Chemicals and Fuels from Biomass

Norm Olson P.E.Biomass Energy Conversion (BECON) Facility

Iowaenergycenter.org

The Iowa Energy Center’s Mission• Broad Scope

– complex connections to many issues

– focusing on Iowa– energy efficiency– renewable energy– education

• all groups• all ages• all sectors of the economy

Demonstration/Training/Research Facilities

BECON (Biomass Energy CONversion)

renewable energy/ biomass to fuels and chemicals

• demonstration and research • tours• meeting/class space

Outreach

•Nearly 14,000 people have either toured BECON or heard the BECON presentation since 1999•BECON has had visitors from most states and over 76 foreign countries•Numerous state and Federal legislators, Presidential candidates and former U.S. President George Bush have visited BECON

EIA Outlook

U.S. 2012 Production – 8.9 million barrels per day Source: BP SR

British Petroleum R/P Ratio

Proved reserves of oil – Generally taken to be those quantities that geological and engineering information indicates with reasonable certainty can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.

U.S. R/P Ratio China R/P Ratio

2012 2013 2012 2013Oil 10.8 10.7

9.9 11.4Natural Gas 13.0 12.5 29.8 28.9Coal 239 257 33.0 31.0

Reserves-to-production (R/P) ratio – If the reserves remaining at the end of any year are divided by the production in that year, the result is the length of time that those remaining reserves would last if production were to continue at that rate.

Source: BP statistical Review of World Energy, June 2012, 2013

The Ideal Alternative Fuel• Can be produced from any raw energy source (i.e. wind, solar,

biomass, coal, nuclear, hydro etc.)• Is cost effective• Has significant storage and delivery systems already in place• Is environmentally friendly• Can be used in any prime mover (i.e. diesel engines, fuel cells,

SI engines, gas turbines, etc.)• Has a proven, acceptable safety record • Produced in the U.S.

Ammonia Basics 1

• Ammonia (NH3) can be produced from any raw energy source, including all fossil, renewable and nuclear sources.

• Ammonia is cost competitive with gasoline as a transportation fuel

• Ammonia has extensive, worldwide transportation and storage infrastructure already in place

• Ammonia is very environmentally friendly when used as a transportation fuel and produces only N2 and H20 at the tailpipe with low-cost emissions controls.

• Ammonia has been successfully demonstrated in SI engines, CI engines, and fuel cells.

Conversion Systems

Biomass Conversion Systems

Feedstock Processing

Thermochemical ConversionBiological Conversion

Anaerobic Digestion/Composting

Feedstock Processing

High Solids Unit(Composting)

Low Solids UnitScrubber

Methane to Engine

Generator

Distillation

Ethanol

Residue

SaleableBy-product

Drying/Vapor Recovery

Multi-farm Storage &

Fermentation

Harvest, acidification, &

inoculation

High-sugar energy crop

Local Processing Center

Alcohol Production II

C6H1206yeast

enzymes2C2H50H + 2CO2

Gasification

Feedstock Processing To Engine Generator

To Ash Disposal

Gasifier

Scrubber Syn-gas

Pyrolysis

Feedstock Processing

Waste Disposal

Pyrolysis Refining

Syn-oilBio-Chemicals

Biodiesel Production

Chemical Reactor

Vegetable Oils

Alcohol

Glycerin

Biodiesel

Vegetable Oils + Alcohol Biodiesel + Glycerincatalyst

Supercritical Fluids

High Pressure Reactor

Biomass

High Pressure Fluid

Product

Combined Systems

Greenhouse

Anaerobic Digestion Unit

Fermentation Unit

Fuel Cell Unit

Electricity

Heat

CO2

Dairy Facility

Iowa Bio-Refinery

Bio-Refinery Model

MGP - Lakota

The Ideal Biomass System• Soil tilth improved – no erosion loss, increased soil organic carbon

content • Nutrients and micronutrients returned to soil• Fertilizer made from plant residue in same field• Use of currently available planting, harvesting storage techniques• No fossil fuel use• Cost effective• Local economic development• Biorefinery concept – multiple products (food, chemicals, fuel

additives) energy efficient, low air/water emissions, low water use

Ideal Annual Crop System – Silage Harvest

Ideal Annual Crop System – Silage Storage

Wisconsin

Ideal Annual Crop System – Cover Crop

www.leopold.iastate.edu/.../cover.htm

Local Processing – All nutrients (PKN, micronutrients) returned to soil. Closed loop.

