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dc.contributor.advisorJarrod Goentzel.en_US
dc.contributor.authorChung, Sooducken_US
dc.contributor.authorFarrey, Michaelen_US
dc.contributor.otherMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-01-26T14:31:29Z
dc.date.available2011-01-26T14:31:29Z
dc.date.copyright2010en_US
dc.date.issued2010en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/60830
dc.descriptionThesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2010.en_US
dc.descriptionCataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (p. 78-86).en_US
dc.description.abstractLiquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel are traditionally derived from petroleum. Since petroleum has the potential to be exhausted, there is interest in large scale production of fuels from renewable sources. Currently, ethanol and bio diesel are liquid fuels that are mainly derived from field crops. This paper examines the supply chain challenges and issues that exist for bringing biofuel production up to scale. One major challenge that exists is how to transport the feedstock from a farm to a refinery in the most cost efficient manner. One way to improve transportation efficiency of feedstock is to increase the energy density of the feedstock. However, increasing the density of a feedstock comes with a cost. We use switchgrass as a case study and examine the tradeoff between higher transportation costs in transporting a less energy dense feedstock to processing a feedstock to increase its energy density. We show that creating ethanol from switchgrass in the United States is not competitive in price to gasoline without government subsidies, but as the supply chain matures, efficiencies gained will narrow the gap.en_US
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityby Sooduck Chung [and] Michael Farrey.en_US
dc.format.extent86 p.en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMassachusetts Institute of Technologyen_US
dc.rightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.urihttp://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582en_US
dc.subjectEngineering Systems Division.en_US
dc.titleBiofuel supply chain challenges and analysisen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.description.degreeM.Eng.in Logisticsen_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division
dc.identifier.oclc697300309en_US


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