Strategies for Biomass to Biofuels and Bioproducts · 10 OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Broader market for biomass • Biodiesel −Mature processing technology

Strategies for Biomass to Biofuels and Bioproducts

Brian Davison Chief Scientist Systems Biology and Biotechnology

June 20, 2007Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORYU. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bioenergy Background

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Biomass Utilization is a multi-factorial problem (multiple choice)

LAND

Current cropland

Oil crops

bagasse

Grain crops

Agric. residues

Animal wastes

switchgrass

softwood

Rangeland

Forestland

Marginal land

Fallow land (CREP, etc)

Feedstocks Process technologies

Output/Products

diesel

Ethanol

Other

Anaerobic digestion

Thermo/chemicalconversion

gasification

pulping

Fermentation& Enzymes

Wood products

Other

Gas fuels: methane,H2, syngas

polymers

chemicals

Ash, fertilizers

Butanol

Other

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Biomass Utilization: current Corn Bioethanol

LAND

Current cropland

Oil crops

bagasse

Grain crops (Corn)

Agric. residues

Animal wastes

switchgrass

softwood

Rangeland

Forestland

Marginal land

Fallow land (CRP, etc)


Output/Products

diesel

Ethanol

Other

Anaerobic digestion


gasification

pulping


Wood products

Other


polymers

chemicals

Ash, fertilizers

Butanol

Other

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Biomass Utilization: Gov. Bredesen’sannouncement of switchgrass to bioethanol might follow this path

LAND

Current cropland

Oil crops

bagasse

Grain crops

Agric. residues

Animal wastes

switchgrass

softwood

Rangeland

Forestland

Marginal land

Fallow land


Output/Products

diesel

Ethanol

Other

Anaerobic digestion


gasification

pulping


Wood products

Other


polymers

chemicals

Ash, fertilizers

Butanol

Other

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DOE Selects Six Cellulosic Ethanol Plants for up to $385M in Federal Funding (2/07)

Conc. acid to sugars, then fermentation

Yard waste, wood and green waste,

So. CA

BlueFire with Waste Mgmt, Petrodiamond

Gasify followed by fermentationYard waste, citrus waste, energy cane

FLAlico, BRI, etc.

Dilute acid, fermentationShared with dry mill

Corn fiber, cobs, stalksIABroin with DuPont, Novozyme, NREL

Thermochemical (gasify or pyrolysis) then catalysis to liquids (ethanol and methanol)

Wood residuesGARange Fuels (Kergy), Merrick, CH2MHill, Khosla

Dilute acid/enzyme/fermentationAg residue: wheat strawIDIogen with Shell

Dilute acid/enzyme/fermentation for easy sugars; then gasify the residuals to syngas and power shared with dry mill

Corn stover, ag residueKSAbengoaProcess to ethanolFeedSiteCompany

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Making fuel from plant biomass

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Figure II.3Figure II.3

Fig. II.2. Biosynthesis of primary and secondary walls: from genes to polymers. A. Fig. II.2. Biosynthesis of primary and secondary walls: from genes to polymers. A.

The challenges: Lignocellulosic

biomass is complex and heterogeneous

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The challenges: Lignocellulosic

biomass is difficult to breakdown and

ferment

GLUCOSE ETHANOL

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Broader market for biomass

• Biodiesel− Mature processing technology− Large amounts of co-product glycerol produced, R&D required − Ultimate impact to be determined - limits on feedstock growth and cost

(largely soybeans in US)• Plant genomics and engineering can have significant impact, • Soybean genome being sequenced, • Tropical plants like oil palm or “diesel tree” Copaifera may offer

understanding to improve biodiesel properties; Jatropha big in India, for example

• Biomass gasification into syngas or power− Technologies exist at various levels of scale and maturity, esp. for power− R&D issues in conversion of syngas into liquid transportation fuels− Some proponents say commercial now or within 10 years.

• Hydrogen− Most see as technology for 20-50 years in future− R&D issues in infrastructure, cost, yield− For Tennessee, production most likely from biomass-derived syngas

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Ragauskas et al. 2006, SCIENCE 311:484-489

The fully integrated agro-biofuel-biomaterial-biopower cycle for sustainable technologies.

