2025 Valero Report on Guiding Principles - Flipbook - Page 12
Fiber Cellulosic Ethanol
In addition to starch ethanol, we use an enzymatic process
to convert waste 昀椀bers into cellulosic ethanol, a secondgeneration fuel.
Compared to gasoline’s CI of approximately 100 gCO2e/MJ and
EV's average CI of about 50 gCO2e/MJ (depending upon battery
components, manufacturing place and the electric grid), 8
cellulosic ethanol has a CI in the high 20s.9 When combined with
carbon sequestration, the cellulosic ethanol product can have
a CI in the single digits, further increasing the value of ethanol in
low-carbon markets.
Tailpipe CO2 Onboard
Capture System
Valero supported Southwest Research
Institute (SwRI) in the development of a solid
CO2 separation membrane to remove CO2
from the exhaust gas of internal combustion
engine vehicles, with the objective of
providing an affordable solution to lowering
GHG emissions. To date, SwRI has improved
upon the initial concept and demonstrated
performance enhancements through design
and optimization efforts.
"When [cellulosic ethanol is] used
as a vehicle fuel, it can support
deep reductions in [life cycle]
greenhouse gas emissions, with a
carbon footprint 73% smaller than
conventional gasoline."9
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
CCS is a proven technology that has been in commercial
use for decades in the oil and gas and fertilizer industries.
It involves three steps:
1
Capture: Separation of CO2 from other gases
produced at industrial process facilities or in
the atmosphere.
2
Transport: Separated CO2 dehydrated and
compressed prior to being transported by
pipeline, rail, trucks or ships for storage.
3
Storage: CO2 destined for permanent storage
and injected into deep rock formations.
Industrial Carbon Capture
Plans are in place for prototype scaling and
testing, and we have 昀椀led patent applications
for several novel technologies. If successful
on a commercial scale, cars or heavy duty
vehicles built with this technology could
provide an alternative to EVs as a low-cost
solution for reducing tailpipe emissions. In
addition, even greater bene昀椀ts to life cycle
GHG emissions reductions are possible if lowcarbon fuels are used in combination with the
onboard capture system.
12
Valero 昀椀rst used carbon capture technology in 2013 at
its re昀椀nery in Port Arthur, Texas. Approximately 1 million
metric tons of CO2 per year is captured from two thirdparty hydrogen plants that produce hydrogen from
natural gas.
Currently, we are developing stand-alone carbon
sequestration projects at several of our Eastern ethanol
plants, potentially capturing more than 1 million metric
tons of CO2 a year. Certain of our ethanol plants are
located near geology believed to be suitable for
successful CCS projects, making them potentially
attractive for development.
