Resource Efficient

Application of Biofuels in

British Columbia

Part 1: Fischer-Tropsch

Drop-in Fuels

Thomas Cheney

Bioenergy is limited

BCs Bioenergy

Resources are

limited

Efficient utilization is

required

Using bioenergy right

The Right Fuel • Compatible with the infrastructure

• Cost effective

• Clean-burning

• Distribution

• Range

The Right Process • Energy Efficiency

• Cost effective

• Allows use of non-food

feedstock

• Scalable

Why Resource Efficiency Matters

BC Biomass

resources are

limited

• Equivalent to 40% of

BC fossil fuel use

• Mountain Pine Bettle

fibre supply spike

• 300 PJ sustainable

potential

Not all biofuels are created equal

• Some biofuels produce far more fuel\hectare

than others

BC Energy Use

BC Energy Use breakdown

Biomass can meet 25-

30% of Provincial

energy demand

Sector PJ PJ

Transportation 404

Industry 362

Agriculture 18

Residential 136

Comm., Instit. & Public Admin 105

Power Generation 35

Total 1060

Biomass Capacity 250-300

An American Perspective

• Biomass is not a panacea

“If all biomass were used in CBTL-CCS systems

designed to maximize liquids output, 5.9 million

bbl/day transport fuels could be produced. ≈ U.S.

domestic crude oil production. ≈ ½ of U.S. oil

imports” This assumes that the process with driven

with coal with biomass providing the carbon atoms!

BC’s GHG Emissions

Sectore % total

Marine 3.96%

Off-Road 5.40%

Rail 0.72%

Air 2.52%

Passenger Vehicles 14.04%

Heavy Duty Vehicle 9.36%

BC Transportation

• 300 Petajoules of energy use

• Assuming conversion efficiency rate of 40%, 120 PJ of fuel

could be realized. This however leave very limited

bioenergy resources available for sectors other than

transportation fuel

Electric vs. Biofuel Vehicles

• Vast electric

supplies

• Limited Range

• Limited liquid fuel

supplies

• Long range with

simple refuelling

empr.gov.bc.ca

We need both

Apply the right

technology in the

right place

• Electricity should be seen as the dominant

prime mover in B.C

• Biofuels\ hydrogen for range extension

The “Algaeus” biofuel plug-in

How do we get biofuels?

• Thermochemical Pathway

o Fischer-Tropsch

o Di-Methyl ether (DME) and Methanol

Green Gasoline

o Biomass Synthetic Natural Gas

o Hydrogen

• Biochemical Pathways

o Ethanol

o Others based on proprietary organisms (LanzaTech)

Thermochemical Process can

produce many energy products

Thermochemical Fuel Cycles

• Gasification, Gas Cleaning, Chemical

Synthesis

One Option is FT-Biofuels

CHOREN Biofuels Plant in Germany

FT FUEL

• CO + H2 CH2 + H2O

• Used for coal since 1930s

Biomass-Based FTFuels

• Clean syngas is essential

• Entrianed flow gasifiers are considered

to be the most mature technology

• Biomass feeding is a challenge

• Similar technologies used in Coal to

Liquids

FT Advantages

• 40% efficiency

• Drop-in fuel!

• Established for coal

and gas to liquids

• Biomass specific

technology pre-

commercial

Coal to Liquids Plant in South Africa

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/5090925_f260.jpg

FT Compared to the Cellulosic

ethanol

<2.5 units of biomass are required per unit of

fuel.

http://mitei.mit.edu/system/files/kreutz-fischer-tropsch.pdf

Economics of FT

Competitive with oil at $115 per barrel gasoline without

carbon price

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/liquid_trans_tech.pdf

Biomass injection

Particular challenges to BtL

o Use of coal based systems have energy use

challenges

biomass grinding to 100 um uses 8% of energy

in biomass

o Coal-based systems use a lock hopper

o Biomass based systems using screw injection

leads to greater energy efficiency Less pressurisation needed

Less dilution

Piston Feeding of Biomass

• Biomass specific feeding system appear best

rather than the systems adapted for coal. o Greater efficiency

o Van der Drift et al. 2004 covers these issues in detail o “ENTRAINED FLOW GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS: Ash behaviour, feeding issues, and system analyses”

Van der Drift Syngas Preparation

Preliminary gasification (option D) offers highest

efficiency approach.

Choren

• Low temperature gasification followed by high-

temperature gasification to clean gas.

• Pre-treatment low-temperature gasification to resolve

challenges with biomass gasification of woody biomass

Solar Assisted Fuels

• Uses solar energy to drive

endothermic reaction for

biofuels.

• Hydrogen created from

solar energy avoiding loss

of carbon through reverse

gas shift

Hertwich, E. G. and Zhang, X (2010) “Concentrating-Solar biomass gasification process for

a 3rd generation biofuel

Solar fuels

• Solar cogeneration for electrolysis and

gasification heat to increase process carbon

efficiency

Cost Analysis for solar fuel

analysis

• 7.5$ per GJ of fuel produced (2001 $)

Input costs $2.5 per GJ

• 60% Less land total

• 67% less land for biofuels

• Assumes a $100 /tC

Indicators Solar-

Biomass Fuel

Bomass Coal

Fuel Productivity

(kg fuel/100 kg resource)

121.0 39.9 62.2

Cost ($2001/GJ) $7.5 $8.9 $10.8

Efficiency 60.9% 42.0% 36.5%

Coal Biomass FT Fuels

• Coal with carbon capture

and storage can leverage

the biomass

1.5 units of coal + 1 unit biomass = 1

unit fuel + 1.5 units sequestered

CO2

565 liters gasoline equivalent with

coal +CCS versus 25l lge!

http://mitei.mit.edu/system/files/kreutz-fischer-tropsch.pdf

Remember This:

• Coal with CCS allows for low- mitigation cost

• Very low CO2 fuel

Carbon-Neutral Coal Based biofuel

• 38% biomass +

CCS leads to

carbon neutral

biofuel.

• Coal cheaper than

biomass, reduces

fuel production

costs even with

CCS costs included http://mitei.mit.edu/system/files/kreutz-fischer-tropsch.pdf

canindia.com

Economics

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/liquid_trans_tech.pdf

CBTL with CCS costs less than BTL without CCS!

Conclusions

• Look at combining biomass and coal or

biomass with solar to maximize carbon

utilization

• Ethanol is a distraction!

• Electrify has much as possible

• Next SNG fuels using compressed

biomethane and liquified biomethane

THANK YOU!

://puregreencars.com/files/SunDiesel-Choren.jpg