Section II: Digging Deeper Woody Biomass as a System … · 2010-10-12 · What are the inputs and...

Woody Biomass as a SystemSection II: Digging Deeper

n subjects

Science, Social Studies

n Key Questions

What are the inputs and 1. outputs of a woody biomass to ethanol system?How are the three com-2. ponents of sustainability impacted by the inputs and outputs of a woody biomass to ethanol system?How can policies affect the 3. woody biomass to ethanol system? (Part II)

n objectives

Identify the inputs and outputs 1. of the woody biomass to etha-nol system. Describe how the inputs and 2. outputs of the woody bio-mass to ethanol system relate to the three components of sustainability: environ-ment, economy, and society (SC.912.E.6.6; SC.912.L.17.15; SC.912.L.17.19; SC.912.L.17.20; SC.912.L.17.11).Predict the possible impacts of 3. a policy on the woody biomass to ethanol system (Part II) (SC.912.L.17.12; SC.912.L.17.13; SS.912.C.3.13; SS.912.G.5.5).

n Materials

Part IEnvelopes with system cards •(one per pair)Woody Biomass as a System •Presentation, Part I (provided)Flipchart paper and tape (one •per pair)

Part II Copies of • Group Worksheets (one per group)Woody Biomass as a System •Presentation, Part II (provided)

n tiMe estiMate

Part I: 1 hour, Part II: 1 hour

activity 11

bacKground

Similar to other energy sources, con-verting woody biomass into energy is a complex process with many components that affect the functioning of the system. It is important to grasp the impacts of both the inputs required to develop and main-tain a woody biomass production supply and the resulting outputs of this process.

Because of our society’s reliance on petroleum to fuel transportation (e.g., trucks, trains, subways, planes, buses, automobiles), scientists are exploring al-ternative liquid fuels generated from bio-mass. Trees have the potential to provide raw materials for the production of cellu-losic ethanol from biomass materials con-taining cellulose.

To make ethanol, woody biomass is exposed to microorganisms in a process called “fermentation.” During this pro-cess, yeasts break down sugar in the ab-sence of oxygen to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. Specifically, microorgan-isms decompose the wood and produce enzymes. The enzymes trigger a chemical reaction that produces ethanol. A major advantage to cellulosic ethanol is that it has lower carbon and sulfur emissions than gasoline or diesel. Today, most vehi-cles in the U.S. can run on E10, a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent etha-nol. Recent advancements in technology have created flexible fuel vehicles that are able to run on E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

suMMary

In Part I, students explore the inputs and outputs of the woody biomass to ethanol system.

Students create their own depiction of the system by placing the input and output cards

in the correct part of the system and relating these inputs and outputs to impacts on the

environment, economy, and society. In Part II, students predict how different policies could

impact portions of the woody biomass to ethanol system.

Part 1: the Woody Biomass to Ethanol System

Should We uSe Wood for energy? • Section II – Activity 11: Woody Biomass as a System 117

Preparation

It is highly recommended that students complete 1. Activity 3: Biomass Basics Web-quest prior to doing this activity. Activity 3 provides students with important knowledge and information about biomass and bioenergy that better enables them to understand this activity.Read the 2. Background Information provided at the beginning of this activity and make copies if you plan to assign reading before this the activity. More background information on woody biomass and conversion technologies is available in Activity 5: Case Study Jigsaw. Make copies of the system cards and 3. Group Worksheets.Cut out the system cards and place each set of cards in an envelope. Make enough 4. sets for students to work in pairs.Download the 5. Woody Biomass as a System Presentation onto your classroom computer, or if a computer is unavailable, copy slides onto overhead projector transparencies. Review Part I of the presentation and the following instructions to prepare for 6. activity.

