Biofuel Innovation and Technology Progress

Biofuel Innovation and Technology
Progress
Bio4Fuels Days, Oslo, Norway
11 October 2018
Jaap Kiel
EERA Bioenergy
SPC Thermochemical Platform

EERA Bioenergy
• European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) is the
public research pillar of the Strategic Energy
Technology Plan (SET-Plan)
• EERA Bioenergy – 37 EU research organisations
• Main objectives
• Align (public) research ... See more

ctivities and research infrastructure
• Have an advisory role to the SET-Plan and to the industrial
sector about biomass and bioenergy research priorities for
the middle to long term
• Boost collaborative research
• Promote infrastructures sharing and scientist mobility
www.eera-bioenergy.eu
2

Outline
• Changing role of biomass

Focus on Advanced biofuels

• EU policy on bioenergy/biofuels (R&D)
• Thermochemical & chemical conversion biofuels value chains
• Biochemical & chemical conversion biofuels value chains
• Main R&D challenges (focus on gasification-based biofuels production)
• Time is of the essence!
Presentation partly based on: Lars Waldheim & Francisco Girio,
Bioenergy and biofuels conversion technology developments,
ETIP Bioenergy 2018

3

Changing role biomass towards 2050

Use biomass predominantly in sectors, that cannot be covered (entirely) by other sustainable sources

• High value feedstock for the biobased economy
• Production of chemicals and materials
• Connect agro and chemistry sectors

• Sustainable fuel

Aviation
Shipping
Heavy duty road transport
High-temperature heat
Residential heating (e.g. gas in old cities)
Back-up power supply and to cover intermittency
problems
• In combination with CCS enable negative GHG
emissions (CO2 sink)
•
•
•
•
•
•

Source: Nils-Olof Nylund, IMECHE Future
Fuels, 2016

4

EU policy on bioenergy/biofuels (R&D)
• Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II)
• Target for renewable transport fuels (14% in 2030, of which 3.5%
advanced biofuels = 300-400 plants)

• SET plan and Action 8 Implementation Plan
• 2030 targets on cost reduction, efficiency increase and GHG savings,
for advanced biofuels production:
• Net process efficiency improvement for biomass conversion to
end biofuels products of at least 30%
• At least 60% GHG savings from the use of advanced biofuels
(including biomass feedstock contribution)
• Cost reduction for advanced biofuels to <50 €/MWh in 2020
and <35 €/MWh in 2030, excluding taxes and feedstock cost
5

Thermochemical & chemical conversion value chains

6

Thermal biomass gasification – state of the art
• Biomass gasification commercially available (100 kWth up to 100 - 300 MWth scale)
• Market implementation limited mainly to relatively simple power and heat applications
• Biomass-gasification-based production of transportation fuels or chemicals has not yet
had commercial breakthrough
• This is due to both technical challenges and non-technical issues:
• Syngas cleaning/upgrading/synthesis processes are complex and require rather large scale in order to achieve
positive economics
• Technical uncertainties and availability risks
• Difficulties in financing the first-of-a-kind industrial plants
• Binding targets for renewable fuels missing

• Many possibilities for improvement in terms of overall biomass conversion efficiency,
complexity, availability, reliability, CAPEX and OPEX

7

Thermal gasification to biofuels
Developer/project
Ambigo
Bioliq (KIT)
BioTFueL
Enerkem
EON Bio2G
Fulcrum
Gobigas
GoGreenGas
GTI
Kaidi Ajos
LTU Green Fuels
Red Rock
Sekisui/Lanzatech

Feed
NL
DE
DE/FR
CA
NL
SE
USA
SE
UK
USA+
FI/CN
SE
USA
JP/NZ

LC biomass
PO+char
Torr. agri resid.
RDF
Plastic waste
LC biomass
RDF
LC biomass
RDF
LC biomass
LC biomass
Black liquor, PO
LC biomass
MSW

Year
2013
2017
2014

2013
2018
2009
2009
2013

Cap.
MWth
4 SNG
5 feed
15 feed
30 EtOH
220 MeOH
200 SNG
50 BTL
20 SNG
4 SNG
2 BTL
300 BTL
1 DME
75 BTL
EtOH

Type

Status

Demo
Demo
Demo
1st ind.
Comm.
1st ind.
1st ind.
1st ind.
Demo
Demo
1st ind.
Demo
1st ind.
Pilot

Plan.
Op.
Com.
Com.
Plan.
Plan.?
Plan.
Idle
Constr.
Op.
Plan.
Idle
Plan.
†2017

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

8

Operating gasification to biofuel plants

GoBiGas
30 MWth biomass input
20 MW bio-methane, 5 MW heat output
TUW/Repotec/Valmet, Haldor Topsoe SNG
Operation 2014, 2017-2018 highlights:
• MCR capacity reached
• 1800 uninterrupted hours
Mothballing decision taken

