bioenergy, biofuels, and potentials for sustainable...

University of California, Davis

Bioenergy, biofuels, and potentials for sustainable development


Energy Lecture Series14 March 2007University of California, Davis

Bryan M. Jenkins, ProfessorDepartment of Biological and Agricultural Engineering


Bioenergy• Refers to the generation of commercially useful energy

from biomass– Heat– Steam– Electricity– Fuels (including hydrogen)

• Polygeneration—combined approaches– Combined heat and power/cogeneration/district heating systems– Biorefineries

• Hybrid systems– Co-firing– Renewables integration for load following– CO2 recycling

• Possibility of net GHG reductions through sustainable production and carbon capture and storage


What is biomass?• Strict definition:

– living material• Federal statute (7 USC 7624 § 303):

– “Any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis, including agricultural crops and trees, wood and wood wastes and residues, plants (including aquatic plants), grasses, residues, fibers, and animal wastes, municipal wastes, and other waste materials.”


Why biomass?• Large resource and potential to

increase resource base• Need for improved resource

management• Tremendous chemical diversity• Enormous social, economic, and

environmental benefits• Indigenous resource, greater fuel

diversity


Biomass Structure and Composition

• Cellulose• Hemicellulose• Lignin• Starch• Sugar• Lipids• Other extractives

Wheat straw

Sugar caneBirch hardwood

Pine softwood


Primary sources of biomass• Agriculture

– Crop residues, animal manures, food processing residues

– Grains and other starch crops, sugar crops• Forestry

– Logging slash, mill residues, forest thinning, shrubland management

• Urban– Municipal solid wastes, biosolids, food wastes, green

wastes, non-recyclable paper, waste oils and fats, sewage and other waste-water

• Dedicated energy crops (purpose-grown)– Grasses, trees, algae and other aquatic species,

microbes, conventional crops


0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Quantity of Biomass (Million tons/year)

Bio

fuel

(Bill

ion

BO

E/ye

ar)

30

50

40

60

US Biofuel Potential

1.8 BBOE/year

US Billion ton study

Conversion Efficiency (%)

78 BGY/year diesel equivalent


California Biomass Resources

+ 137 BCF/year landfill and digester gas

Waste-water Treatment,

10 TBtu,2%Landfill Gas,

61 TBtu,11%

Urban,128 TBtu,

22%

Forestry,242 TBtu,

41%

Agriculture,137 TBtu,

24%

Potential Feedstock Energy in Biomass

507 Trillion Btu/year

0 20 40 60 80 100

Total

Urban

Forestry

Agriculture

Biomass (Million BDT/year)

Potential FeedstockGross Biomass


Bioenergy Crops• Cereals

– Grains for fermentation (known), cellulosicresiduals and dedicated crops for fermentation (developmental), thermochemical processing, or other

– Price impacts due to large fuel demand


• Oilseeds– Safflower is primary oilseed crop

in California currently– Canola– Jatropha– Jojoba– Flax

• Salt tolerance• Phytoremediation

508Oil Palm230Coconut226Avocado103Olives102Rapeseed99Opium Poppy82Sunflower 70Rice66Safflower39Coffee38Soybean28Cotton14Corn

BiodieselYield

(gals/acre)

CropBioenergy Crops


• Sugar crops– Sugar beets

• High yields • Salt tolerant

– Sugar cane• Trials in Imperial Valley• Harvest season can be

staged with beets

– Sweet Sorghum• Testing program by CDFA

1980s-1990s

Sugar beet yields Kaffka, 2006

Kaffka, 2006

Bioenergy Crops


Cattle on bermuda grass

• Forages and grasses– Alfalfa dominant, grass hays

also widely produced– Switchgrass not yet tested for

California• Research proposed, plant

selection and genetic investigations beginning

– Jose tall wheat grass, wild rye, bermuda grass, others under investigation in field trials

