CoER : Biofuels Department of Microbiology • Faculty of Natural Sciences

UNIVERSITEIT • STELLENBOSCH • UNIVERSITY

jou kennisvennoot • your knowledge partner

Defining The Energy map of South Africa :

Is there a role for Bioenergy?

Emile van Zyl

Department MicrobiologyUniversity of Stellenbosch

2

Is there a role for Bioenergy

2. Value of biofuels to southern Africa?

4. Chair of Energy Research: Biofuels and other clean alternative fuels

3. Can we afford food and biofuels production in Africa?

5. Next generation technologies for total biomassconversion

3

Value of biofuels to southern Africa

Is there a role for Bioenergy

4

Biofuels value to southern Africa

1. Energy plays a key role in the development of nations and provides vital services and means that improve quality of life, the so-call engine of economic progress.

3. Renewable bioenergy, particularly biofuels, has played a pivotal role in Africa and could help address the need for energy expansion in the future.

2. With the sub-Saharan Africa population of about 800 million bound to reach >1.2 billion by 2020, living in poverty cannot be reduced without major improvements in the quality and magnitude of energy services in Africa.

5

Traditional biofuels production in Africa

Share of total primary energy supply in Africa (2001)[Amigun et. al., 2006. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev. epub]

6

Availability of biomass (Malawi as example)

Malawi today Malawi in the past

Brick-making using woody materials Charcoal

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Bioenergy Production Potential in 2050 (Smeets, Faaij, 2004)

Total bioenergy production potential in 2050 based on different agriculture systems [expressed as EJ (1018 J). yr−1; left to right bars – conventional to highly productive agriculture systems].

Future bioenergy potential in Africa

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Biomass potential of Africa at large

Ratio of the energy content of the biomass on abandoned agriculture lands relative to the current primary energy demand at the country level. The energy content of biomass is assumed to be 20 kJ g−1. Source: Campbell et al. (2008)

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1. Source of foreign exchange savings for oil-deprived countries.

4. Reduction of GHG emissions and preservation of quality of atmosphere.

2. Boosting of local agriculture production and additional markets and revenue for farmers.

Benefits of bioenergy production in southern Africa:

3. Help generate employment and local economic development opportunities in rural areas.

5. Contribute to political security, make Africa less dependent on oil and create local wealth.

Bioenergy/biofuels value to southern Africa

10From Al Gore: “The Inconvenient Truth”

White – citiesBlue – fishingYellow – gas flaresRed - fires

Future bioenergy potential in Africa

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Can we afford food and biofuels production in Africa?

Is there a role for Bioenergy

12

Can biofuels replace fossil fuels?

An astonishing YES, providing:

2. Agronomists and environmentalists (and plant biotechnologists?) work together to develop and manage sustainable bio-energy crops;

1. Technologies are developed for the conversion of more abundant woody plant biomass (called lignocellulosics) to biofuels;

3. We learn to adapt a more energy-conservative life style. For the purpose of this discussion the focus is primarily on the technological and policychallenges, because the latter requires behavioural changes all world societies have to deal with, including Africans!

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South Africa’s potential:Renewable biomass available

1. ResiduesAgriculturalMaize stover 6.7 Mt/a (118 PJ/a)Sugar cane bagasse 3.3 Mt/a (58 PJ/a)Wheat straw 1.6 Mt/a (28 PJ/a)Sunflower stalks 0.6 Mt/a (11 PJ/a)Agricultural subtotal 12.3 Mt/a (214 PJ/a)Forest industryLeft in forest 4.0 Mt/a (69 PJ/a)Saw mill residue 0.9 Mt/a (16 PJ/a)Paper & board mill sludge 0.1 Mt/a (2 PJ/a)Forest industry subtotal 5.0 Mt/a (87 PJ/a)

2. Energy crops From 10% of available land 67 Mt/a (1 171 PJ/a)

(Marrison and Larson, 1996)3. Invasive plant species 8.7 Mt (151 PJ)

Total, annual basis 93 Mt/a (1 622 PJ/a)Lynd et al. 2003. Plant Biomass Conversion to Fuels and Commodity Chemicals in South Africa: A Third

Chapter? South African Journal of Science 99: 499 – 507.

14maize stover

Lignocellulose sources

bagassewoodchips

wheat straw

15

Which bioenergy crops?

Sugar cane(100+ t/ hect?)

Grain sorghumSweet sorghum – two harvests?

