Industrial Symbiosis in Biofuel Industries:

A case for improved environmental and economical performance

Michael MartinEnvironmental Technology and Management

Michael.Martin@liu.se

What do you know What do you know about biofuels?about biofuels?

Problems with Biofuel Production

• Biofuel production systems have questionable performance

• Food vs. Fuel Debate• Depletion of Rainforests• Which vehicle to choose?• Are they really green?• CO2 Emissions equivalents?

Social and Ethical Biofuel Issues

Food vs. Fuel Debate

Media and some academics only see the problems.EnvironmentalEconomicEnergy

What are biofuels What are biofuels and how are they and how are they produced?produced?

“Biofuels for Transport”

Vehicle fuels derived from biomass and wastes•Solid•Liquid•Gas

Replacement of traditional/conventional fuels•Total substitution•Partial (blending)•Dual Fuel

1st vs. 2nd Generation BiofuelsFirst Generation Biofuels

•Common•Produced from allocated feedstocks

Second Generation Biofuels•Created from ligno-cellulose •Not common•More development needed•HUGE POTENTIAL!

3 Main Fuels for Transport– Ethanol– Biodiesel– Biogas►SVO, Pure Vegetable Oil

Biofuels for Transport

Sugar Rich Crops• Sugar cane• Sugar beets

Starch Rich and Cereals• Sorghum• Sweet Potatoes• Wheat• Corn (Maize)

Ethanol Raw Materials

Cellulosic Crops Abundant…

Ethanol Production Process

Ethanol Production Material/Energy Flows

• Other chemicals to balance pH• Biogas from waste water treatment• Heavy alcohols• Fats from Seeds and Grains

Raw Materials• Sunflower Oil • Rapeseed (Canola)• Waste Cooking Oils• Animal Fats• Soybean Oil• Jatropha• Cashews• Algae• Etc....

Biodiesel Raw Materials

Biodiesel Production

Production• Transesterification of oils and fats• Seperate glycerin and methyl esters• Uses Methanol or Ethanol and catalysts

Biodiesel Production Material/Energy Flows

• Heating done with electricity, water or other means• Methanol Recovery• Glycerol produced contains some chemicals• Biomass from plants

Raw Materials• Manure• Food Residues• Biomass• Sewage• Landfills• Glycerin• Rubber• Fats

Biogas

Mats Eklund and his V70 Bi-fuel

Biogas Production

• Anaerobic fermentation of organic matter• Produces methane and CO2

Biogas Production Material/Energy Flows

• Smuggled Booze• Cloetta Chocolate• Arla Products• Scandic West and Restaurant wastes

How can biofuels improve How can biofuels improve their environmental & their environmental & economic performance? economic performance?

Industrial SymbiosisIndustrial Symbiosis

Industrial Symbiosis for Biofuel Production

• Make use of material and energy flows• Outputs can be used as raw materials• External Industries for Biofuel Raw Materials

and Ouputs• Energy/Material Cascading• Synergies

What are Synergies?

•syn-ergo– Greek for “Working together”– Several Parts Final outcome greater than sum of the parts

What are typical biofuel synergies?

• Using ethanol for biodiesel production• Using glycerol for biogas production• Ethanol stillage used for biogas production• Biogas digestate used as biofertilizer for biofuel crops• Pelletizer from ethanol production used to pelletize biogas

digestate• Oil/Fat from ethanol production used for biodiesel

production• Flue gases from biogas plant taken care of at ethanol

facility• Materials cascaded (Corn example)• Combined capture/use of CO2• Waste heat used for subsequent processes

Bad Example, No Symbiosis: U.S. Ethanol & Stand Alone Plants

• Use Coal and Oil for Fuel• Questionable Energy Efficiencies• No conection to other industries• Run by incentive programs

Bettering the Ethanol in USA(Material Cascading Synergies)

PressingPressing ++CornMeal

EthanolEthanolProductionProduction

BiodieselBiodieselProductionProduction

Digestate

Digestate

GlycerolGlycerol

EthanolEthanol

DistillersDistillersGrainGrain

Organic FluidsOrganic Fluids

Regional Biofuel Industries

Norrköpings Industrial Symbiosis

AgroetanolSvenskbiogas

HolmenPaper

GraphicPackaging

E.ON

Norrköpingskommun

Econova

Tidnings-Retur

drank

ånga

fordonsgas

fordonsgas

biogas

hh-avfall

fjärrvärme

biobränsle

aska

vs-avfall

slam

rejekt

returslam

fiberslam

slam

tidningar

Jordbrukvete

gödsel

SwedenBioenergy

glycerol, rester

rapskaka

ILRecycling

Göran ÅrsjöDäckstommar

Colmec

gummi

däckstommar

Cleanawayetiketter, lim

Returpack

PET-flaskor

Rosti-primpac

PET

tidningar

kartong

Skogsbruk

flis

flis

Regional Agriculture

Linköping and Surrounding CommunitiesG

lyce

rol

Raps

Oil

BiomassWheat

Grains

Manure

Methanol

CHP Plant

Fodder

Still

age

Biomass

Greenhouse

Heat, Electricity & Steam

Seedcake

The Biogas Concept:Wastes to Winnings

=

CHCH44

Improved Performance with Integrated Biogas Systems

• Cascading = Energy + Economics•• Why not pure biogas?Why not pure biogas?

Biofuel Synergies in Tanzania

Synergies and Symbiosis with External Industries

Biofuel Industry→ External Industry Synergies

Waste water from biodiesel or ethanol production used for Salix production

Waste heat from ethanol, biodiesel and biogas used in nearby greenhouses

C02 trapped from Ethanol, Biogas production for Greenhouses

Wet Stillage used for Animal Feed Direct (no drying)Glycerol used as binding agent for wood pellets

Glycerol used as a carbon source in biological cleaning steps

C02/Water from Ethanol production for Algae Production

Potato Chip Waste Biofuels

++

EthanolEthanolProductionProduction

Biodiesel

Biogas

Oil Extractor

Cashew Tree

Cashew Fruit & Nut

Oil

PVO Generator

Biodiesel Processing

Digester

Press Cake

Animal Feed

Low Quality Cashews for Biodiesel

Ethanol Systems Perspective

Effects on Energy Balance,Pål BörjessonOption 1: Energy Balance, 1.2

– Current Production Systems– All Energy allocated to ethanol

Option 3: Energy Balance, 1.7– Future Production Systems– Increased use of waste heat– All energy allocated to ethanol

Option 8: Energy Balance, 5.2– Current Production Systems– Hay used to provide heat and energy– Energy input from ethanol and malt pellets– Use of some malt to offset protein fodder imports

(Börjesson, 2007)

Ethanol

MaltPellets

FodorHeating

Harvest

Prod.

Energy In Energy Out

2.0

5.45

Option 6, Energy Balance = 2.7

Systems Performance:Good Example

Systems Performance: Best Case Example

Soy ProteinSoy ProteinFeedFeed

Energy In: 0.76 Energy Out: 7.2

Energy Balance: Energy Balance: 9.29.2

CO2 Storage/Combustion from Industries

The Future?:C02 and Heat Algae

Conclusions

• Economical Benefits• Environmental Performance• Carbon Capture Potential• Efficient use of Materials and Energy• Better view of biofuels