Procedure

Introducing the Activity

Begin the activity by guiding a lecture and discussion using Part I of the 1. Woody Biomass as a System Presentation (up to slide 7). Following are some discussion points:

Provide students with an introduction to systems and systems thinking. See a. the Systems Thinking section of the Teacher Introduction and the Resources section of this activity for more information. Introduce the ethanol production system by discussing the three main b. components of the system (tree farm, ethanol plant, gas station). As a class, discuss the processes that occur within each component. Some inputs and outputs are common across more than one component c. (e.g., money, electricity, CO

2). In addition, outputs for one component are

sometimes the inputs for the next component (e.g., wood chips, ethanol, E10/E85, trucks). Because these items represent an input for one component of the system and an output for another component, they are placed in the center of the system, between the components for which they are an output and then an input.

When you get to slide 7 of the presentation, STOP. Pair up students and pass out 2. an envelope of system cards, large paper, and tape to each group.Explain to students that they are to use the system cards to make their own woody 3. biomass to ethanol systems. Ask your students to begin making their system by placing the 4. Tree Farm, Ethanol Plant, and Gas Station cards in a horizontal line. See Figure 1 for the completed system diagram.

assessmentSuggestionsOBjECtIvE 1: review students’ completed systems and compare them to the completed diagram below. Diagrams will vary, and that is acceptable. Check that students can explain why they placed inputs and outputs where they did.

OBjECtIvE 2: For homework, or in the remaining class time, ask students to write a short essay (one page or less) describing how the inputs and outputs of the woody biomass to ethanol system affect the economy, environment, and society. ask students to consider local and global, immediate and long-term consequences. For example, it is easy to imagine the environmental effects on air, water, wildlife, and forests. the economic effects include investment capital, income revenue, tax payments, and jobs. What about social effects? are the economic benefits shared equally? are rural communities with forests benefiting from ethanol production? are urban areas benefiting? Could such a system be sustainable?

teacher instructions - Part iteacher

118 Should We uSe Wood for energy? • Section II – Activity 11: Woody Biomass as a System

Extensions

Use the system cards to ask students to make a venn diagram considering the three components of sustainability: environment, economy, and society.

teacher

Have students examine the input and output cards. They should decide whether 5. the cards represent an input or output and to which component of the system each card belongs. Next, ask students to tape the cards in the appropriate location. The completed system diagram provides a guide that the students can follow. Walk around and assist groups, as needed.After students have completed their systems, continue with Part I of the 6. presentation. The remaining slides identify which cards are inputs and which are outputs, and where each card belongs in the system.After completing Part I of the presentation, use the following questions to lead a 7. class discussion:

Ask students to consider how an event can affect all parts of the system. For a. example, when a hurricane is predicted for the Gulf of Mexico, gas supply decreases, gas prices rise, and ultimately, gas supplies across the Southeast may be depleted, causing the cost of gas to rise even more.Next, ask students to brainstorm an event that might affect the various b. components, inputs, and outputs of the woody biomass system. For example, a world food crisis might halt corn ethanol production in the U.S., so ethanol must be produced from other crops such as trees. Or, a major southern pine bark beetle outbreak strikes Florida pine tree forests killing the majority of tree crops and making a large amount of woody biomass available for ethanol.Ask students to compare their system to the one in the presentation. What c. is similar? What is different? If there are differences, ask students to explain why they placed an input or output where they did. Ask students to identify inputs or outputs that they do not understand and d. initiate a class discussion regarding these.What might be a reason why there are more inputs and outputs for the tree e. farm than for the ethanol plant or gas station? (Help students understand that raw resources are basic inputs to every system and that it takes many raw resources to make a product. As raw resources move through the system, they become refined, and the remaining processes require fewer inputs.)

Center for Ecoliteracy: Systems Thinking: • http://www.ecoliteracy.org/education/sys-thinking.htmlSustainable Forestry for Bioenergy and Bio-based Products, Fact Sheet 5.6: •Ethanol from Biomass: http://www.forestbioenergy.net/training-materials/fact-sheets/module-5-fact-sheets/fact-sheet-5-6-ethanol-from-biomass/United States Department of Energy, Fuel Economy Web site: • http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/ethanol.shtmlUnited States Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Ethanol Web site: •http://afdc.energy.gov/afdc/ethanol/

resources


teacher

Figure 1. the process of converting woody biomass to ethanol can be represented as a system, containing several inputs and outputs.

