The Green House Gas (GHG) reducing credentials of biofuels - particularly first generation biofuels produced from oil or grain crops - has been the subject of much debate. However, emissions reduction is only part of the picture. Assuming a medium-term reduction in the availability of cheap oil, there is arguably no viable alternative to liquid transport fuels, for long distance freight and aviation. Hence there is a technical requirement for fuels that are derived from biomass feedstock such as wastes.
Biofuels can be produced from a variety of feedstocks; lignocellulosic energy crops, multi purpose crops, residues/wastes from agriculture and forestry, industrial wastes, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and aquatic biomass. Over recent decades significant R&D and pilot activities has taken place in the EU aimed at enlarging the feedstock base for biofuels to cover a range of sustainable sources and to develop processing technologies. However, while dvanced biofuel technology is being developed, large volumes of advanced biofuels are not yet available, and production is still mainly based on demonstration units.
European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative
One tool being developed to help accelerate the demonstration of advanced sustainable bioenergy in Europe is the European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI). Based on the SET Plan (Strategic Energy Technology Plan) proposal in 2006, six Industrial Initiatives are being developed, including one for bioenergy. The key objective of the EIBI, developed jointly by the European Commission and the European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP), is to enable commercial availability of advanced bioenergy by 2020, which could provide a significant contribution to the bioenergy markets with large scale deployment. This would involve a mix of large single units or larger numbers of smaller units, with production costs competitive with fossil fuels, enabling advanced biofuels to cover up to 4% of the energy required by the EU for transportation needs by 2020.
The EIBI is based on seven generic value chains covering a range of bioenergy production potential, with each having a specific combination of feedstock, processing technologies and marketable end products.
Value Chain 1: Fuels from Gasification
The gasification route to synthetic transport fuels is well understood in the waste management industry, with some relatively large-scale projects starting to emerge. Many use forestry and agricultural residues, however some specifically use MSW as a feedstock. For example British Airways is developing a facility in East London to convert 500,000 tonnes of varied waste into 16 million gallons (61 million litres) of jet fuel each year. Production is set to commence in 2014, creating up to 1200 jobs, and producing twice the amount of fuel needed for all flights from London City Airport (although only 2% of the fuel required by Heathrow).
The plant will use Solena's Plasma Gasification (SPG) technology, which involves a combination of plasma arc gasification and the Fischer-Tropsch process to convert waste into biofuel. Compared to conventional gasification technologies, SPG technology can reportedly process 20% to 50% more waste, and can use a variety of feedstocks such as paper, plastics, tyres, chips and forestry residues.
Syngas can also be converted to other biofuels such as BioDME (as being demonstrated in Sweden by Chemrec/Volvo, using black liquor from paper/pulp mills), and bioethanol.
Value Chain 2: Biomethane
It should be noted that this Value Chain does not cover biomethane produced from the anaerobic digestion of sewage or domestic and industrial wastes, as this is considered to be a mature technology. Naturally, market development is required for increased use of biomethane in the transport sector, and this is strongly emphasised by the EC. However this is not the focus of the EIBI, which concentrates specifically on the demonstration of 'new technology bricks' in advanced value chains.
A number of Member States in Europe are looking at the potential for injection of biomethane into the national grid, not least in the UK where it has been suggested that biogas has the potential to replace 17% of vehicle fuel. In Sweden, E.ON plans to develop the 200 MW Bio 2G plant, which will serve as industrial reference plant for biomass gasification to produce biomethane. The plant is currently in the permit application phase, with production planned to start in 2015.
Value Chain 3: Biomass Gasification
In recent years, large-scale gasification plants for power generation have been promised but ultimately not developed at the commercial scale - reportedly due to a combination of financial and technical issues. However, the recent success of the Biomass CHP plant in Güssing has rekindled interest in the use of gasification for heat and power. However, the consistent and reliable availability of feedstock is a key consideration for the commercial viability of all value chains.
Value Chain 4: Biocrude
So-called biocrude is an attractive option as the end product can be blended in existing refineries, upgraded to jet fuels or co-combusted in coal fired power stations. The Canadian company, Ensyn has demonstrated its Rapid Thermal Processing Renewable Fuel Oil, using 65 million litres commercially.
Other companies carrying out demonstrations of pyrolysis technology include Biomass Technology Group BTG, Netherlands, which is also involved in the Empyro project supported by FP7.
Value Chain 5: Ethanol and higher alcohols
In April 2011, Mossi & Ghisolfi Group (M&G) (Chemtex) commenced construction of a commercial-scale 13 million gallons per year (50 million litres) cellulosic ethanol production facility in Crescentino, Italy. The plant will use Novozymes enzyme technology to convert a range of cellulosic feedstocks to ethanol. The plant is due to start production in 2012.
Although biochemical routes to cellulosic ethanol are being pursued, gasification to ethanol is also of interest, particularly when using MSW as a feedstock. However, the process is thermochemical and hence would be covered by Value Chain 1.
Value Chain 6: Hydrocarbons from sugars
Chemical Catalysis or synthetic biology (using biotechnology and 'designer microbes' to create fuel molecules). A good example of this type of technology is Virent's partnership with Shell to produce catalysts to convert plant sugars directly to biogasoline, which can be blended seamlessly with 'conventional gasoline'. From a scientific perspective, recent breakthroughs in these technologies are of considerable interest, but they are not considered to be at the same level of commercial maturity as other biochemical and thermochemical value chains.
Value Chain 7: Bioenergy carriers
Biofuels from algae are gaining a huge amount of media coverage. However, similar to value chain 6, algal biofuels offer great potential in theory, but are not yet a commercial reality. For the waste management sector, algal biofuels are of interest as they can utilise waste water such as landfill leachate.
Risky business
For all value chains, even those considered more mature, the risk of upgrading bioenergy plants to demo or flagship projects is very high due to the scale of investment needed and the risks concerning the technology, feedstock and end product prices as well as the evolution of regulatory framework. In particular, financing the latest stages of development of innovative technologies is a major obstacle for large scale technological deployment of these technologies. With a focused approach leveraging on PPPs to manage the risks and share the financing, the EIBI aims to overcome these obstacles.
A first step towards executing the vision of the EIBI is a call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) from potential participants. Each Expression of Interest will consist of a short description of the potential project and its technology options and requirements.
Entry requirements
A set of criteria which will define the eligibility of a project for EIBI participation is also being developed. The eligibility and selection criteria are mainly based on seven key principles, in particular, the projects should have an EU dimension, with three EU or associated countries involved. The technology being employed in the plants should be advanced enough that upgrading to a commercial plant would be the next step.
The plants' main output (at least 70 %) should be bioenergy and it should demonstrate innovative technology. This means that at least one technology brick should not have been used at such an advanced stage before, but should present a first-of its kind use at that size of production.
Mona-Maria Brinker, secretariat of the European Biofuels Technology Platform & Roger Coombs, CPL Scientific Publishing Services, email: M.Brinker@fnr.de
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