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Tennesse Biofuels Initiative

• January 31: Governor Bredesen proposed a significant investment in biofuels addressing feedstock production, research and development, pilot production, fuel distribution, totaling more than $70M− $40M for 5Mgal/yr pilot plant− $8M for Ag price incentives− $10M R&D− $12M JIBS− TN Budget approved June 2007 − Leverages R&D at ORNL and UT

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Bioenergy_0703

Biomass: corn stover, switchgrass, soybeans, tree residue, poplar

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Proximity to theOak Ridge Science and Technology Parkis a key asset

Joint Institutefor BiologicalSciences

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Bioenergy_0703

Our proposal to establish a DOE Bioenergy Research Centeris under consideration

• Submitted 1/29/07 for $125M over 5 y

• Finalist from Merit Review in April

• Reverse site visit May 30

• Decision planned for late June 2007

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• Oak Ridge National Laboratory• University of Georgia• University of Tennessee• National Renewable Energy Laboratory• Dartmouth• Georgia Tech• Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation• ArborGen• Diversa• Mascoma• with individuals from

− U California-Riverside, Virginia Tech− Cornell, WSU, U Minnesota, NCSU, BNL

Complex Carbohydrate Research CenterUniversity of Georgia

Alternative Fuels User FacilityNREL

BioEnergy Science Center teamJoint Institute for Biological SciencesU Tennessee-ORNL

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• State of Tennessee, through UT: $24.6M− JIBS construction: $11.6M − Research equipment: $3M − Joint UT-ORNL research: $10M− 3 Governor’s Chairs: $3M–5M

• State of Tennessee: $48M− $40M for 5M-gal/year pilot

switchgrass-to-ethanol facility, located <40 miles from ORNL,to be operational in 2009

− $8M in agricultural price supports• Mascoma: $5M to support

projects that complement BESCat partner institutions

• Georgia Research Alliance:$3M for equipment, $1.5Min support for two Eminent Scholar hires (matched by $1.5M from UGa and GaTech): $6M total

• Virginia Tech: $0.5Min cost share support

• Linkages to:− Chevron’s investment of $12M

in renewable technologiesat GaTech and $2M at NREL

− New $40M Oklahoma BioenergyCenter (Noble Foundation, University of Oklahoma,and Oklahoma State)

The BESC leverages substantial commitments and investments

Total:More than $120M

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Other Related Activities

• Developing a Southern regional bioenergyalliance through work with Southern Growth Policy Board

• Working with Sungrant organizations• Supporting DOE Biomass Regional Partnerships• Industry outreach is under way, building on

relationships establishedduring this and prior proposal development

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Sun Grant Centers

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DOE Regional Partnerships

• Partnership Links to Presidential Biofuels Initiative Goals− Help enable potential deployment of >one billion tons of

biomass feedstock (Billion Ton Study) into energy and allied markets

− Support biorefinery projects and partners in the various regions

− Bring down the cost of feedstocks to help DOE meet its programmatic milestone for 2012 ($1.07/gal cellulosic ethanol, tied to $35/dry ton feedstock)

− Ensure a reasonable return on investment to the grower through improvements in production and efficiency

− Develop a consortium that includes agriculture feedstocks and feedstocks industrial users to input into planning, implementation, and realization of Regional Feedstocks.

− Ensure that feedstocks are utilized in a sustainable manner

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• Biofeedstock supply logistics• Agricultural residue

sustainability• Biomass supply

forecasting analysis

Biomass analysiscapabilities at ORNL

Collectible corn residue at erosion tolerance levels

0 50 100 150 200 250Illinois

IndianaIowa

KansasMinnesota

MissouriNebraska

OhioSouth Dakota

Wisconsin

w/o HEw/HE

Millions dry tons per year

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Proposed Biorefinery Siting User Resource • Goal: To provide commercial

ventures with accurate, comprehensive feedstock information, analysis tools, and logistical processes with linkages to conversion technology that minimizes individual site specific analysis, and assists venture to satisfy investors and local concerns thus speeding commercial start-up of this new industry.

• this industry anticipates growing to over 500 to possibly 1000 facilities in the next 25 years. acceptable locations for their anticipated operation.

