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The Emergence of a Bioeconomy
Robert C. BrownDepartment of Mechanical Engineering
Office of Biorenewables ProgramsIowa State University
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What is the Bioeconomy?
The bioeconomy is nothing less than a revolution in the way society will obtain vital sources of carbon and energy, in the process dramatically reducing our dependence on imported petroleum. Agriculture will make this transformation possible by providing biorenewable resources for the production of biobased products.
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How are we doing?• Iowa produces one-quarter of the U.S. supply of
grain ethanol• Iowa produces twice as much ethanol as any
other state• Capacity will double in less than five years• Ethanol is blended with 40% of U.S. gasoline
supply• Corn prices have moved up from less than
$2/bu to above $3/bu
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But ethanol is not the goal!
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The goals are…
• Enhanced national security– Reducing dependence on imported
petroleum• Improved environmental quality
– Including mitigation of global climate change
• Increased markets for agricultural crops– With the benefit of reducing need for
crop support programs• Advances in rural development
– Creating economic opportunities where the resource is located
Courtesy USDA NRCS
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Ethanol is just one pathway to our goals
Fuel Specific Gravity
LHV (MJ/kg)
Octane Number
CetaneNumber
Ethanol 0.794 27 109 -Biodiesel 0.886 37 - 55Methanol 0.796 20.1 109 -Butanol 0.81 36 96 - 105 -Mixed Alcohols ~0.80 27-36 96-109 -Fischer-Tropsch Diesel 0.770 43.9 - 74.6
Hydrogen 0.07 (liq) 120 >130 -
Methane 0.42 (liq) 49.5 >120 -Dimethyl Ether 0.66 (liq) 28.9 - >55Gasoline 0.72-0.78 43.5 91-100 -Diesel 0.85 45 - 37-56
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Iowa is the Saudi Arabia of biomass
Source: U.S. DOE
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Future for fibrous crops?
Crop Fuel (GJ/acre)
Protein (kg/acre)
Soybeans 7.7 393
Corn 39 457
Switchgrass 61 300
• Soybeans: 38 wt% protein, 20 wt% oil, 38 bu/acre
• Corn: 10 wt% protein, 2.7 gal/bu, 180 bu/acre
• Switchgrass: 4 wt% protein, 100 gal/ton, 7.5 ton/acre
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Why is cellulose more difficult to turn into fermentable sugars?
Starch
α 1-4 linked glucan
Cellulose
β 1-4 linked glucan
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Why is cellulose more difficult to turn into fermentable sugars?
• Starch is a storage polysaccharide designed by nature as a food reservoir
• Cellulose is part of a lignocellulosic composite designed by nature to resist degradation
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Options for biorefineries• Oleochemical (biodiesel)• Biochemical (sugar platform)
– Starch– Cellulose
• Thermochemical– Gasification– Fast pyrolysis
• Hybrid biochemical/thermochemical
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Starch-based biochemical biorefinery
CO2Starch Enzymes
Fermenter
Grain Pretreatment
Distillation EtOH
Whole Stillage
DryingCooking
DDGS
Corn Oil
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CO2
Cellulose Enzymes
Fermenter
Saccharification
Fibrous Crop
Pretreatment
Distillation
water
Lignin (byproduct)
C5 & C6 Sugars
Ethanol & other fermentation products
Cellulose-based biochemical biorefinery
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Thermochemical routes
Biomass
SyngasGas Cleaning
Biobased fuels and chemicals
Air
Gasifier Catalytic Reactor
Pyrolyzer
Bio-Oil Carbohydrate derived phase
Bio-Oil Recovery
Phase Separation
Steam Reformer
Hyd
rocr
acke
rBio-oil vaporHydrogen
Lignin
Diesel Fuel
PYR
OLY
SIS
GA
SIFI
CA
TIO
N
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CO2
Cellulose Enzymes
Fermenter
Saccharification
Fibrous Crop
Pretreatment
Distillation
water
Lignin
C5 & C6 Sugars
Ethanol & other fermentation products
Hybrid biochemical/thermochemical biorefinery
Gasifier
SyngasGas Cleaning Catalytic Reactor
Biobased fuels
Air
CO2
Lignin gasified to CO and H2
Heat
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Hybrid thermochemical/biochemical biorefinery
Biomass SyngasGas Cleaning
Biobased fuels and chemicals
Air
CO2
Bioreactor
Gasifier
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Barriers to biorefineries
• Feedstock supply• Fossil fuel consumption• Energy efficiency• Capital cost of biorefinery
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Grains represent only a small fraction of potential U.S. supply of biomass
• Total potential in U.S. is in excess of 1.3 billion tons (about 21 EJ)
• Could replace up to 66% of U.S. gasoline demand
• Grain ethanol represents less than 10% of this replacement
U.S. Biomass Potential (million tons)
47132
43
58
55
389
343
7996
Fuel wood
Milling residues
Urban wood residues
Logging residues
Forest thinning
Crop residues
Dedicated crops
Grains for biofuels
Ag processing residues &manureUSDA “Billion Ton Study
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The energy ratio is positive…But we could do better!