• Salt tolerance• Waste water irrigation

– Miscanthus, other high yielding grasses

Kaffka, 2006

Jose tall wheat grassJenkins, 2002

Bioenergy Crops


• Tree crops– Agroforestry crops investigated

as part of integrated on-farm drainage management systems

• Eucalyptus• Athel• Casuarina

– Commercial plantation production of eucalyptus in northern California

– Poplar testing on waste water– Many other species

Eucalyptus plantation, Corning, California

Poplar plantation, Jamestown, California

Bioenergy Crops


• Algae– Diatoms, green algae, blue-green

algae, golden algae– Source of carbohydrates, protein, oils

(principally triacyglycerols)– CO2 recycling, potential for

biohydrogen production– Productivity as high as 50 g m-2 day-1

(production may be seasonal)– Potential lipid yields 30X terrestrial oil

crops– Research conducted under DOE

Aquatic Species Program 1978-1996– Substantial technical hurdles remain,

recommendations for additional research on basic biology

– Integration with waste water and nutrient management

Bioenergy Crops


Principal Biomass Conversion Pathways

• Thermochemical Conversion– Combustion– Gasification– Pyrolysis

• Bioconversion– Anaerobic/Fermentation– Aerobic Processing– Biophotolysis

• Physicochemical– Esters– Alkanes

• Energy– Heat– Electricity

• Fuels– Solids– Liquids– Gases

• Products– Chemicals– Materials

• Production• Collection• Processing• Storage• Transportation


Babcock and Wilcox

Power Boilers for ElecticityGeneration


0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000Installed Capital Cost ($/kW)

CO

E ($

/kW

h)

Efficiency = 10%

30%40%

Zero fuel cost

20%

5%

Fuel cost = $20/ton except as noted

Biomass Power—Levelized cost of electricity (COE)/solid-fuel thermal systems

• Current biomass steam plants typically installed for $2,000-2,800/kWe

• Net efficiencies from 15-25%• Fuel costs range 0 - $50/dry

ton, average $28/dry ton in California

• Tipping (disposal) fees available in some cases, reduce COE

• Benchmark comparison for California: Natural gas combined cycle with heat rate of 7,000 Btu/kWh (49% efficiency)—at $9/MMBtu gas price COE=$0.074/kWh (fuel cost = $0.063/kWh or 85% of COE)

• Current natural gas price $5-12/MMBtu


Cost of Electricity: Biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Value of Heat ($/MMBtu)

CO

E (

con

sta

nt

$/

kW

h)

California Natural Gas Price Range2005-2006

• CHP provides opportunities for low cost power

• Long utilized in forest products industry

• Matching generator to thermal host often difficult for large scale development


Emissions• Pollutant emission reductions for a 21.6 MWe (net)

biomass power plant burning offset agricultural residue

NMHC = non-methane hydrocarbons (reactive with NOx to form tropospheric ozone).

PM10 = particulate matter in the respirable size range below 10 µm aerodynamic diameter.

82651421131743261PM10

99.73561.822620.240SOx

452055251236898NOx

99911,7851,6361,80722171CO

9951198101199198NMHC

Reductionbased on

sourcetest(%)

Reductionbased on

permitlevels

(%)

Reductionbased on

sourcetest

(Mg y-1)

Reductionbased on

permitlevels

(Mg y-1)

Openburn

emissions(Mg y-1)

Powerplant

sourcetest

emissions(Mg y-1)

Power plant permit emission

(Mg y-1)Species


Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power generation

ElectricityGenerator

Air

Exhaust Gas

Burner

Gas TurbineCompressor

Gasifier Gas CleanupBiomass

Waste

High Pressure Air

Fuel Gas

Condensor

Cooling Media

Emission Control

Stack Exhaust

ElectricityGenerator

Steam TurbineSteam

Heat Recovery

Steam Generator

Water

Feedwater Pump

Topping cycle

Bottoming cycle

Steam injection


Bioenergy/Biofuels

BiogasBiomethaneCompressed

Biomethane (CNG)Hydrogen

Producer gasSynthesis gas (Syngas)Hydrogen

Gases

Biodiesel (esters)from Plant Oils, Yeast Oils, Algal Oils

Alkanes (catalytic)

EthanolButanolOther AlcoholsLiquified-

BioMethane (LNG)

MethanolBiomass-to-Liquids

Renewable diesels, biogasolines, other hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons

