NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

BioFuels Atlas

2011 Infrastructure 

Platform Review, 

Washington, D.C.

Kristi Moriarty

NREL

February 3, 2011

NREL/PR-7A30-50689

This presentation does not 

contain any proprietary, 

confidential, or otherwise 

restricted information
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY

Goal Statement

• BioFuels Atlas is a first-pass visualization tool 

that allows users to explore the potential of 

biomass-to-biofuels conversions at different 

locations and scales

• NREL’s Biofuels Atlas applies to OBP’s Program 

Goals and Mission:

• Tool highlights areas for biofuels production and 

infrastructure deployment

• Identifies proximity of biomass to oil refineries for coprocessing

• OBP supports geospatial evaluation of biofuels distribution

• Tool meets strategic communication goal of deploying 

web-based tools to increase public awareness of 

bioenergy

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Timeline, Budget, Barriers, & Partners

Project start date: January 2010

Project end date: September 2010

Percent complete: 100%

• Dt-F Limited Understanding 

of Downstream 

Infrastructure Needs

• Mm-A. Level of Industry & 

Consumer Acceptance & 

Awareness

Total project funding

• DOE share: 100%

• Funding of other OpenCarto 

tools and data sources by 

other EERE programs 

benefited Biofuels Atlas

Funding for FY10: $250,000

Timeline

Budget

Barriers Addressed

NREL

Project Participants
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Project Overview

History

• FY07– NREL developed the State Assessment for Biomass 

Resources (SABRE); static and aggregated data for EPA

• FY08– NREL develops OpenCarto—a web-based GIS platform with 

shared code, updates, maintenance; components funded by seven 

agencies (DOE & EPA)

• FY10– SABRE is moved into OpenCarto platform with numerous 

data layers; query; download; and analysis functionality added

Context

• Provide bioenergy related data in one mapping application 

• To meet RFS requirements; multiple feedstocks will need to be 

converted to biofuels

• Fueling infrastructure is limited; tool highlights opportunities

Objectives

• A biofuels visualization tool that allows users to see and 

download data and perform simple analysis

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Approach

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• Web-based platform

• OpenCarto-NREL developed this platform for multiple geospatial tools of 

shared code, updates, maintenance, and consistent functionality

• Seven tools share the platform reducing development, maintenance, and 

updating costs (a potential 7:1 return for every dollar invested)

• Data Layers

• Consistent and reliable data sources: DOE, EPA, USDA

• Crop residues, methane, secondary mill and urban residues were calculated 

based on logical assumptions and methodologies

• Analysis

• Biofuels potential based on user selected feedstocks and collection radius

• Calculation based on feedstock chemistry (EERE Biomass Composition and 

Property Database) and yield (70% of EERE Theoretical Ethanol Yield 

Calculator)

• User can change inputs and recalculate potential biofuels yields

• State Summary View & Tables-Traditional & Bioenergy data included

• Extensive testing was conducted to ensure consistency and accuracy of data, 

queries, and analysis and overall performance of the tool
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Technical Accomplishments/ Progress/Results

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• The accomplishment is the public release of BioFuels 

Atlas

• Released late September 2010

• BioFuels Atlas Google Analytics since launch

• 6,534 users

• Access-51% Referring Sites; 44% Direct; 5% Search 

Engines

• Users from 86 nations

• Extensive positive feedback from users

• AFDC Fuels pages updates: blends, feedstock, ASTM 

standards, infrastructure development, 

production/consumptions/trade data & information

• Fuels pages receive over 900,000 view per year
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Technical Accomplishments/ Progress/Results 2

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Technical Accomplishments-Query

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Regional Queryblue highlights 

counties in region 

selected

Tabs for each data 

layer queried

Detailed data for each data 

layer; including infrastructure 

info; can download to excel
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Technical Accomplishments-Analysis

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User selects 

feedstocks 

for analysis

User enter 

radius

Tool sums each feedstock total 

for each county in radius

Potential biofuels production 

from selected feedstocks

Input assumptions; user can 

change and re-calculate
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Technical Accomplishments-State View

