advanced biofuels a truly sustainable renewable future · ethanol is a biofuel. corn-based ethanol...
TRANSCRIPT
Advanced Biofuels
A Truly
Sustainable
Renewable Future
Advanced Biofuels USA
www.AdvancedBiofuelsUSA.org
1 Copyright 2010Advanced Biofuels USA
What Are Advanced Biofuels?
Copyright 2008 Advanced Biofuels USA 2
Why are they important? What are they used for?
How are they made? Can we buy them NOW?
What Are Advanced Biofuels?
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Why are they important? What are they used for?
How are they made? Can we buy them NOW?
Why Replacing Oil With Advanced Transportation Biofuels is Important
16 Million Barrels of oil imported each day by US
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90% oil used as transportation fuel
rest to produce
plastics & related products
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Peak Oil
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Peak Oil
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Before oil runs out, it becomes more difficult and dangerous to extract.
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Before oil runs out, it becomes more difficult and dangerous to extract.
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Ethanol is a biofuel.
Corn-based ethanol is one of
the few currently commercially
available biofuels you can buy
for vehicles today.
• And the ethanol molecule is many other
things too. Can you name some?
• Wine
• Beer
• Whiskey
• Moonshine
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Virtually no oil is used to produce electricity in the US.
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Windmills and solar can produce electricity but cannot power jet airplanes.
Principles of Sustainability
Economic Environmental Social
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What Are Advanced Biofuels?
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Why are they important? What are they used for?
How are they made? Can we buy them NOW?
What Are Advanced Biofuels Used For?
Today
• Fueling Cars and Trucks
• Fueling Aircraft
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What Will Advanced Biofuels Be Used For Tomorrow?
• High octane “Designer” fuels for high mileage vehicles
• Hydrogen Carriers for Fuel Cells
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What Will Advanced Biofuels Be Used For Tomorrow?
• Military Aviation Fuels
• Military Marine Fuels
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What Are Advanced Biofuels?
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Why are they important? What are they used for?
How are they made? Can we buy them NOW?
What Are Advanced Biofuels?
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How are they made?
Feedstock Logistics
Technology
Feedstocks: Identify Potential Energy Crops
• Grasses
• Trees and Forest Waste
• Agricultural Residues
• Algae
• Food Processing Residues
• Energy Crops
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Examples of Potential Feedstocks or Energy Crops
• Algae
• Corn stover
• Corn cobs
• Energy cane
• Sorghum
• Forestry waste
• Municipal waste
• Sawdust
• Chicken manure
• Agricultural residues
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• Grasses such as
Switchgrass
Miscanthus
• Sugar beets
• Coffee grounds
• Jatropha
• Camelina
• Paper/pulp mill waste
• Halophytes…
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Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Sunflower or Jerusalem Artichoke
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Sweet Sorghum
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Canola
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Arundo or Giant Reed
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Corn Stover, Cobs
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Sugar Beet
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Sugar Beet
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Switchgrass
Examples of potential crops/plants which can be used
for production of biofuels
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Examples of potential other things which can be used for
production of biofuels
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Sorted Municipal Solid Waste
Examples of potential other things which can be used for
production of biofuels
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Examples of potential other things which can be used for
production of biofuels
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Algae
What bioenergy crops might grow where you live?
How can you find out? • Ask your
• local Agricultural Extension Service
• local Farm Bureau members
• State Land Grant University
• Talk to advisors of local 4-H or FFA organizations
• Contact your local Agricultural Economic Development Office
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Maybe bioenergy crops are not suitable for your area. What are other advanced
biofuels feedstocks?
• Is Forestry big in your area?
• Does your area process agricultural
products leaving waste when food
production is completed?
• What about biomass that is now
dumped into your landfill?
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Processes
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• Fermentation
• Plant extraction
• Transesterification
• Hydrolysis
• Enzymatic Catalysis
Biochemical
Thermochemical
•Gasification
•Plasma arc gasification
•Pyrolysis
•Thermochemical conversion of sugars
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Gasification
Pyrolysis
Deconstruction
Heat
Heat
Low heat
Syngas
Biocrude
sugar in water
Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis or Fermentation
Hydro treating
Aqueous phase forming
Jet fuel
Transportation Fuel Plastics
Diesel
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Plant Biomass: poplar,switchgrass, corn stover, woody biomass; sorted municipal solid waste and others
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Catalytic Process
Principles of Sustainability
Economic Environmental Social
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How Will We Economically Produce and Transport
Feedstock to Biorefineries? And Fuel to Customers?
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Small Group Discussion Question: Economic
How do we use land for Food/Fuel/Feed/Fiber and Fun?
Who gets to decide how land is used?