Ethanol/Mixed AlcoholsDimethyl ether(pressurized)Bio-oils (pyrolysis oils)Bioparaffins

Liquids

Biomass(incl. densified and other processed fuel)

BiosolidsBiomass/Chars/CharcoalSolids

PhysicochemicalBiochemicalThermochemical

Conversion Process Fuel


0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

Miles per dry ton of biomass

Transport range for bioenergy

Electricity (35% efficiency/IGCC/Cofiring)

Electricity (25% efficiency/current)

BTL-Syndiesel

Ethanol

Ethanol

(63 gals/ton)

Miles per dry ton biomass

(110 gals/ton)

(80 gals/ton)

Based on hybrid vehicle with 44 miles per gallon fuel economy on gasoline, 260 Wh/mile battery (source: B. Epstein, E2). Electricity includes generating efficiency, transmission, distribution, and battery charging losses. Ethanol, BTL-Syndiesel, and H2 include fuel distribution transport energy.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell (62 kg/ton)

Biorefining Approaches for Lignocellulose• Thermochemical • Biochemical

• Synthesis gas – (CO + H2 + other)

• Sugar monomers, acids

Gasification,Pyrolysis

Pretreatment,Hydrolysis

(cell wall deconstruction)

ThermolyticSolidsOils

HydrolyticCellulose

Hemicellulose

CatalyticSynthesis Fermentation

• Hydrocarbons, mixed alcohols, hydrogen, ammonia, SNG, ethanol, higher alcohols…

• Ethanol, higher alcohols, biomethane, hydrogen, acids…

SyngasFermentation

Ethanol Fermentation:Starch

Hydrolysis

• Known technology• Basis for corn grain-

ethanol industry• Efficiency

improvements continuing

• Uncertainties regarding sustainability

• Sugar feedstockssimilarly fermented (e.g. sugar from sugar cane in Brazil)

Ethanol Production CapacityCountry 2004 2005U.S. 3,535 4,264Brazil 3,989 4,227China 964 1,004India 462 449France 219 240Russia 198 198South Africa 110 103U.K. 106 92Others 1,187 1,573Total 10,770 12,150

Million Gallons Per Year

Source: RFA, 2006

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Year

Num

ber o

f US

Faci

litie

s,%

Far

mer

Ow

ned

Cap

acity

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

US

Cap

acity

(MG

Y)

% Farmer Owned

Capacity

Number of Facilities

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Year

Num

ber o

f Fac

ilitie

s un

der

Con

stru

ctio

n0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

US

Cap

acity

und

er

Con

stru

ctio

n (M

GY)

Number of Facilities

Capacity

States in US with Ethanol Plants (2006): 21

>1.4 billion bushels of corn used in US for ethanol, 13-16% of US corn crop. Also used 15% of grain sorghum crop. 18% of corn crop projected by 2010. 10% ethanol blend nationally would require 50% of current corn crop (5 billion bushels)

9 million metric tons of distillers grains

end of year

US

50 MGY Corn Dry Mill Ethanol Refinery (Iowa)


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Ligno-cell.(high yield)

Ligno-cell.(low yield)

Corn(WDGS)

Corn(DDGS)

Corn w/Coal

processing

Life

-cyc

le C

O2

Emis

sion

s (lb

s./g

ge)

Gasoline, 24.7 lbs. CO2/gallon

1518.8

Life cycle CO2 emissions for ethanol

Williams, 2005

25 MGY Ethanol Facility, Goshen, CA

• Pretreatment– Size reduction/grinding– Acid (dilute or concentrated)

• hemicellulose hydroylsis– Heating– Steam explosion/AFEX, others

• Hydrolysis (cellulose depolymerization--glucose release)

– Acid– Enzymatic

• Fermentation of sugars (C5 and C6)

– Separate– Simultaneous saccharification and

co/fermentation (SSF; SSCF)• Product Recovery and Purification

– Distillation and dehydration– Lignin separation (unfermented)

Cellulosic Fermentation

US DOE


Butanol fermentation• Butanol (CH3(CH2)3OH) has higher

heating value per gallon (energy content) than ethanol and is less hygroscopic

• Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol fermentation pathway

• Clostridium beijerinckii, C. acetobutylcium

• Gas stripping


Source: Spath, 2005; Bain, 2005

84 gal/ton

Integrated Biorefinery (Advanced Biorefinery)