TREE FARM

Forestry Equipment

(skidder & chipper)

Forester Fertilizers Herbicides

Seedlings

Rain

ETHANOLPLANT

GASSTATION

Land

Steam

Chemicals (sulfuric acid & gypsum)

Steam

Electricity

Electricity

Water

Electricity

Recreational Opportunities

Clean Air

Station Attendants Engineers &

Employees

Fuel

inputs

outputs

Timber

Busy Intersection

Gasoline

Landowner

Industrial Land

Vehicle Emissions

Air Emissions

Wildlife Habitat Wildlife

Wastewater

Clean Water

Sun

CO2

Wood Chips

Trucks

Money

Money

$

$

Money

$CO2

Money $

CO2

Money

$

Fuel Trucks

Ethanol

E10/E85

Money $

CO2


tree Farm• Treesareplanted.• Treesaregrownandharvestedon

a 20-year rotation.• Plantationismanagedtomaintainforest

health.• Treesareharvestedandchipped.• Woodchipsaretransportedto

an ethanol plant.

ethanol Plant• Woodchipsareunloadedandstored.• Chipsareconvertedintoliquidfuel

(ethanol).• Wastesaretreatedandremoved.• Fuelistransported.

gas station• Ethanolismixedwithgasoline.• Ethanolfuel(E10orE85)isavailable

for purchase.

inputs outputs

teachersystem cards

Money carbon dioxide Money carbon dioxide

seedlings sulfuric acid dioxide electricity

Water carbon dioxide electricity industrial land

Money Money carbon dioxide electricity


Woody bioMass as a systeM

(1 of 2)

system cards

Money herbicidescity lot at busy

intersectionWildlife habitat

Money Wood chips steam skidder

Fertilizers 1,000 acres of rural

landsteam rain

gasoline Wastewater air emissions landowner

sun vehicle emissions gypsum (mineral)Fuel for forestry

equipment

logging trucks ethanol e10 or e85 station attendants

clean air Fuel trucks Wood chipperengineers and

employees

clean water Forester timberrecreational opportunities

teacher



(2 of 2)

bacKground One key component of systems think-

ing is considering how a change to one part of the system may cause changes in other parts of the system. Often, poli-cies are designed to change one or more specific system inputs or outputs to ob-tain an intended outcome. This is how federal, state, and local governments influence change. Policies are designed to have impacts that are immediate and long-term as well as direct and indirect. For example, the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, Energy Independence and Security Act

of 2007, and U.S. Farm Bill of 2008 are recent policies that have implications for the woody biomass energy system. For more information on these policies, see the Resources section of this activity. Events such as a hurricane or a gas crisis can also make changes to the system’s in-puts and outputs. Any change to the sys-tem, whether by a policy or an event, may cause changes to occur throughout the system. In Part II of this activity, students predict the changes that a policy may have on the woody biomass to ethanol system.

Part II: the Impact of a Policy

Policies are designed

to have impacts that

are immediate and

long-term as well as

direct and indirect.

teacher


the u.s. capital, where the u.s. senate and representatives hold their sessions, is where federal legislation is ushered into existence.

assessmentSuggestions

OBjECtIvE 3:review student answers to Group Worksheets. Because the worksheet involves predictions, sys-tems thinking, and critical thinking, answers will vary, and there are no “right” or “wrong” answers. Groups should provide reasoning

to justify their answers.