Locally, Nationally, Internationally
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Small Group Discussion Question: Social
How can
•Growing crops,
•Using forest products,
•Growing algae, or
•Using waste from food processing or municipal waste
Help or Hurt the Environment?
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Small Group Discussion Question: Environmental
How Will We Economically Produce and Transport
Feedstock to Biorefineries? And Fuel to Customers?
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Small Group Discussion Question: Economic
Principles of Sustainability
• Economic Environmental Social
Everyone in the value chain needs to make a living
The operation must be financially stable
The price of the product must be competitive in its market
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Minimizing the Cost of Biomass Transportation
The Transport Conundrum
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How can we gather enough Biomass to support a Cost-Efficient Biorefinery?
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Minimizing the Cost of Biomass Transportation
The Transport Conundrum • The size of current generation of ethanol production
plants is limited by the amount of crop that can be economically trucked to the plant
• Production plants can not take advantage of economies of scale
• Production plants may not operate year-round because of harvest patterns
• Production plants may not be able to switch crops to reduce costs because of longer transport distances
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Minimizing the Cost of Biomass Transportation
Breaking the Transport Conundrum
Separating biorefinery functions is an answer to the conundrum
1. Conversion of biomass to high density liquid sugars or other intermediate compounds would occur at a network of decentralized, low-capital facilities, often co-located with grain elevators
2. Intermediate liquids or “precursors” would be transported by truck or rail to existing refineries
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Minimizing the Cost of Biomass Transportation
Breaking the Transport Conundrum
3. Existing petroleum refineries or biorefineries could be retrofitted to utilize intermediates or precursors as a feedstock alternative to crude oil
4. Biofuel production would be year-round, utilizing a variety of different biomass sources harvested at different times of year
5. Multiple biofuels and other bio-chemicals would be produced at one facility, provides market response flexibility
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How can
•Growing crops,
•Using forest products,
•Growing algae, or
•Using waste from food processing or municipal waste
Help or Hurt the Environment?
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Small Group Discussion Question: Environmental
Principles of Sustainability
• Economic Environmental Social
Carbon Cycle/Climate Change
Reduce Green House Gases in
the atmosphere
Reduce our “carbon footprint”
Reduce Black carbon from
cooking fires
Reduce use of fertilizer
Reduce use of water
Grow crops that sequester carbon
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How do we use land for Food/Fuel/Feed/Fiber and Fun?
Who gets to decide how land is used?
Locally, Nationally, Internationally
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Small Group Discussion Question: Social
Principles of Sustainability • Economic Environmental Social
Government
Land ownership
Transportation
Infrastructure
Education
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Principles of Sustainability
• Economic Environmental Social
• Land Use Practices
• Decision-Making
• Form of Government
• Cultural Values and Traditions
• Economic System
• Market-Based
• Level of Government Influence
• Prestige and Aspirations
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2007 Renewable Fuels Standard Sec. 202 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Billion Gallons/Year)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Additional Advanced Biofuels
Cellulosic Biofuels
Corn Ethanol
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2007 Renewable Fuels Standard Sec. 202 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Billion Gallons/Year)
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.
Private Investors
Government
Long-term Personal Passion
Credit Markets/
Banks
Venture Capital
Valley of Death
Exit Strategy
2-3 years; 20% ROI
Federal
States
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Funding of “new” and “never been
done before” technologies
New Ideas?
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What Are Advanced Biofuels?
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Why are they important? What are they used for?
How are they made? Can we buy them NOW?
OR, Why can’t we buy them now?
Which Products Can You Buy NOW?
• Cellulosic Ethanol?
• Biodiesel?
• Renewable Diesel?
• “Drop-In” Biofuels?
• Co-Products?
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Advantages of renewable fuels over petroleum fuels • Renewable, non-toxic, biodegradable
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter)
• Produced from a variety of feedstock, grown on farms or taken from the waste stream
• Reduces reliance on non-renewable oil that pollutes environment
• Reduces foreign oil imports leading to energy independence.
• Production often includes valuable co-products such as animal feed.
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Financing
“new”&“never done before” technologies
Controversies
Policy Issues
Technical Challenges
Barriers &
Challenges
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TECHNICAL CHALLENGES
Barriers and Challenges
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Overcoming the Technical Roadblocks to Low-
Cost Advanced Biofuel Production
1. Make all components of biomass available for biofuel production (Use the appropriate parts of specific plants)
2. Improve the efficiency of biomass to biofuel conversion (Do it faster, cheaper, sustainably)
3. Minimize the cost of biomass transportation (Move more for less)
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Making Plant Biomass Available for Biofuel
Production Sugar Availability in Plant Cell
Walls
• Additional “simple” sugars are available in plant and tree cell walls, but are in more complex forms that are not readily available for biofuel production
• Plant cell walls are composed primarily of three components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin
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Making Plant Biomass Available for Biofuel Production
Sugar Availability in Plant Cell Walls
• Tree and grass cell walls have an additional component, lignin.