DOE Cellulosic Biorefinery Demonstration Project Awards, 2007-2010, $385M

76Georgia1,200 tpd wood residues and energy wood

Gasification followed by catalytic syngas

upgrading

40+ 9 methanol

Range Fuels

80Idaho700 tpd wheat and rice straw, other ag. residues,

switchgrass

Enzymatic hydrolysis(Iogen)

18Iogen Biorefinery Partners

80Iowa842 tpd corn fiber, cobs, stalks

engineered Zymomonas bacteria

(Dupont)

31 cellulosic94 starch

Broin

19

13.9+ power, 8 tpd

hydrogen, 50 tpdammonia

11.4 (cellulosic)85 (starch)

+ power and syngas

Ethanol Capacity(MGY)

California

Florida

Kansas

Location

40700 tpd sorted greenwaste and wood

waste from landfill

Concentrated acid hydrolysis

(Arkenol process)

BlueFireEthanol

33770 tpd greenwaste and energycane

Gasification followed by syngas

fermentation(BRI)

ALICO

76700 tpd corn stover, wheat straw, switchgrass,

others

Enzymatic hydrolysis + biomass gasification

for process energy

Abengoa

Award($ Milliion)Feedstock

(tpd=tons per day)Technology Awarded to


Anaerobic Digestion

Biogas forPower orBiofuelUpgrading

OnsiteAndGrid Power,Fuels,Chemicals

• CH4 + CO2 biogas• Digesters, landfills• Electricity• Heat• Biogas upgrading

– Pipeline quality– CNG– LNG– Gas-To-Liquids (GTL)– Other chemical synthesis


Biodiesel (FAME, FAEE)• Transesterification

– Reaction between lipid and alcohol using alkaline catalyst– Fatty acid methylester (FAME)—oil + methanol/NaOH or

KOH– Fatty acid ethylester (FAEE)— oil + ethanol/KOH or

NaOH• Reduced viscosity, improved atomization• Improved emissions (uncertainties regarding NOx)• Lower Toxicity

38.5 lbs Soybeans38.5 lbs Soybeans

7.7 lbs soy oil7.7 lbs soy oil30.5 lbs soybean meal30.5 lbs soybean meal1.5 lb methanol1.5 lb methanol

(added in excess)(added in excess)

1 gallon B100 1 gallon B100 biodieselbiodiesel 0.6 lbs 0.6 lbs glycerineglycerine

(52 gallons/ton)(52 gallons/ton) (32 lbs/ton)(32 lbs/ton)

Warm water washWarm water wash Acid neutralizationAcid neutralization

ReactReactMethanol FlashMethanol Flash

SaltSalt


US Biodiesel Production Facilities• 864 million

gallons per year capacity

• 77 plants in construction

• Total combined capacity = 1.7 billion gallons

• 75 million gallons produced in 2005

Source: RFA


Renewable diesels include:• Biodiesel esters• Hydrotreatment, hydrothermal upgrading of vegetable oils and

animal fats, other lipids and esters (e.g. Shell, Neste, Petrobras) • Fischer-Tropsch diesels from biomass

– FT diesels sulfur free– Wide product spectrum including gasolines, diesels, alcohols, waxes,

aviation fuels, higher value consumer products• E-Diesels (ethanol-diesel blends)—partially renewable if blending

with petrodiesel• Straight vegetable oils (engine warranty, coking, cold weather

issues)• Bio-oils (pyrolysis derived)• Thermal depolymerization

Differences in air emissions among fuels likely, limited data available on emerging fuels

http://www.earthrace.net/index.php?section=48

• Ethanol

• Methanol

Thermo-biorefiningSyngas

• Fischer-Tropsch

• Methanol synthesis

• Isosynthesis• Oxosynthesis

• Water-gas shift

• Alkali-doped

• Waxes, diesel• Olefins, gasoline

Fe, Co, Ru

• i-C4

• Aldehydes• Alcohols• Hydrogen • Ammonia

• Mixed alcohols

ThO2, ZrO2

HCo(CO)4

Fe, FeO

ZnO/Cr2O3, Cu/ZnO/Al2O3, MoS2

Al2O3

• EthanolCo, Rh

• Ethanol synthesis

• Direct use

• DME CH3OCH3 (methanol dehydration)