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Year of Publication
Rene
wab
le E
nerg
y Ra
tio
Chambers et al.
Weinblatt et al. Ho
M arland & TurnhollowDelucchiShapouri et al.
PimentelKeeney & DeLuca
Lorenz & M orrisAgri Canada
Wang et al.
Pimentel
Shapouri et al. Kim & DaleGraboski
Wang
Pimentel
Patzek
Shapouri et al.
NR Canada
Kim & Dale
Pimentel & Patzek
Renewable Energy Ratio = Biofuels Out to Fossil Fuels In
Adapted from Wang (2005)
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Comparing Efficiencies
References for Base Case Data:1. A. McAloon, F. Taylor, W. Yee, K. Ibsen, and R. Wooley, “Determining the Cost of Producing Ethanol from Corn Starch and Lignocellulosic Feedstocks,” National Renewable Energy Laboratory Report, October 2000.2. C. N. Hamelinck, G. van Hooijdonk, and A. PC Faaij, “Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass: techno-economic performance in short-, middle-, and long-term,” Biomass and Bioenergy. 22, 384-410, 20053. C. N. Hamelinck, and A. Faaij, “Future prospects for production of methanol and hydrogen from biomass,” Journal of Power Sources 111, 1-22, 2002.4. M. J.A. Tijmensen, A. P.C. Faaij, C. N. Hamelinck, and M. R.M. van Hardeveld, “Exploration of the possibilities for production of Fischer Tropsch liquids and power via biomass gasification,” Biomass and Bioenergy 23, 129-152, 2002.
150 MMGPY* FuelCapacity Production
EfficiencyGrain Ethanol1 38%Lignocellulosic Ethanol2 35%Methanol3 45%Hydrogen3 50%Fischer-Tropsch4 45%
*BPD – barrels per day **MMGPY – million gallons per year (gasoline equivalent) Note: Efficiencies do not account for byproduct value or power production although production costs do.
Thermochemical
Biochemical
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Source: Röj, A.*, Automotive Fuels from Biomass – What is the best road forward, First International Biorefinery Workshop, Washington, D.C., July 20-21, 2005, http://www.biorefineryworkshop.com/presentations/Roj.pdf* Volvo Technology Corporation, [email protected]
Thermochemical synfuels have yield advantage
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How big do we build them?
• Trade-off between cost of biomass transportation and economies of scale of biorefinery
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Plant Capacity (ML)
Unit
cost
of e
than
ol ($
/L)
Sugar Cane Ethanol Plant
Optimal size is 3 million Optimal size is 3 million tons per yeartons per year
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Comparing Costs
References for Base Case Data:1. A. McAloon, F. Taylor, W. Yee, K. Ibsen, and R. Wooley, “Determining the Cost of Producing Ethanol from Corn Starch and Lignocellulosic Feedstocks,” National Renewable Energy Laboratory Report, October 2000.2. C. N. Hamelinck, G. van Hooijdonk, and A. PC Faaij, “Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass: techno-economic performance in short-, middle-, and long-term,” Biomass and Bioenergy. 22, 384-410, 20053. C. N. Hamelinck, and A. Faaij, “Future prospects for production of methanol and hydrogen from biomass,” Journal of Power Sources 111, 1-22, 2002.4. M. J.A. Tijmensen, A. P.C. Faaij, C. N. Hamelinck, and M. R.M. van Hardeveld, “Exploration of the possibilities for production of Fischer Tropsch liquids and power via biomass gasification,” Biomass and Bioenergy 23, 129-152, 2002.
150 MMGPY* Capital Operating Feedstock Capacity Cost Cost Cost
($/bpd)* ($/gal)Grain Ethanol1 13,000 1.11 $1.84/buLignocellulosic Ethanol2 76,000 1.76 $50/tonMethanol3 66,000 1.19 $50/tonHydrogen3 59,000 1.07 $50/tonFischer-Tropsch4 86,000 1.87 $50/ton
*BPD – barrels per day **MMGPY – million gallons per year (gasoline equivalent) Note: Operating costs include credit for byproduct utilization.
$3.00/bu$1.74/gal
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Summary• Biorefineries based on lignocellulosic
biomass will be essential to meeting future renewable fuel demand
• Several options for lignocellulosic biorefineries– Biochemical (sugar platform)– Thermochemical– Hybrid systems
• Too early to pick the winners and losers