Water consumption estimates of the biodiesel process in the US

摘要: As a renewable alternative to petroleum diesel, biodiesel has been widely used in the US and world. However, its potential impact on water resources not much evaluated. This study investigates consumption from process, which includes three stages: soybean irrigation, soybean-to-soybean oil processing, manufacturing, at both national state levels. Mass-based allocation is performed stages obtained basis of million gallons per year gallon (gal/gal). The normalized (water intensity) production are 61.78, 0.17, 0.31 gal/gal, respectively. resulting total 62.26 gal/gal for process lower than those reported existing literature. It shown that varies significantly state, warrants necessity state-level analysis better decision making management. Water potentially water-stressed states also investigated results show currently these represent 1.6 % associated with production, 0.46 harvest, 27.61 capacity US.