{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/139711"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/139711","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Environmental and economic characteristics of electrofuel production pathways","abstract":"Electrofuels are liquid fuels derived from CO₂ and electricity, which have the potential to store intermittent renewable power and reduce transportation's climate impact. In this work, I assess the economic and environmental characteristics of four technology pathways for electrofuel production, using the methods of life cycle analysis and techno- economic assessment. In addition, the analysis includes a number of scenarios in which the technologies are powered directly from dedicated renewable electricity generation. The results indicate that the hybrid power- and biomass-to-liquids (PBtL) pathway may represent a promising option for electrofuel production in terms of lifecycle emissions reductions and minimum selling price. I further characterize the PBtL pathway by combining spatially-resolved data on biomass cultivation, electricity generation, and cost-optimized solar-hydrogen production in the United States (US). I find that the resulting fuel would have a minimum selling price between $2.10 and $3.81 per liter and lifecycle emissions of 15-27 [subscript g]CO₂[subscript e]/MJ depending on the production location.","abstract_html":"Electrofuels are liquid fuels derived from CO₂ and electricity, which have the potential to store intermittent renewable power and reduce transportation's climate impact. In this work, I assess the economic and environmental characteristics of four technology pathways for electrofuel production, using the methods of life cycle analysis and techno- economic assessment. In addition, the analysis includes a number of scenarios in which the technologies are powered directly from dedicated renewable electricity generation. The results indicate that the hybrid power- and biomass-to-liquids (PBtL) pathway may represent a promising option for electrofuel production in terms of lifecycle emissions reductions and minimum selling price. I further characterize the PBtL pathway by combining spatially-resolved data on biomass cultivation, electricity generation, and cost-optimized solar-hydrogen production in the United States (US). I find that the resulting fuel would have a minimum selling price between $2.10 and $3.81 per liter and lifecycle emissions of 15-27 [subscript g]CO₂[subscript e]/MJ depending on the production location.","abstract_has_math":true,"creators":["Isaacs, Stewart Anthony."],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":"Master","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Steven R.H. Barrett."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019","date_published":"2019","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:32Z","subjects":["Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["MIT theses may be protected by copyright. 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In this work, I assess the economic and environmental characteristics of four technology pathways for electrofuel production, using the methods of life cycle analysis and techno- economic assessment. In addition, the analysis includes a number of scenarios in which the technologies are powered directly from dedicated renewable electricity generation. The results indicate that the hybrid power- and biomass-to-liquids (PBtL) pathway may represent a promising option for electrofuel production in terms of lifecycle emissions reductions and minimum selling price. I further characterize the PBtL pathway by combining spatially-resolved data on biomass cultivation, electricity generation, and cost-optimized solar-hydrogen production in the United States (US). I find that the resulting fuel would have a minimum selling price between $2.10 and $3.81 per liter and lifecycle emissions of 15-27 [subscript g]CO₂[subscript e]/MJ depending on the production location."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["S.M."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Environmental and economic characteristics of electrofuel production pathways"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Steven R.H. Barrett."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics","Aero"],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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The results indicate that the hybrid power- and biomass-to-liquids (PBtL) pathway may represent a promising option for electrofuel production in terms of lifecycle emissions reductions and minimum selling price. I further characterize the PBtL pathway by combining spatially-resolved data on biomass cultivation, electricity generation, and cost-optimized solar-hydrogen production in the United States (US). I find that the resulting fuel would have a minimum selling price between $2.10 and $3.81 per liter and lifecycle emissions of 15-27 [subscript g]CO₂[subscript e]/MJ depending on the production location."],"dc:description.degree":["S.M."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139711"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["MIT theses may be protected by copyright. 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