Edmonton
100 000 tons of RDF input
38 000 m3 of methanol/ethanol
Univ. Sherbrooke/Enerkem technology
Operation 2014, 2017-2018 highlights:
• MeOH to EtOH conv. installed
• Plans for project in Rotterdam
• ~220 M$US from investors

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

9

Short-term operating & planned gasification to SNG plants, EU

Start-up 2018 RDF feedstock
4 MW bio-methane output
Outotec gasifier, APP plasma
AMEC FW VESTA SNG
27 M£ cost, 11+5 M£ support
Cadent (8.7 M£), APP, Carbotech,
Progressive Energy, AMEC FW

Biomass feedstock (demolition wood)
4 MW bio-methane output
ECN Milena gasifier, OLGA, ESME SNG
25 M€, cost, 6.5 M€ support
Engie, Gasunie, ECN p/o TNO, Dahlman
Renewable Technologies, Synova, PDENH

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

10

Short-term planned gasification to biofuel plants, USA

150 000 tonnes/year biomass input
57 000 m3/year of BTL products
TC Global gasifier
Velocys microchannel FT
~ 200 M$, 74 M$ DPA funding (DoD)

160 000 tones/year MSW (before MTP) input
Source: Lars Waldheim &
40 000 m3/year of BTL products
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018
Thermochem Recovery Int. gasifier
Emerging Fuels Technology FT
~ 280 M$, 70 M$ DPA funding (DoD), Air BP
and UA invested 30 M$ each
11

Pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis and hydropyrolysis to biooils
Company

Site

Feed

Year

Empyro (BTG)
Ensyn
Fortum
Bioliq (KIT)
Metsä

NL
CA
FI
DE
SE

Anellotech
Fraunhofer Inst.

USA
DE, UK

IH2
G4 Insights

USA, IN
USA

Wood resid.
2015
Wood resid. 2006, 15
Wood resid.
2014
Agri resid.
2010
Wood resid.
2022
Catalytic pyrolysis
Wood resid.
2018
n.a.
Various
2015
7 tpd feed
Hydropyrolysis
Wood resid.
2017
5 tpd feed
Wood resid.
2017 0.1 tpd feed

Cap.
ML/yr
20
20
50
2
22

Type

Status

1st ind.
Com.
1st ind.
Demo
Com.

Op.
Op.
Op.

Pilot
Pilot

Op.
Op.

Demo
Pilot

Com.
Op.

Plan

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

12

Fast pyrolysis (~1-2 s, 450–550°C) operational plants, EU

50 MWe
6 MW
steam
200
MWth

25
MWth

15 MW
FPO

30 MW
FPO
Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

120 tonnes/d woody biomass input
20 000 m3/y FPO +steam+0.5 MWe
Univ. Twente/BTG rotating cone process
19 M€, support from FP7

100 000 tonnes/y woody biomass input
50 000 m3/y of FPO products
VTT/Valmet CFB process. 200 MWth
~ 32 M€ (excl. boiler plant), 8 M€ support

13

Catalytic pyrolysis and hydropyrolysis installations

Slow pyrolysis, 4-10 min, at ~ 450°C,
catalytic (char) reforming at ~ 750°C
80 kg/h pilot operating, 300 kg/h commis.
H2020 projects 2 SynFuels and FlexJet to
establish 500 kg/hr units

Catalytic hydropyrolysis in hydrogen at 400–
550°C, 2-3 MPa pressure.
Demo in India 5 tonnes/d feed 2017
Developed by GTI and licensed to CRI
Studies for 1st ind. plants in NO and IN

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

14

Hydrothermal processing to intermediates and gas
Company

Site

Feed

Licella (HTL)
Licella/Canfor
Silva Green Fuels
Steeper AAU (HTL)
SCW systems
(HTG)

AU
CA
NO
DK/CA
NL

Various
2012
Wood & pulp resid.
Wood resid.
2019
Wet biomass

Year

2017

Cap.
ML/yr
?
?
1.4

Type

Status

Demo Com.
1st ind. Plan.
Demo Plan.

2 MW Demo Op.
20 MW 1st ind. Plan.

200–450°C
20-35 MPa
Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

Biomass slurry

HTC 180–280°C
HTL 280–375°C
HTG >350°C
15

Intermediates to hydrocarbons
Bio-methane
(SNG)

Synthesis

FT Hydrocarbons

Hydrogenation
isomerisation
fractionation

Fermentation

Alcohols,
ethers

Dehydratation
oligomerization
hydrogenation
isomerization
fractionation

Biooil
High/med
Oxygen

Separation,
(upgrading)

LC BIOMASS

Gasification,
syngas

Pyrolysis

Hydrothermal
treatment

Biooil
Med. Ox.