Invasive plantsHarvesting red grass

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Considering a commercial variety producing 100 t cane

12 t sucrose = 6.13 kL EtOH = 145.1 EJ (30%)

4 t molasses = 2.68 kL EtOH = 63.4 EJ (13%)

15 t dry matter = 0 EtOH = 270.1 EJ (57%)±4.2 kL>4.65 kL upgradebio-oils

Most of the energy is in fibre

Current technology is inadequate to utilise this efficiently

Second generation process technology can utilise fibre!

Bio-Energy from Sugarcane?

[* Information from Frikkie Botha – SASRI, South Africa]

>6.0 kL syntheticbiofuels

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Vegetation map for South Africa

18http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/paw/

Is there a role for Bioenergy

CoER : Biofuels Department of Microbiology • Faculty of Natural Sciences

UNIVERSITEIT • STELLENBOSCH • UNIVERSITY

jou kennisvennoot • your knowledge partner

Chair of Energy Research:

Biofuels and other clean alternative fuels

Emile van Zyl

Johann Gorgens, Marinda Bloom & Hansie Knoetze

[Stellenbosch University]

&

Harro von Blottnitz

[University Cape Town]

19

20

CoER : Biofuels (members)

Microbiology

Chem EngProc Eng

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Cellulosics biofuels production value chain:

1. The CoER : Biofuels positions itself in the conversion technologies, but acknowledges the importance of establishing the whole value chain.

Technologies for Cellulose Conversion

Primary

Biomass

Production

Biomass

Transport

Biomass

Primary

Processing

Biomass

Conversion

to Biofuels

and By-

products

Product

Distribution

& Marketing

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Next generation technologies for total biomass conversion

Food and biofuels production

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Lignocellulose composition

Sugarcane bagasseLignin28%

Arabinan2%

Xylan25%

Cellulose46%

Hexoses(fermentable) Pentoses

(fermentable)

Non-fermentablesugars

high energy aromatics

Is there a role for Bioenergy

24

Ethanol production from cellulosics

Spent

material

Pre-treatment

Cooling &

conditioning

Chipping

Grinding

Agric Res

Woody

Material

Grasses

Water

mixing

tank

Steam explosion

~200ºC

Cellulases YeastAlcoholrecovery

Fuel

blending

Saccharification Fermentation Distillation & dehydration

Adjust pH to 6.0

Storage

tank

Technologies for Ethanol Production

Largest Component of Recalcitrance Barrier:Cost of Cellulase

a) Hinman et al. 1991. Appl. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 34/35:639-657.

b) Hettenhaus & Glassner, 1997 (http://www.ceassist.com/assessment.htm).

c) NREL, 1998. Bioethanol from the corn industry. DOE/GO-1009-577.

d) Schell, 2004. ASM Natl Meeting; McMillan, 2004. DOE/NASULGS Biomass & Solar Energy Workshops.

e) Genencor & Novozyme, 2004. Press releases (e.g. http://www.genencor.com/wt/groc/pr 109831360).

f) Petiot, Novozymes, Platts Cellulosic Ethanol & Second Generation Biofuels, 2007.

g) Sheridan (Novozymes) Nature Biotech, 2008.

0.01

0.10

1.00

10.00

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Es

tim

ate

d C

ellu

las

e C

os

t

($/g

al E

tOH

)

Year

2008

g

2007

f

e

2004

d

2000

c

1997

b

a

1991

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Largest Component of Recalcitrance Barrier:Cost of Cellulase

Operating Costs for Lignocellulosic Plant

Cellulase costs, at >2 fold that of feedstock, are excessive for commodity products

Enzyme dominates projected costs for hardwood ethanol

Enzyme Solution54%

Fermentation Nutrients0%

Feedstock Cost

16%

Purchased Steam10%

Purchased Electricity11%

Royalties1%

Maintenance Costs

2%Owner’s costs 4%

Insurance & Taxes

1%

Water:

Cooling

Waste

Process1%

0%

0%

Cost distribution provided by Mascoma Corporation, Lebanon, NH, USA 26

27

Consolidated BioProcessing (CBP)

OO

O

O

O

Glu Man Gal

Xyl Ara

Ethanol + CO2

P TYFG

Glycosyl

Hydrolases

Technologies for Cellulose Conversion

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[REF] [EG1]

[SFI] [CEL5]

Den Haan, R., S.H. Rose, L.R. Lynd, and W.H. Van Zyl. 2007. Hydrolysis and fermentation of amorphous

cellulose by recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Met. Eng. 9: 87–94.