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Summary of state 

fossil fuel use & 

infrastructure

Summary of state 

bioenergy production, 

use & infrastructure

Summary totals for each 

feedstock and biofuels 

potential

Download state tables and 

data sources
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Relevance

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Meeting OBP Missions and Goals of contributing to volumetric 

targets in RFS

• Provides users the ability to view biomass related data layers; query and 

download data; analysis for potential biofuels production; and state 

summaries

• Highlights geographic diversity of feedstock

• Enables users to identify target areas for biofuels project development

• Biofuels Atlas is conductive to maximizing production and use of biofuels

• Tool contributes to OBP goal of strategic communication through webbased tools to increase public awareness of bioenergy
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Benefits and Expected Outcomes

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• Low development, updates, and maintenance costs on shared 

OpenCarto platform

• Provide biomass data on an interactive map in an easy to 

understand format

• Assist decision makers on locations of biofuels production 

facilities and fueling infrastructure to meet RFS

• Strong synergy with other EERE program (ex. Vehicle 

Technologies) due to shared data

• Exceptional response from stakeholders (other government 

agencies, technology owners, project developers, investors, 

private corporations, universities, state governments, 

associations)
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Summary

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Relevance

• RFS necessitated a need to determine ideal locations for biofuels 

production and infrastructure; BioFuels Atlas makes these decisions 

easier

Approach

• Shared Opencarto platform; data from reliable sources and shared with 

other tools; dynamic updates; feedstock data layers calculated based on 

logical assumptions and methodologies

Technical Accomplishments

• BioFuels Atlas is live

Success Factors and Challenges

• Over 6,000 users in 3 months; positive stakeholder response

Technology Transfer and Future Work

• Webinars to demonstrate the tool to multiple users groups; future work 

will add novel bio/renewable diesel data layers; GHG data; Biomass 

thermal plants; interoperability with KDF; annual data updates and 

maintenance
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Demonstration of BioFuels Atlas

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http://maps.nrel.gov/biomass
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Biofuels Information Center Task

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• Biofuels Atlas is part of a larger overall task of Biofuels Information 

Center

• FY10 funding of $250,000

• Task Updates EERE’ Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Data Center 

fuels information

• Blends

• Feedstock

• ASTM standards

• Infrastructure development

• Production, Consumption, Trade data & information

• Emissions data

• AFDC fuels pages receive over 900,000 view per year; it is 

essential to keep EERE’s site populated with current biofuels fuels 

data and information

• http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/index.html
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Additional Slides-Analysis Calculations

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Feedstock Expected Yield-use this

(gallons per tonne)

Sugar beets 27.3

Sugar cane 21.5

Barley Straw 82.7

Corn Cobs 84.0

Corn Stover 87.2

Rice Straw 84.8

Bagasse 86.0

Wheat Straw 74.4

Primary Mill Residues 82.2

Secondary Mill Residues and Urban Wood 82.2

Forest Residues 62.9

• Yields are 70% of EERE Theoretical Ethanol Calculator Yields

• Potential Biofuels Yield (million gallons) = available resource (tons of 

feedstock in counties in selected radius) x expected yield x % obtainable 

(defaults to 50%--assumes project can obtain half the available resource)

• User can change all inputs to see how yield and % obtainable impact 

potential biofuels production 
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Additional Slides-Feedstock Calculations

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Crop Residues

• Crop production (tons) x residue ratio x % dry matter x 0.35 (% removed)

Methane

• Manure Equation 1: Volatile Solids per animal type=animal population x animal 

weight x volatile solids for animal type

• Manure Equation 2: Methane production = Equation 1 x max methane producing 

capacity (ft3/lbs volatile solids) x methane conversion factor x % of animal types 

manure management system

• Wastewater: Methane=county population x BOD per capita per year x % BOD 

anaerobically digested per year x methane generation potential

Secondary Mill Residues

• For Pallet/Lumber: Residues=# of companies in country x 300 (avg wood waste 

per year) x 0.9072 (conversion to metric tons)

• Woodworking Co’s: Residues=# of companies in country x avg wood waste 

(based on # of employees) x 0.9072 (conversion to metric tons)

Urban Wood Waste

• Utility/Tree Co’s: Single tree crew harvest 1,000 tons per year

• Construction/Demolition: Residues=0.09 (tons/yr/person) x population
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Publications and Presentations

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BioFuels Atlas Access

• http://maps.nrel.gov/biomass

• http://maps.nrel.gov/bioenergyatlas

• http://maps.nrel.gov

• Press release: http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2010/891.html

Presentations

• International Biomass Conference, May 2010

• USDA Biofuels Committee, July 2010

• DOE/UL/EPA Networking Group, September 2010

• EPA Region 10 Biofuels Tools Workshop, September 2010