Hydropyrolysis

Fluid. Cat
cracking (FCC)
Fractionation
or
Hydrogenation
isomerisation
fractionation

Adv. Biofuels
(e.g SPK,
gasoline, diesel)

Adv. Biofuels
(e.g. ATJ, diesel)

Adv. Biofuels
(e.g. jet,
gasoline, diesel)

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

Biooil
Low Ox.

Separation,
(upgrading)

16

Biochemical & chemical conversion value chains

17

Lignocellulosic ethanol facilities
Company

Site Feed

Abengoa
Beta Renew.
Energochemic
CIMV
Clariant
DuPont
Granbio
Futurol
(pre-treatment)
Inbicon (Ørsted)
POET/DSM
Raizen
Borregaard BALI
RISE (ex. SEKAB)
ST1
Synata (ex. Abengoa)

ES
IT
SL
FR
DE
USA
BR
FR

Agri res. MSW
Agri resid.
Agri resid.
Agri resid.
Agri resid.
Agri resid.
Bagasse
Agri resid.

DK
USA
BR
NO
SE
FI
USA

Straw
Agri resid.
Bagasse
Woody biom.
Woody biom.
Woody biom.
Agri resid.

Yea ML/yr
r
2008
5
2013
76
2017
70
2017 0.9
2012 1.2
2016 114
2014
82
2011 0.18
2016
2010
6
2014
76
2015
40
2013 0.14
2004 0.15
201718 10
2016
95

Type

Status

Demo
1st ind.
Comm
Demo
Demo
1st ind.
1st ind.
Demo
Demo
Demo
1st ind.
1st ind.
Demo
Pilot
Demo
1st Ind.

Idle
Idle?
Constr.
Com.
Op.
Idle
Com.
Op.
Op.
Idle
Com.
Com.
Op.
Op.
Com.
Op. ?

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

18

Lignocellulosic ethanol

Beta Renewables, Crescentino, Italy

First cellulosic ethanol industrial scale plant in the world – start up 2013
76 000 m3/year of ethanol , 13MWe generated from lignin.
150 M€, FP7 support
Beta Renewables bought by Versalis in Sept. 2018

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

19

Developments lignocellulosic ethanol
Sunliquid cellulosic ethanol
Announced plans for plants in SL, RO
Sept. 2018 – groundbreaking RO plant (50
kton/a ethanol)

Capacity 10 million liters ethanol from
saw mill dust (pine)
Commissioning 2017

Cellunolix® Kajaani, Finland
PRAJ: Capacity 1 million liters ethanol from agro residues
End-to-end integrated demonstration plant
Commissioning 2017

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

20

Intermediates to hydrocarbons
LC BIOMASS

Lignin

Pretreatment
and
Hydrolysis

Sugars

Gasification
syngas

Fermentation
separation

ALGAE

Sugars

Cultivation
harvesting

Communition
extraction

Depolymerization

Hydrogenation
akylation
fractionation

Adv. Biofuels
(e.g. aromatics,
gasoline, diesel)

Aqueous-phase
Processing
separation

Paper and
pulp
industry

Hydrogenation
isomerisation
fractionation

Direct Sugarderived Biofuels
(e.g. Diesel)

Alcohols

Dehydratation
oligomerization
hydrogenation
isomerization
fractionation

Adv. Biofuels
(e.g. ATJ, diesel)

(farnesene,
iso-butene)

Hydrogenation
isomerisation
fractionation

Adv. Biofuels
(e.g. farnesene,
SIP, diesel)

Oils
Fatty alcohols

Hydrogenation
isomerisation
fractionation

Oils

Hydrogenation
isomerization
fractionation

Hydrocarbons

Hydroprocessed
Esters and
Fatty Acids
(HEFA, HVO
diesel)

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

21

Sugars and syngas to higher alcohols and hydrocarbons
Company

Site

Products

Year

Amyris

Various nonfuel
Farnesene
Iso-butanol

GEVO
Global Bioenergies
REGI (LS9)

2*NZ
KO, AU
BR
UK
USA
USA
FR
USA

Iso-butanol
Iso-butene
Fatty alchols

Comm.
Comm.
1st ind.
Demo
1st ind.
2014
6
1st ind.
2017 100 tpa Demo
2012 0.13 Demo

Plan
Plan.
Op.
Com.
Plan.
Com.
Op.
Op.

VIRENT

USA

Various fuel/
non-fuel

2009
2013

Op.
Op.