• Formaldehyde

• MTBE

• Acetic acid

• Olefins, gasoline

homol/Co

• Direct use (M100, M85, DMFC)

Cu/ZnO

Ag

isobutylene

Co, Rh, Ni

zeolites

• SNG• Methanation

Fe, Cu/Zn

Ni

adapted from Spath and Dayton, 2004


Liquid SynthesisGTL—Gas to Liquids (commercial)• Natural gas (or biomethane) reforming

– Steam reforming: CH4 + H2O = CO + 3H2– Partial oxidation: CH4 + 1.5O2 = CO + 2H2O– Water-gas shift: CO + H2O = CO2 + H2– Example: Methane/Oxygen-fired autothermal reforming (Haldor Topsøe)

• Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis– CO + 2H2 = -(CH2)- + H2O– Example: Sasol slurry phase reactor

• (gas fed liquid hydrocarbon-catalyst slurry)

• Product Upgrading– Hydrotreating for olefin and oxygenate conversion– Hydrocracking to naphtha and diesel– Fractionation

• Yield: 3.5 bbl/1000 m3 (4 bbld/1000 cows through biomethane)


BTL: Biomass To Liquids

Pretreatment•Drying

•Comminution

•Extraction

Gasification

Gas Cleaning•Wet/Cold

•Dry/Hot

Gas Processing•Methane Reforming

CH4+ H2O = 3H2 + CO

•Shift

H2/CO adjust

•CO2 removal

FT Synthesis

Power

Generation

Recycle

Liquid/Wax Products

Off-gas

PowerBiomass

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

CO + 2H2 = -(CH2)- + H2O

∆H500K = - 165 kJ/mol

225-365°C/0.5-4 MPa

CO2 + 3H2 = -(CH2)- + 2H2O

∆H500K = - 125 kJ/mol

(Kölbel reaction)

Fe, Co Catalysts

Refining

Heat/Steam

Products(60-80 gals/ton)

Ash, Char

Water, Tar, PM, S

η=33-56% LHV Overall

Air/O2/Steam


Gas Cleaning• Syngas contaminant concentration limits

• Particulate matter ~0 (> 2 µm)• Tar ~0 ppm• Sulfur 60 ppb - 1 ppm• Halides 10 ppb • Nitrogen 10 ppmv NH3

~0 ppmv NOx

10 ppb HCN(except for ammonia synthesis)

Adapted from Dayton, 2005

EBS 216 Energy Systems Bioenergy 42WELL-TO-WHEELS ANALYSIS OF FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE FUELS AND POWERTRAINS IN THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT (May, 2006)

http://ies.jrc.cec.eu.int/media/scripts/getfile.php?file=fileadmin/H04/Well_to_Wheels/WTT/WTT_Report_030506.pdf

Net CO2 Emissions for Syndiesels

Gas-to-Liquids

GTLCoal-to-Liquids

CTLBiomass-to-Liquids

BTL

% CO2 emitted compared to diesel

250

100

0

Image: http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/

Williams, 2005


Thermochemical BiofuelLifecycle Energy Ratios

0.20 – 0.458 – 19Olefins via methanol

0.29 – 0.6412 - 26Methanol

0.18 – 0.298 -13Mixed Alcohols

0.3516Ethanol

0.16 – 0.426 -17FT liquid

Primary EnergyRatio

Fossil EnergyRatioBiomass to:

Source: Spath and Dayton, 2003


FT Biofuel Production Cost

0

10

20

30

40

50

0.1 0.5 3.4 7.7 15.9

Biomass (Million tons per year)

Prod

uctio

n C

ost (

$/M

MB

tu)

ConversionPretreatmentTransportBiomass

adapted from Boerrigter, 2006

50 250 1,800 4,100 8,500MWth425 2,125 15,300 34,849 72,248bbl/d


Comparative Area Requirements

502501,8004,1008,500MWth 3

7

19

28

40 miles3.1 million acres

Davis

Arbuckle

Fairfield

733

235

534

1,100 million gallons/yearDiesel equivalent

Average 5 tons/acre-year

Sacramento


Production costs and prices

?