Growth on amorphous cellulose (PASC)

Technologies for Cellulose Conversion

29

Mascoma CorporationTechnical facilities, Lebanon, NH, USA

(www.mascoma.com)

Leading Investment, Unprecedented Focus on CBP

Technical Focus: Overcoming the biomass recalcitrance barrier and enablingthe emergence of a cellulosic biofuels industry via pioneering CBP technology integrated with advanced pretreatment

Three Platforms

1. T. saccharolyticum, thermophilic bacterium able to use non-glucose sugars2. C. thermocellum, thermophilic cellulolytic bacterium3. Yeast engineered to utilize cellulose and ferment glucose and xylose

Partners in Mascoma’s CBP Organism Development Effort

• Dartmouth College

• University of Stellenbosch

• VTT • BioEnergy Science Center

• Department of Energy

Multiple chances to succeed near-term & long-term30

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Mascoma Cellulolytic Yeast

Mar, 2007 to Dec, 2008: >3,000-fold improvement in expression levels

Cellulase expression in Mascoma Yeast(robust C5/C6 fermenting) vs Time

T. reesei cellulase

in yeast

(Reinikainen

et al., 1992)

T. reesei cellulase

in Mascoma Yeast

(March '07)

Proprietary

cellulase in

Mascoma Yeast

(March '08)

Cellulase

expression

in Mascoma yeast

(October '08)

Cellulase expression Time-line

Cell

ula

se (

mg

/g D

CW

)

0.62 0.03 2.413

100

20

40

60

80

100

120Total cellulase (mg/g)

0Cellulase

expression

in Mascoma yeast

(December '08)

Enzyme Reduction on Hardwood

Equivalent performance with 2.5-fold less added enzyme

Further reduction likely

Mascoma CBP Strain (robust C5/C6 fermenting yeast) + 22% w/w unwashed Pretreated Hardwood + Commercial cellulase

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Fermentation Time (hours)

Eth

an

ol (g

/L)

Mascoma non-cellulolytic yeast + baseline

commercial cellulase

Mascoma cellulolytic yeast + only 40% of

baseline commercial cellulase

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Conversion of Paper Sludge to Ethanol: Proof of CBP Concept

85% cellulose conversion with production of recoverable ethanol with no added cellulase!

Mascoma CBP Yeast, no added cellulase

Mascoma non-CBP Yeast, w/10 FPU loadingcellulases

Non-CBP Yeast

Mascoma CBP technology on 18% w/w paper sludge (1 mg/gTS b-glucosidase and 1 mg/gTS xylanase added)

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Fermentation Time (hours)

Eth

an

ol Y

ield

(g

/L)

33

Rome, NY Pilot & Demonstration Plant

January 2008

November 200834

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Thermo-chemical Conversion Technologies

• Conventional pyrolysis (~500)• Slow heating of biomass in inert atmosphere to produce

charcoal, bio-oil and heating gas

• Advanced forms of pyrolysis are vacuum pyrolysis and fast pyrolysis• Vacuum pyrolysis improves quality of char and bio-oil

• Fast pyrolysis maximises the yield of bio-oil

• Gasification at higher temperatures (+800ºC) maximises the production of non-condensable gas• Can be upgraded to syngas that is used in Fischer-Tropsch

synthesis of fuels and chemicals (e.g. SASOL)

Fast Pyrolysis 75% 13% 12%

Gasification 5% 85% 10%

Process Liquid Gas Char

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Thermo-Conversion Technologies

Bio-oilChar

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Application of Thermochemical Processes

• Both the pure lignocellulose and lignin-rich residues from lignocellulose fermentation can be processed

• Decentralised or mobile pyrolysis units substantially reduces transportation costs:• 2-fold energy-densification on a volume basis

• Production of transportation-grade biofuels:• Bio-oil is a crude product that requires (expensive) upgrading

• Biochar and/or bio-oil can be gasified either as the sole feedstock or in a mixture with coal

• Production of electricity and/or heating from bio-oils, char and heating gas for premium markets

Vacuum pyrolysis: • small batch lab unit (±100 g) (15kPa abs and Temp

300-450°C) – operational since 2002.

• In SANERI project with Dr J Klaasen from UWC looked at kraalbos and renosterbos.

• Looked at some pioneer/intruder plants, sewage sludge and bagasse.

• Yields typically 25-35% char, 25-35% bio-oil.

Fast Pyrolysis: • Commissioning small bench-scale set-up.

• Bagasse and corn cobs.

• Fast Pyrolysis: < 10% char (high in ash), mostly bio-oil.