Ethanol
Fatty alcohols

2018

DSM (ex-Amyris)
BUTAMAX

Cap.
ML/yr
50
70
2012
40
2012
0.2

Type

~ 0.04 Demo
~ 0.02 Demo

Status

Syngas (CO+H2) to alcohol

Lanzatech

USA

60

Demo
Dev.

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

Constr.

22

Alcohols to hydrocarbons
Company

Gevo
Byogy
Sw. Biofuels
Lanzatech

Site

Feed

Year

Cap.
ML/yr
Main product diesel and jet
USA
Iso-butanol 2011
0.5
USA
Ethanol
2017
SE
Alcohols
2012
0.01
NZ(USA) Ethanol
2015

Type

Status

Demo
Demo
Pilot
Pilot

Op.
Op.
Op.
Op.

Pilot
Com.
Pilot
Pilot
Com.

Op.
†1995
Op.
2011
2018

Main product gasoline

Enerkem
Mobil MTG
KIT
Lurgi MTS
Topsoe TIGAS

CA
USA
DE
DE
DK

Methanol
Methanol
Methanol
Methanol
Methanol

Vertimass

USA

2018
1985
2014
2008
2014

Ethanol

850
0.7
90

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

23

Microalgae to biofuels
Company
1 InteSusAl
2
All-Gas
3 Algafuel
4 Algae Tech

Year
PT
ES
PT
AU

2015
2014
2014
2018

Type
Microalgae
Microalgae
GE µ-algae
Microalgae

Cap.
kton dw/y
0.04
0.014
0.001
Pilot (IN)

Product

Future

Biodiesel
Biogas
Ethanol
Biofuel

Non-fuel
Fuels
HTL-oil, non-fuel

Microalgae – Demo Plants

Many have shifted from biofuel to non-fuel products in 2014-2017.
Increasingly promising prospects for macroalgae (seaweed)!
1

2

Source: Lars Waldheim &
Francisco Girio, ETIP
Bioenergy 2018

4

3
24

Main directions in biofuels R&D – focus on gasificationbased biofuels (taken from the new EERA Bioenergy SRIA)
• Process simplification and intensification
• Significant cost dimension (CAPEX, OPEX and plant availability, reliability and higher net plant efficiency)
• Consider smaller scale? (easier financing, more integration options, use of local biomass)

• Increasing feedstock flexibility and allowing application of (cheaper) biomass low-quality feedstock
• Mainly aiming at cost reduction

• Co-production of chemicals/materials
• Energy-driven biorefinery; to boost the business case for energy products (with higher added value for chemicals/materials)

• Combining thermochemical and biochemical processing
• E.g. , thermochemical conversion of residues of biochemical processing (e.g., lignin gasification), biochemical product gas cleaning, syngas
fermentation

• Maximizing resource efficiency
• E.g. by combining biomass processing with other sources like renewable hydrogen produced from solar and wind

• Creating negative GHG emissions
• Involving concepts like BioEnergy + Carbon Capture & Storage (BECCS) and biochar co-production

• Coupling with other industrial activities (sector coupling)
• Industrial symbiosis, e.g. exchange of utilities and residues/feedstock, heat integration
25

Co-production of chemicals/materials – Energy-driven biorefinery
Via gasification to biofuels, biochemicals, heat and power
syngas

“instant”
green gas

“instant”
biochemicals

45%
40%

[volume%]

35%

[energy%], LHV-basis

30%

[income%], low-price scenario

25%
20%
15%

10%
5%
0%

Tar-free gas from MILENA
wood residues gasification
26

Repotec winddiesel process
www.winddiesel.at

Source: Christian Aichernig,
ETIP Bioenergy workshop
Emerging Technologies,
Brussels, 4 June 2018

27

Repotec winddiesel process
www.winddiesel.at

Source: Christian Aichernig,
ETIP Bioenergy workshop
Emerging Technologies,
Brussels, 4 June 2018
28

Time is of the essence!

We need to step up biofuels implementation and R&D
• Industrial implementation of R&D requires patience
• The economics of bridging the “development gap” to
operational 1st industrial plant is a main bottleneck for biofuels,
in particular challenging for one-product start-ups
• Support e.g. Investment Fund should be designed with this in
mind to be effective in reaching the desired impact
• Also policy must be sustainable over time, not only biofuels

“Modern bioenergy is the
overlooked giant of the
renewable energy field,”
said Dr Fatih Birol, the
IEA’s Executive Director

• Firm incentives needed to ensure R, D&D up to high TRL and
timely wide-scale commercial role out (taking into account
required time intervals)

29

THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
Jaap.kiel@tno.nl
SPC Thermochemical Platform

... See less