0 10 20 30 40 50

Cost ($/MMBtu)

Ethanol

Methanol

Biodiesel

Biogas

BTL

Bio-oil

Syngas

H2

DME

Solid Fuel

Petroleum

Diesel Fuel

Electricity

$10/bbl $70/bbl

$1/gal $3/gal

$0.05/kWh $0.15/kWh

?

?

?


Policy Initiatives affecting Bioenergy

• California Bioenergy Action Plan (13 July 2006)

– Agency actions relating to biomass development• Governor’s Executive Order S-06-06 (25 April 2006)

– In-state biofuel production targets:• 20% by 2010, 40% by 2020, 75% by 2050

– Biopower target: • Maintain 20% share of renewable electricity for 2010 and 2020

• AB 32, AB 1007• Governor’s Executive Order S-01-07 (18 January 2007)

– Orders establishment of a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS)– Reduce carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 10% by 2020

• CPUC Interim GHG Emissions Performance Standard (SB 1368)– New baseload generation: < CO2 from NGCC (1,100 lbs CO2/MWh)

• Federal: EPACT 2005, Healthy Forest Restoration Act, Farm Bill Title IX, Advanced Energy Initiative, Biofuels Initiative, 30x’30, 20 in 10…

• Others: 25 x ’25• Numerous bills pending

CO2 emission rates* for various fuels. Fuel type Higher

HeatingValue

(MJ kg-1)

CO2Production

(kg kg-1 fuel)

ConversionEfficiency

(%)

FuelConsumption

(kg kWh-1)

CO2Production

(kg kWh-1)Methane 55.5 2.75 50 0.13 0.36Cetane (diesel) 47.3 3.12 35 0.22 0.68Iso-octane (gasoline) 47.8 3.09 35 0.22 0.66Methanol 22.7 1.38 35 0.45 0.62Ethanol 29.8 1.91 35 0.35 0.66Anthracite coal 31.3 3.05 35 0.33 1.00Sub-bituminous coal 29.8 2.67 35 0.35 0.92Lignite 25.8 2.36 30 0.47 1.10Peat 22.4 1.98 30 0.54 1.06Carbon 32.8 3.67 30 0.37 1.34Wood 20.0 1.80 22 0.82 1.47Straw 16.3 1.52 20 1.11 1.68*Assumes complete conversion of fuel carbon to CO2.

CO2 Emission By Fuel

Biomass Development Strategies for CaliforniaRoadmap for Sustainable Biomass Development

California Biomass Collaborative• Statewide biomass coordinating group• Biomass Facilities Reporting System• Biomass resource assessments • Technology assessments• Planning Functions/Policy

– Needs Assessment– Roadmap for biomass development

• Coordination with State Bioenergy Interagency Working Group

http://biomass.ucdavis.eduEmail: [email protected]

Roadmap Priority Areas

• Resource access, feedstock markets and supply

• Market expansion, access, and technology deployment

• Research, development, and demonstration

• Education, training, and outreach• Policy, regulations, and statutes

Roadmap Major Action Recommendations• Carbon policy• Standards and best practices for

sustainability• Financing and contracting• Permitting• Research, development, and

demonstration

Copies available at:http://biomass.ucdavis.edu/ or http://www.energy.ca.gov/pier/notices/

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050Year

Ann

ual P

oten

tial (

Mill

ion

BD

T/ye

ar)

Electricity/CHP

Biomethane

Biofuels

Hydrogen

Unused,Loss Margin,

and Bioproducts

Sustainable Biomass Development Roadmap for California: Development scenarios for California biomass

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050Year

Ann

ual E

nerg

y (T

rillio

n B

tu/y

ear)