• Computer-based powerful analysis tools that will be built over the next two years. − Oak Ridge Integrated Biomass

Analysis System (ORIBAS) integrates GIS data for feedstocks with transportation infrastructure.

− The Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics Program, IBSAL, simulates the flow of biomass from field to refinery with dynamic fixed variable analysis

Oak Ridge Biorefinery Siting User FacilityOak Ridge Biorefinery Siting User Facility

Feedstock Data AcquisitionFeedstock Data Acquisition

Feedstock Analysis Feedstock Analysis and Logistic Modelingand Logistic Modeling

Feedstock Commercialization Feedstock Commercialization with Regional Partnershipswith Regional Partnerships







IBSAL

or i bas

• Discussed with DOE-OBP

• To be linked with NREL biorefinerymodels, SunGrant and regional biomass programs

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Other State announcements 2007(partial)• CA - $50M for new Bioenergy research building on UC-

Berkeley/LBNL campus for BP bioenergy center• OK - $40M R&D initiative at OSU, UOK, Noble Foundation• MO - $55M for center at WU-StL and Danforth plant center• NY

− $15M support for a Genencor-Mascoma pilot plant− $5M? research at Cornell

• TX - $8M Ag/Engineering Bioenergy Alliance for research at TAMU

• WA – biodiesel permitting assistance and $17M in loan guarantees and research

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Summary• Significant opportunity exists for

increased penetration of biofuelsand for establishing a biofuelsindustry

• We have an exceptionally strong scientific base from which to solve significant challenges in cost-effective production of biofuels

• Partnerships States/academia/NatlLabs/industry with farmers are critically important to reach challenging goals

• Research, demonstration, infrastructure, incentives, etc. will all play a part

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Backup

AS OF: March 2006

In operation

Under construction

Proposed

US Ethanol Plants

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The business of cellulosic ethanol• At >$2/gallon, cellulosic ethanol

feasible, not economical• R&D is expected to bring cost down

to <$1/gallon• Sources of cellulose more abundant

supply than corn, better suited for Tennessee

• Cellulose-based ethanol delivers 5x more energy per fossil energy unit than corn

• Estimated construction cost to build production plant with comparable 70 million gallon/year capacity:

–Today’s cost: ~$200M–With technology improvements: $100M, comparable to corn plant –Several hundred tons of biomass processed daily• Huge opportunity in the Southeast to have alternate use for forest

products

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Geographic distribution of biomass crops

Wright et al DOE-ORNL-EERE

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Biomass to Bioethanol BiorefinerySiting Needs (estimated range)

• At 700 dry ton/d (DOE estimate of minimum economically viable size) yield 12-25 M gal etoh/y

• At 5-12 Ton biomass/acre requires 50,000-20,000 acres within a 30-50 mile radius

• 200-500 trucks/d delivery• Capital of $100M-$300M depending on process, risk, financing• Site – estimate need a minimum 50 acres

− Refinery est. 5 acre− Biomass storage (if seasonal crop) est. 5 acre (at 20 ft pile)− Ethanol storage 5 acre− Waste, infrastructure, buffer

• Utilities− Power – most designs now plan to cogenerate excess power

• If no power cogeneration, then a 2002 NREL study estimated 40 kBTU/gal or about 250kwh.

− Water – goal is closed cycle• Estimate from 0 to 10,000 gal/h

− Wastewater – treatable by sanitary treatment for BOD/COD• Goal is to reduce but estimate from 0 to 300 M gal/y• Could be contracted to municipality

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Panel Consensus from 27th

Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals• We need commercialization and policy support for

these current and near-term opportunities to grow the industry from their current base.

• Equally important, we need R&D to increase the impact, the efficiency, the sustainability, and the ability to add value to markets and farmers while preparing for possible long-term limits on land use.

• Corn ethanol is the starting point for this domestic industry and can expand somewhat further; however, lignocellulosic ethanol is ready to be developed in niche markets now and substantially improved for widespread use.

Documents

Strategies for Biomass to Biofuels and Bioproducts · 10 OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Broader market for biomass • Biodiesel −Mature processing technology