, ten times as many as from an acre of com stalks (Kolosov, 2009).

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Industrial hemp is an annual herb

and can be cultivated at low costs and
minimal environmental impact (Li, 2010).
It is one of the oldest crops in the world
dating back to 8,000 B.C. used for textiles,
fabrics for clothing, and maritime ropes
and sails. Due to its long bast fibre, or skin
of the plant, it is stronger, warmer and
more durable than the more modernly used
cotton and is known to produce two times
the yield per acre compared to cotton
(Stroller, 1996). The first American flag was made from hemp, and in 1850, the U.S. census
reported 8,327 hemp plantations, not including the millions of family small-scale plots (Stroller,
1996). Until the late 19th century, hemp provided most of the worlds paper, including books,
money, newspapers. By law, U.S. government papers were printed on hemp paper until the
1920s (Stroller, 1996). Hemp has also historically been used in food and medicinal production
across the globe, and is still harvested in more than thirty countries such as England, France,
Spain, Holland, Chile, Germany, Russia and China for such purposes.

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Hemp has also been used as a successful break crop, or secondary crop grown to
diversify the nutrients in the soil (Finnan, 2013). Hemp is much more successful as a break crop
than sugar beet and rapeseed for its extensive
root system continually improving soil
structure. This, in turn, offers the combined
potential of an effective break crop, an efficient
energy crop, and offering farmers the
possibility of exploiting new markets in bioheat and electricity. (Finnan, 2013). Cultivated
within a crop rotation as a break crop coupled
with its ability to produce high yields even in cold climates, hemp can complement rather than
compete with food and feed crop production (Finnan, 2013; Prade et al 2012). Furthermore
hemp requires little to no use of fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides with no natural enemies
making it a very sustainable crop. (Stroller, 1996).
Researchers at the University of Connecticut have begun the process of converting hemp
oil into biofuel. Richard Parnas, a professor of chemical, materials, and biomolecular engineering
who led the study, said since the hemp industry already exists hemp biodiesel industry would
need little additional investment. Parnas used a standardized process called transesterification
which uses virgin hemp seed oil to create biodiesel. Results showed a high efficiency of
conversion of 97% of hemp seed oil to biodiesel. The resulted fuel passed all tests and standards
for biodiesel fuel and could be used at lower temperatures than any other biodiesel currently used
on market (Biofuels digest, 2010). UConn currently has a patent on a biodiesel reactor system,
which can be customized to create biodiesel from many different sustainable inputs, hemp
included. The development of this multi-feedstock manufacturing facility with a 1.8 million
dollar grant from the Department of Energy, is estimated to produce 200,000 gallons of biodiesel
per year. (Biofuels digest, 2010).
Additional studies have been done comparing the practicality of replacing currently used
energy crops with hemp in the cold climate of Northern Europe. Researchers found that two
harvest periods for optimal energy yield have been determined; harvesting from September to
October, when the hemp is used for biogas production and harvested from February to April,

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when the hemp is used as a solid fuel (Prade, 2011). For biogas production, the calculated
biomass energy yield of hemp was similar to that of maize and sugar beet. It was also found to be
24% greater than lucerne and 14% greater than clover-grass ley (Prade, 2011). As a solid fuel,
the calculated biomass energy yield of hemp was 120% higher than that of wheat straw and
similar to that of reed canary grass (Prade, 2011). Biogas scenarios did suffer from high energy
inputs and lower conversion efficiencies, however, gave higher quality products that could
theoretically be used for electricity and fuel in vehicles (Prade 2012).
Unlike in other countries, unfortunately, hemps history in the US has been nonexistent
since the early 20th century. In the 1930s, DuPont, a petrochemical company who held the
patents of new synthetic fibers like nylon and plastic, along with others, created a campaign of
industrial sabotage to suppress competition from hemp. (Stroller, 1996). Coupled with an antidrug campaign that racially claimed only Africans and Mexicans smoked hashish and marijuana
derived from the hemp plant, by 1937, hemp was virtually outlawed in the US. If industrial hemp
had not been made illegal in the United States, much of the worlds forests might still be
standing, and 80% of DuPonts business and all their pollution would have never existed
(Stroller, 1996). Hemp is,
however, still harvested in more
than thirty countries such as
England, France, Spain, Holland,
Chile, Germany, Russia and
China for multiple purposes.
China, South Korea and the
Russian Federation produce more
than 70% of the world's total annual supply of hemp. The European Industrial Hemp Association
(EIHA) reported hemp production on 37,065 areas in 2009, producing 24,000 metric tons of
fiber (Hansen, 2013).Additionally, the gross revenue for Canadian hemp seed production is
estimated between $30.75 and $34 million and exports valued at more than $10 million (Hansen,
2013).
As of 2014, thankfully, the Farm Bill agreement states that it will now allow institutions
of higher education and state departments of agriculture to grow and cultivate industrial hemp.

