The 101% fossil fuel reduction of the EP relative to gasoline (Fig. 3) is similar to values reported in the literature for lignocellulosic ethanol.
It is lower than the 140% reduction reported in previous research.
The difference is a result of a higher biorefinery electricity demand in the current process model compared to the electricity demand in the model used in the earlier work.
These large reductions in fossil fuel use are expected in lignocellulosic ethanol bioconversion processes as the combustion of lignin and unreacted carbohydrates produce all the steam, heat and electricity needed for the conversion process.