•

Current status on Thermochemical Processes

38

39

BiologicalProcessing• Pretreatment• Fermentation• Separation

Non-BiologicalProcessing

• Gasification• Fast pyrolysis• Power generation• Synthesis & separation

Biomass Biorefinery Concept

Steam

Process Power

Ethanol

CellulosicBiomass

Biologically-derivedChemicals (potentially several)

Thermochemically-derivedChemicals(potentially several)

Animal feed

Exported Power/BiofuelsResidues

Technologies for Cellulose Conversion

40

• The biorefinery concept allow utilization of the total plant, including the non-fermentable lignin part from biochemical conversion.

• Heat integration within a biorefinery process can increase energy efficiency by 15%.

• Fast pyrolysis was more energy efficient for liquid fuel production, although the crude bio-oil requires upgrading.

• Upgrading of bio-oil is expected to decrease the energy efficiency by 15%.

• Biological processing is more sensitive to feedstock composition than thermo-chemical.

Benefits of the biorefinery concept

41

*Coproducts may also include industrial or ag. chemicals, sweeteners, neutraceuticals…

Food, Feed and Biofuel Options

Starch-rich (grains)• (e.g.) maize/sorghum

Human food Animal feedCo-products* (Ethanol & CO2)

Human food Animal feedCo-products* (Biodiesel and Glycerin)

Oil Seeds• soya beans • canola/ sun flower

CellulosicResidues

• stover, bagasse

Energy Crops• grasses• intruder plants

• paper sludge

Ethanol & CO2

(co-products, feed) Lignin-rich residues

Process energy (Electricity &/orBio-oil/Char)

Sugar-rich• sugar cane• sweet sorghum

Human food

Lignin-rich residuesCo-products* (Ethanol & CO2)

Evolution to Cellulose Conversion

Tot

al

Ene

rgy

crop

s

Bur

ned

gras

ses

42

South Africa’s potential:Biofuels production

Maize to Ethanol = 430 L/ton Biomass to ethanol = 280 L/ton

Biomass to liquid (BtL) = 570 L/tonBiomass to upgraded bio-oils = 310 L/ton

BtL (50%)

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Diesel

Ethanol

Petrol

Volum

es

in M

L

Mai

ze

For

est

bio

was

te

Inva

sive

plan

ts

Sub

tota

l

Cur

r fu

el

Str

ategy

targ

et

Agr

icul

tbio

was

te

Upgraded bio-oil (70% of residue)

(70% of residue)

43

What has biofuels to offer in job creation?

1. Job creation in USA from a 380 ML/a maize-to-ethanol plant:Temporary jobs during construction 370Jobs during operational phase 840Jobs for feedstock production 1 340

2 180

3. Rough estimation, assuming half of annual biomass available converted to ethanol at 50% efficiency and two-fold higher job creation ratio, thus 11 jobs/ML/a bioethanol could create close to 30 000 jobs (3% increase in agricultural work force)!

2. Brazil: 1 ML/a bioethanol generate 38 jobs (USA = 5.7 jobs/ML/a bioethanol), vs 0.5 jobs per ML/a gasoline (fossil fuel).

44

Technology providers /demonstration plants?

1. Currently, many international companies is moving towards demonstration of cellulosics technologies.

2. With the large selection of feedstocks and different technologies, available, it will remain to be seen which technologies provides the best solutions for which feedstocks and eventually it might very well be a platter of technologies.

3. The CoER : Biofuels has many international contacts and collaborations and is developing technologies together with international partners.

4. The CoER : Biofuels will particularly try to adapt existing technologies (also international) for better access to commercialization in South Africa. We will also encourage development of SA technology in this space.

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New Land Required in U.S. for biofuels

50020010050 300 4000

New Land Required (million hectares)

III. OtherWinter cover crops, other residues, increased productivity of food crops, increased production on under-utilized land…

II. Corn stover (72%) 18 Feasibility of stover utilization enhanced by rotation

Agricultural integration

I. Soy -> switchgrass or large biomass soy 35 Early-cut switchgrass produces more feed protein/acre

than soy; similar benefits from “large biomass soy”

Efficient vehicles orIncreased plantproductivity (2.5x)

65

Advanced processing 162340 L fuel eq./ton

440Status quo 125 L fuel eq./ton, curr. km/L, no agr. integration, 12 tons/ha*yr

U.S. mobility demand, the largest per capita in the world, could be met from land now used for agriculture while maintaining food production

CRP Land U.S. Cropland

150 250 350 450

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Shaunita Rose

Riaan den Haan

Acknowledgements

Ancha Zietsman

Danie la Grange

Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Dartmouth College, USA

Ronél van Rooyen

John McBride Lee Lynd

Bärbel Hahn-Hägerdal

Lund University, Sweden

47

Thank you!

Is there a role for Bioenergy