AGAVE

AGAVE: THE MISSING ENERGY CROP

México City 2010

2030 CHALLENGESPOPULATION: 6.8 Bn today, to 8.3Bn (FAO)

FOOD: 2X increase (WB); 50% (UN)

WATER: 50% MORE (WB). India 2X more.

ENERGY: 44% raise (EIA)

CLIMATE CHANGE: Below 2°C; 450ppm (IPCC)

By 2050, biofuels account for 25% of total transport fuel, roughly 90% is 2nd-generation biofuel

TRANSPORTATION FUELS

Fossil energy balances of different fuel types

Source: Worldwatch Institute 2006

WHY NOT 25%?• HIGH COST OF BIOFUELS • DRASTIC WATER CONSUMPTION• HIGH USE OF NITROGEN, HERBICIDES,

PESTICIDES, FUNGICIDES• DANGER OF LAND USE CHANGE /

DEFORESTATION• BIODIVERSITY LOSS • FOOD VS FUEL

Projected cost of 1st and 2nd generation biofuels for the US market

Source: EBI, Khanna, M.

Second generation biofuel cost assumptions

Source: IEA 2008, Energy Technology Perspectives to 2050

Enzimes account for 54% of fermentation cost

Production costs for biodiesel, in main producing countries

http://cohesion.rice.edu/centersandinst/shellcenter/emplibrary/Water%20Footprint%20of%20Biofuels%20FINAL%20SUBMISSION.pdf

http://cohesion.rice.edu/centersandinst/shellcenter/emplibrary/Water%20Footprint%20of%20Biofuels%20FINAL%20SUBMISSION.pdf

WATER

AGROCHEMICALS

http://cohesion.rice.edu/centersandinst/shellcenter/emplibrary/Water%20Footprint%20of%20Biofuels%20FINAL%20SUBMISSION.pdf

Are we ready for 50 gallons of water per mile driven?

Source: www.theoildrum.com

AGAVE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

• Thrives on dry land/marginal land. Most efficient use of soil, water and light.

• Massive production. Year-around harvesting.• Very high yields with very low or no inputs• Very high quality biomass and sugars• Very low cost of production. Not a commodity,

so prices are not volatile• Very versatile: biofuels, bioproducts, chemicals• World-wide geographical distribution • Enhanced varieties are ready

AGAVE -DERIVED FUELS, PRODUCTS, MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS

BIOFUELSETHANOL (DISTILLED AND CELLULOSIC), BIOBUTANOL, BIOMETHANOL, BIOJET FUEL, GREEN GASOLINE, BIOOIL, BIOCRUDE, BIODIESEL, BIOCOAL, BIOCHAR, H2, SYNGAS, BIOGAS, PELLETS, BRIQUETTES, AMMONIABIOPRODUCTSFRUCTOSE SYRUP, INULIN, HEALTHY SWEETENERS, FAT SUBSTITUTE (ICE CREAM), BIOPLASTICS, CELLULOSE, PAPER, ACIDS, CO, CO2, BIOPOLYMERS, PRESSED BOARDS, GEOTEXTILES, FIBRES, PHENOL, ADHESIVES, WAX, ANTIFREEZE, FILM (FOOD WRAP), FERTILIZERS, INSULATING FOAM AND PANES, GEL, NON-WOOVEN MATERIAL (DISPOSABLE DIAPERS), MOULDINGS, CONCRETE ADDITIVE, GEL, COMPOSITE MATERIALS, ESTERS, SUBSTITUTES FOR ASBESTOS AND GLASS FIBRE, PECTIN, ACTIVATED COAL, SECONDARY METABOLITES, DETERGENT, GLYCOLS, FOOD ADDITIVES, FURFURANS, RESINS, POLYURETHANES, EPOXY, AROMATICS, OLEFINS...GREEN ELECTRICITYPELLETS AND BRIQUETTES, SYN-GAS, BIOOIL, BIOCOAL, BIOGAS, BIOCHAR, H2 CELLS, AMMONIA, PYROLYSIS OIL...CO2 SEQUESTERING IN THE SOIL (2,000-year average)BIOCHAR

Drylands are about 41% of the Earth's surface and support over 2 billion people

Wet T.

WHAT’S NEXT?• MORE R&D IS NEEDED (DATA/AG/LAB/TECH/ MKT)• DATA MUST BE SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATED & SYSTEMATIZED• INDUSTRIAL BIOFUELS-CONVERSION TRIALS ARE NEEDED• ANNUALLY, ~3M TONNES OF AGAVE FRESH BIOMASS ARE

WASTED BY TEQUILA INDUSTRY (11.5M TONNES OF CO2e)• CURRENT OVERPRODUCTION OF ~15M TONNES OF Agave

tequilana PLANTS AVAILABLE. 5X MORE LAND IS AVAILABLE.• EXCELLENT BIZ OPORTUNITY FOR AGAVE-DERIVED BIOFUELS• DEVELOP ALLIANCES. GET FUNDING & INVESTMENT.• DEMONSTRATION PLANTATIONS & FACILITIES ARE NEEDED• AGAVE IS THE BEST FEEDSTOCK FOR AN INTEGRATED

BIOREFINERY

Arturo Vélez Jiménezagaveproject2@gmail.com

Tel - Fax: (5255) 55 44 58 32Cel: 04455 34 24 91 26