Extensions

ask students to determine a potential outcome or de-sired result of using wood to produce ethanol to be used for transportation fuel. the outcome can be local, national, or interna-tional. Next, in groups have students develop a policy that intends to achieve this outcome. Students should use the system diagram to determine which parts of the system need to change to achieve the desired out-come.

teacher

PreparationComplete Part I of this activity.1. Read the 2. Background Information. For more detailed information on the policies, visit the Web sites listed in the Resources section below. In addition, see the Federal Policies and Incentives, State and Local Policies and Incentives, and Financing Woody Biomass Facilities fact sheets available in the Supplemental Reading section.Review Part II of the 3. Woody Biomass as a System Presentation and following instructions to prepare for the activity.Make copies of the 4. Group Worksheets (1 copy per student).

Procedure Use Part II of the 1. Woody Biomass as a System Presentation to guide a lecture and discussion on policy, policy impacts, and recent bioenergy policies. After showing Part II of the presentation, divide students into four groups and 2. provide each group with a copy of one of the four Group Worksheets. Ask each group to answer the questions on the worksheet and predict the possible impacts their policy might have on the inputs and outputs of the system.Allow groups sufficient time to complete worksheets. 3. After groups have completed the worksheets, ask each group to explain their policies 4. and share predictions with the class. Encourage students to use the completed system diagram from Part I to explain their predictions in relation to the woody biomass to ethanol system.

teacher instructions - Part ii

Energy Independence and Security Act: • http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h6enr.txt.pdfFlorida Farm to Fuel Grants Program of 2007: • http://www.floridafarmtofuel.com/ Kyoto Protocol: • http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.phpUnited States Farm Bill/Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008: • http://www.usda.gov/documents/Bill_6124.pdf?class

resources


student

Policy 1: For any new construction of ethanol conversion facilities, state and local taxes will be reduced for 20 years.

as a group, discuss the potential impacts of this policy on the woody biomass to ethanol system. ��Complete this worksheet and be prepared to present your answers to the class.

Briefly discuss what you think this policy means. Write down key ideas. 1.

How do you think this policy would impact each component of the woody biomass ethanol system?2.

Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:

Specifically, list the key inputs and outputs of each component of the woody biomass ethanol 3. system that you think will increase, decrease, or remain the same as a result of this policy.

Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:

How do these changes affect the local environment and the global environment? are these 4. changes immediate or long-term?

How do these changes affect the local economy and the national economy? are these changes 5. immediate or long-term?

How do these changes affect the community’s well-being? are these changes immediate or long-term?6.

Part ii: group Worksheet 1

__________________________________________________________________________ _______________ _____________

GrOUP MEMBErS DatE PErIOD



student

Policy 2: Landowners can obtain free seedlings and technical assistance if they convert agricultural farmland into forests for woody biomass production.




Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:


Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:



How do these changes affect the community’s well-being? are these changes immediate or long-term?6.

Part ii: group Worksheet 2Woody bioMass as a systeM

__________________________________________________________________________ _______________ _____________



Part ii: group Worksheet 3Woody bioMass as a systeM

student

__________________________________________________________________________ _______________ _____________


Policy 3: PeoplewhobuyavehiclethatcanbefueledwithE85(ablendof15percentgasolineand85percentethanol)willreceiveataxrebatewhentheyfiletheirfederaltaxreturns for that year.

as a group, discuss the potential impacts of this policy on the woody biomass to ethanol ��system. Complete this worksheet and be prepared to present your answers to the class.


How do you think this policy would impact each component of the woody biomass ethanol 2. system?

Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:

Specifically, list the key inputs and outputs of each component of the woody biomass 3. ethanol system that you think will increase, decrease, or remain the same as a result of this policy.

Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:

How do these changes affect the local environment and the global environment? are 4. these changes immediate or long-term?

How do these changes affect the local economy and the national economy? are these 5. changes immediate or long-term?


student Part ii: group Worksheet 4Woody bioMass as a systeM

__________________________________________________________________________ _______________ _____________


Policy 4: the governor of Florida signs an executive order mandating a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.




Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:


Tree farm:

Ethanol plant:

Gas station:



How do these changes affect the community’s well-being? are these changes immediate or 6. long-term?


Section II: Digging Deeper Woody Biomass as a System … · 2010-10-12 · What are the inputs and...

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