Electricity

Potential Heat from CHP

Biomethane

Biofuels

Hydrogen

2450 MW

91 BCF/y

1.6 BGY

1.3 M tons/y

Potential impacts through 2050• $40 billion feedstock acquisition cost• $20 billion investment in conversion

plant • Additional investment in feedstock

and product infrastructure• 16,000 Annual Primary Jobs• $175 billion cost of energy generation• $300 billion retail energy value• Up to 1 billion tons CO2 displacement• $33 billion carbon credit value if

carbon at $120/ton• Savings in fire suppression, medical

costs, waste disposal

Energy

Tonnage


UC Davis Related Research Programs in Bioenergy and Biofuels


UC Davis Biomass, Bioenergy, Biofuels, and Bioproducts Research• Long history of biomass and bioenergy research• Thermochemical conversion processes

– Combustion, gasification, pyrolysis with applications to power and heat generation, syngasproduction

– Inorganic material behavior, trace elements– Feedstock modifications

• Biochemical conversion processes– Anaerobic digestion, solid state fermentation, composting– Fermentation systems– Enzymatic processing– Biogas power systems, biomethane, hydrogen, liquid fuels

• Biofuels production and processing– Alcohols, biodiesel, other liquids– Engine performance testing– New sources, crops, molecular and cellular biology, photosynthesis, enzymes

• Bioproducts– Composite materials, chemicals, others

• Logistics and economics, integrated systems, resources, harvesting systems, systems analysis and modeling

• Environmental and social impacts, life cycle assessment, policy• Interdisciplinary, multiple departments and institutes across campus


UC Davis Bioenergy Laboratories and Programs• Biomass Laboratory (1981)• California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research

(1991)• Institute of Transportation Studies (1991)

– Hydrogen Pathways Program (2001)– STEPs (2006)

• Bioenvironmental Laboratory (1995)• Bioprocess Laboratory (1996)• Hydrogen Production and Utilization Laboratory (2002)• California Biomass Collaborative (2003)• UC Davis Energy Institute (2005)• Bioenergy Research Group (2006)



UC DavisBioenergy Research Group (BERG)


• 100+ researchers• Research Committees

– Molecular and Cellular Chemistry, Biology, and Genetics – Plant and Microbial Systems– Biomass Production Systems– Process and Systems Engineering– Resource Management and Environmental Quality

• Development of Bioenergy Research Center as part of UC Davis Energy Institute• Contacts: Prof. Bryan Jenkins, co-chair Prof. Pamela Ronald, co-chair

[email protected] [email protected]

http://bioenergy.ucdavis.edu/


UC Extension Bioenergy Working Groups


• Biofuels Working Group– Contact: Dr. Steve Kaffka, Extension Specialist and

Director, Center for Integrated Farming Systems, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

• [email protected] phone: 530-752-8108

• Woody Biomass Working Group– Contact: Dr. John Shelly, Cooperative Extension

Advisor -- Woody Biomass Utilization, University of California

• [email protected] phone: 510 665 3491


UC Davis - Chevron Joint Research Agreement


• $25 million over 5 years– Additional $5 million in-kind from Chevron

• Focus on transportation biofuels• Year 1 pre-proposals reviewed, preliminary

selection completed, full proposals requested

http://bioenergy.ucdavis.edu


BP Energy Biosciences Institute (UC Berkeley)• $500 million award from BP (announced 1 Februrary 2007)

– University of California Berkeley – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign– Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

• Production of new and cleaner energy, initially focusing on renewable biofuels for road transport.

• Bioscience-based research in three other key areas– conversion of heavy hydrocarbons to clean fuels – improved recovery from existing oil and gas reservoirs – carbon sequestration


JBEI—Joint Bioenergy Institute• Proposal targeting US DOE solicitation for

bioenergy research centers– 2 centers, $125 million each

• Consortium of LBNL, LLNL, SNL (Livermore)• Partner institutions

– UC Berkeley, UC Davis, USDA

http://www.jbei.org/about.html


Further information


Bryan M. Jenkins, ProfessorEmail: [email protected]: 530-752-1422

California Biomass Collaborative: http://biomass.ucdavis.edu/

UC Davis Bioenegy Research Group: http://bioenergy.ucdavis.edu/

bioenergy, biofuels, and potentials for sustainable...

Documents