Ideal Annual Crop System – Processing

Biomass Feedstocks

• Agricultural Residues• Food Processing Waste• Livestock Production Waste• Municipal Solid Waste• Obsolete Seed Corn• Wood Waste

Feedstock Costs• Cost of corn stover ~ 3 cents/lb. ($60/ton)

Corn @ $3.50/bushel ~ 7 cents/lb

• Consists mainly of C, H and O

• Cost of petroleum ~ 8 cents/lb ($25/barrel)

16 cents/lb ($50/barrel)

24 cents/lb ($75/barrel)

32 cents/lb ($100/barrel) 40 cents/lb

($125/barrel)48 cents/lb

($150/barrel)• Consists mainly of C and H • Organic chemicals are mainly C, H

A Little History

• Oil came in at $1.50/barrel in the mid-1940’s ($0.0045/pound)

• Corn was approximately $1.50/bushel in 1950 (approx. $0.03/pound)

Forward to the Past

• Prior to the 1940’s most chemicals were plant derived

• Celluloid, Cellophane, Bakelite, rayon, paints, adhesives

• Henry Ford Vegetable Mobile• Fermentations to ethanol, butanol, propanol and

other alcohols was common prior to the 1940’s.

Getting There from Here

• Corn stalks - C,H,O• Sugars - C,H,O• Ethanol - C2H6O

• Ethylene - C2H4

• Ethylene Dichloride - C2H4Cl2

• Vinyl Chloride - C2H3Cl• PVC

• Corn stalks - C,H,O• Sugars• Propanol• Propylene• Acrylonitrile• Polyacrylonitrile• Carbon Fiber

Getting There from Here

Some Big-time Players

• Dow/Cargill – polylactic acid – Blair, NE• Dupont/Pioneer• Monsanto/Dekalb• Shell

Rural Economic Potential

1999 2004

Iowa Ag. and Food Exports $3.5 Billion $4.7 Billion 24 MT Stover @ $0.03/lb.$1.4 Billion

Iowa Gross State Product $86 Billion $111 Billion24 MT Stover @ $2.50/lb.$120 Billion

Breakfast Cereal $1-$3/Pound

Clothing - $10-$100’s/Pound

Plastic Tanks - $2.00/pound

RMI Hypercar $5-$10/ pound

Auto-making and associated businesses employ one-seventh of U.S. workers (approaching two-fifths in some European countries) and represent one-tenth of America's consumer spending.

Henry Ford’s Soybean Plastic

Selected BECON Commercialization and Educational Highlights

• National Biodiesel Training Center – Jon Van Gerpen – USDA Grant• Frontline – Thermal Gasification – Commercial installation of thermal gasifier at

Chippewa Valley Ethanol in Benson, Minnesota. BECON thermal gasifier developed under an IEC grant to Robert Brown.

• Cellencor – microwave drying – numerous commercial installations. Outgrew BECON and moved/expanded into the Ankeny, Iowa Industrial Park.

• Albemarle/Catilin – heterogeneous catalyst licensed from ISU (Victor Linn). Multi-year process development currently (2013) in process using BECON’s pre-commercial biodiesel production unit.

• Conoco Phillips and Avello – pyrolysis – license obtained based on Robert Brown’s IEC-funded pyrolysis work at BECON.

• Drying Solutions – energy efficient steam heat recovery dryer – several commercial installations.

• Myco Max – fungal thin stillage treatment - Hans Van Leeuwen. R&D 100 Awards. Innovator of the Year. “Graduated” to Lincolnway Energy

Key Benefits

• Developing systems to economically produce chemicals and fuels from biomass will spur rural economic development.

• Adding value to agricultural products will enhance the profitability of many Iowa industries.

• Demonstrating full-scale biomass conversion systems promotes increased adoption of these technologies.

• Developing new products and technologies with export potential will strengthen Iowa’s economy (consulting).

• Producing and using biochemicals is more environmentally sound than producing and using petrochemicals.

• Combining biomass research, demonstration, education and training at one facility helps focus this work and enhances exposure.

What’s it Going to Take?

• Pre-Commercial Demonstration• Research and Development• Pioneer Spirit• Fortitude• Foresight• Wisdom• Integrated Systems• Political Support

Agriculture Looks Good