This is the “woody” material that gives trees great tensile strength
• Cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin are composed of monosaccharides strung together, they are called polysaccharides
• Lignin is composed of polysaccharides and alcohols
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• Cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, & lignin intertwine to create complex cell wall matrices
• This complex structure protects plants and trees from disease, moves nutrients, and provides for growth
• These complex structures also restrict access to the “simple sugar” components
• Current technologies to break up biomass: acid, ammonia, steam, or pressure are energy and cost intensive
Making Plant Biomass Available for Biofuel Production
Biomass Recalcitrance
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Making Plant Biomass Available for Biofuel Production
Overcoming Biomass Recalcitrance
Researchers are pursuing four different approaches to overcome biomass recalcitrance
1. Reverse engineer plant cell wall genetics to discover enzymes that will “deconstruct” cell wall matrices
2. Adapt microbial “rotting” enzymes to dissolve cell wall sugars
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Making Plant Biomass Available for Biofuel Production
Overcoming Biomass Recalcitrance
3.Breed plants and trees with cell wall structures more amenable to chemical or enzyme solubility
4.Reduce costs and energy requirements of chemical processes
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Gasification
Pyrolysis
Deconstruction
Heat
Heat
Low heat
Syngas
Biocrude
sugar in water
Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis or Fermentation
Hydro treating
Aqueous phase forming
Jet fuel
Transportation Fuels Plastics
Diesel
Copyright 2010Advanced Biofuels USA
Plant Biomass: poplar,switchgrass, corn stover, woody biomass; Sorted municipal solid waste and others
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Catalytic Process
FINANCING “NEW” AND “NEVER DONE BEFORE “
TECHNOLOGIES
Barriers and Challenges
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.
Private Investors
Government
Long-term Personal Passion
Credit Markets/
Banks
Venture Capital
Valley of Death
Exit Strategy
2-3 years; 20% ROI
Federal
States
Copyright 2010Advanced Biofuels USA
Funding of “new” and “never been
done before” technologies
New Ideas?
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CONTROVERSIES
Barriers and Challenges
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Controversies
• Food/Fiber/Feed/Fuel/Fun/Residential, Commercial, Industrial Development
• International Indirect Land Use Change Analysis
• Direct Land Use Change Analysis
• Direct and Indirect Emissions Analysis
• Land Use Competition
• Distribution Systems
• End Users
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Pros and Cons Look at different types of biofuels productions. Identify the strong points and weaknesses of each process. Some questions to ask:
What is good about this process?
+ Is it sustainable?
+ Does it use high yield, low input crops?
+ Can it be used to sustainably produce the most efficient (i.e., powerful) liquid transportation fuels?
+ Is it easy to transport?
• Feedstocks to processing plant
• Final fuel product to consumers
What challenges are being
worked on to improve this process? For example: - How easily does the process fit into
existing agricultural processing systems?
- Can the product be transported to users in existing systems?
- Can existing refineries or moth-balled industrial facilities be retro-fitted for this new process?
- How efficient is the process
- Can feedstock be obtained at a fair price to the grower/producer?
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Advanced Biofuels
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They ARE Important! They Are Used for Many Things. They Are Made in Many Ways. We can buy some of them now.
OR, We Will Buy Them in the Future.
A Few Types of Jobs Available in Advanced Biofuels Production
• Biologists
• Biologists specializing in genetic research
• Biologists specializing in plant cells
• Chemists
• Chemical engineers
• Systems engineers
• Researchers into bioenergy crop development
• Agriculture/horticulture experts
• Farmers
• Farm workers
• Industrial engineers
• Industrial architects
• Construction workers, managers
• Truck drivers
• Plant operations managers
• Fueling station operators
• Freight railroad operators, engineers, loaders, unloaders
• Equipment operators, technicians
• Farm product purchasers/traders
• Agricultural and Forestry Supervisors
• Agricultural Inspectors
• Computer Software Engineers
• Refinery Equipment Manufacturers
• And many others
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In depth analysis of our current fuel options shows that there must be a better way to achieve oil independence, to transform much of the US transportation fuels to sustainable, renewable power. Advanced biofuels is one part of the answer.
The Promise of Advanced Biofuels
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What’s so Advanced about Advanced Biofuels?
Copyright 2010Advanced Biofuels USA
Find out more: www.AdvancedBiofuelsUSA.org
For a Truly Sustainable, Renewable Future
Joanne M. Ivancic, Executive Director 301-644-1395
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