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Under the condition that the site used must be certified and registered with their states
department of agriculture. (NCSL, 2014) This new law will make it possible for states to closer
study industrial hemp and its possible future for commercial production and use. As of
September, nineteen states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii,
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia, have taken advantage of the Farm
Bill Agreement and currently have laws to allow hemp studies and production. Of those nineteen
states, eight of them have laws to allow and promote the growth and marketing of industrial
hemp in the U.S. (NCSL, 2014).

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There are,
however, some
implications of choosing
an agriculture sourced
fuel. Currently in the
U.S. more than 30% of
corn grown is used for
ethanol (Nehring, 2008).
That means additional
land is needed to replace the demand for livestock feed. Although hemp doesnt need nearly as
much fertilizer as other energy crops, the needed amount adds to a larger amount of nutrients in
the environment and increasing eutrophication in waterways. Currently, 44.7% of U.S. land is
used for agricultural purposes (Agricultural Land). Because of the increase in demand, farmland
is continually becoming more difficult to acquire. For instance, investors as far away as
Maryland have bought thousands of acres in Wayne County, Pennsylvania sending prices from
$350 per acre to $5,000 in just one decade (AP: Environmental Impacts). Small town refineries
are also being forced out due to the governmental pressure to give their land away. In many
cases, it costs more to comply with government mandates than all the labor costs of their facility
(AP: Environmental Impacts). Aside from those factors, water consumption for agriculture and
thermoelectric power is staggering. In 2005, 41.5% of all water consumed in the U.S. was used
to produce thermoelectric power and 37% was used for irrigation. Irrigation alone withdrew
128,000 million gallons each day. This contributes to the unsustainable depletion of our already
limited freshwater resources (EPA WaterSense).
Hemp requires little to no use of fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides with no natural
enemies making it a very sustainable and attractive energy crop in the energy market. (Stroller,
1996). It can grow faster, and on less land with higher density than that of competing energy
crops. Due to the crops high oil and biomass yield, it can be used to create bioethanol, biodiesel,
and generate electricity through combustion (Finnan, 2013). There is a very high product
recovery yield for industrial hemp, a calculated 97% seed oil to biofuel proven by Prof. Parnas of
the University of Connecticut. Hemp biodiesel also has been proven to meet the standards set by

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ASTM-6751-09 for biodiesel fuel (Li, 2010).

Another attractive factor of hemp is its
ability to grow in colder climates. Farmers
who need a year-round fuel supply might be
open to welcoming an autumn-harvested
crop such as hemp as part of a mix with
spring-harvested crops (Rice, 2008). Such a
mix would improve the overall biodiversity
of the farm and thus improve the long term health of the soil. To maximize profitability of the
industrial hemp agronomic program, continued high yields at the lowest cost is required. Early
sowing, low seed rate, and integrating variety selections would be needed to achieve maximum
success (Rice, 2008).
Biofuels, including hemp, provide the prospect of new economic opportunities for people
in rural areas in both developing and developed countries. Biodiesel and ethanol provide
significant reductions in GHG emissions compared to gasoline and diesel fuel (Demirbas, 2008).
Because of such, recent legislation has released the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy
Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. Both of which promote biofuel production,
especially the EISA, which plans to expand the Renewable Fuel Standard to increase biofuel
production 36 billion gallons by 2022 (Economics of Biofuel). Numerous low emission scenarios
have demonstrated that the Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations framework on climate change,
cannot be achieved without establishing a large role for biofuel in the global energy economy by
2050 (Demirbas, 2008). Biofuels provide energy security, environmental sustainability, foreign
exchange savings, and socioeconomic growth related to the rural sector. For these reasons, hemp
biofuel is a viable and efficient alternative for both fuel and electricity generation.

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