CARIBBEAN BASIN ETHANOL DEHYDRATION

 ENERGY USUAGE AND CO2 EMISSIONS

Hydrous ethanol is imported from Brazil to dehydration plants in the Caribbean Basin 

where it is processed through molecular sieve technology into anhydrous ethanol. The 

dehydration process requires steam energy to heat and cool ethanol. The energy used to 

create steam is generated by burning fossil fuels which range from natural gas in Trinidad 

to heavy fuel oil at the plants in the other countries.

Industry experts have calculated that approximately 4000 BTU’s of fuel and .05kwh of 

electricity are used in the conversion of one gallon of hydrous to anhydrous ethanol.1 All 

this fossil fuel energy usage represents less than 5 gCO2MJ when calculated using the 

GREET model.

Additional CO2 emissions are generated from the transportation of the ethanol from 

Brazil to the Caribbean Basin and then onward to the United States. These emissions are 

no greater than from the transportation of ethanol directly from Brazil to the United 

States. 

Also, pathways for Brazilian cane-based ethanol through CB ethanol dehydration 

facilities are more economically viable than the pathway for ethanol shipped via a direct 

route for anhydrous ethanol from Brazil to California. As noted by EPA in their 

proposed RFS2 rules, “the most likely route(for Brazilian cane-based ethanol is) through 

the Caribbean Basin Initiative”” because the ethanol would not be subject to the 54 cent 

per gallon and 2.5% ad valorem tariffs. Indeed, since a duty drawback loophole ended in 

September 2008, direct Brazil to U.S. ethanol shipments have practically ceased.

In analyzing the differences in the direct Brazil to U.S. pathway and the CB dehydration 

pathway to determine the lifecycle emissions, it is necessary for a fair comparison to look 

at such factors as the fugitive emissions from the pipelines carrying the hydrous or 

anhydrous ethanol as well the natural gas. Dehydration plants in the Caribbean Basin are

at or near the ports so the distances traveled- and the accompanying fugitive emissions -

in pipelines are negligible. This is not the case in Brazil. Fossil fuels such as natural gas 

may be shipped hundreds of miles and even imported from Bolivia in pipelines of various 

age and states of repair.

Since the same technology is used in Brazil and in CB countries to dehydrate ethanol, the 

same amount of energy should be generally required to power the dehydration process in 

Brazil and the Caribbean Basin. The dehydration plants in the Caribbean Basin are 

1. Source: Swain, R.L. Bibb, “Molecular Sieve Dehdyrators. How they became the 

industry standard and how they work”, Chapter 19 in the Alcohol Textbook, p. 292
newer than those in Brazil and because of age and technology are more efficient. These 

factors as well as the greater emissions from the cyclohexane and benzene used in the 

azeotropic distillation of some of the dehydration plants in Brazil needs to be considered 

in comparing the dehydration pathways in the Caribbean Basin and Brazil. 

We encourage EPA to use these factors as credits and lower the life cycle carbon 

footprint of Caribbean Basin dehydration.

The energy usage differs from plant to plant in the Caribbean Basin. The table below 

indicates the range.

 CO2 EMISSIONS FROM CB ETHANOL DEHYDRATION

 

 ENERGY USAGE Per Gallon of Anhydrous Produced

 Gallons of fuel oil .031 to .044

 BTU of natural gas 5,000

 KWH of electricity .0458 to .0617

 CO2 EMISSIONS CALCULATIONS

 Natural Gas Fuel Oil Electricity

CO2 emissions per gallon of 

 anhydrous ethanol produced (lbs) 0.47 0.65

CO2 emissions (gCO2/MJ) 2.64 3.67

CO 2 emissions(gCO2/MJ) per gallon 

 of anhydrous ethanol produced 1.31

TOTAL CO2 EMISSIONS FROM 

 ENERGY USAGE 3.95 4.98

Caribbean Basin ethanol dehydration emits less than 5 g of CO2/MJ from fossil 

fuels used to produce anhydrous ethanol. Credits from factors indicated above 

should be applied to reduce this number. Nevertheless, this number should be 

within the life cycle threshold to classify CB ethanol as an advanced biofuel.