BIO-COMMODITY REFINING:

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1 BIO-COMMODITY REFINING: A MULTI FEEDSTOCK, MULTIPRODUCT BIOREFINERY CONCEPT Michael J. O DONOHUE FP7 GRANT AGREEMENT N

2 A 4-YEAR EU PROJECT The consortium 25 Partners 13 Countries 5 SMEs 4 MNI 2000 person-months The coordinator Michael O DONOHUE INRA Project cost Full budget EU contribution

3 BIOREFINING: TODAY S CHALLENGES Concerns about biomass availability Increasing competitive uses Public defiance with regard to 1 st generation biorefining LUC and a growing world population Obsessive focus on glucose or glucocentric technologies 2 nd generation biorefining cannot rely on the simple equation: plant biomass=cellulose=glucose Advanced biorefineries are expnsive 2 nd G biorefineries cost alot in CAPEX terms (mostly > 100 million) Long term return on investment requires certainties about biomass availability Oil and gas are still competitive (World) Oil per toe; Gas per toe Biomass per toe 3

4 BIOCORE: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES BIOCORE is an advanced biorefinery process Uses a variety of lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks Produces a variety of products, from energy and chemicals to food ingredients Optimize process and product integration and revenues Maximizes the use of biomass, water and utilities Uses all major components to best of ability 4 4

5 THE BIOCORE CONCEPT AND BOUNDARY ASSUMPTIONS Regional territory Biomass Power Fuel Water Inputs Biorefinery CHP Residues Fertilizer Conditioning Pretreatment/fractionation Xylose Glucose Lignin Manufacturing Conversion 2015 and year payback Xylose-based Glucose-based Lignin-based 150 kt (dry) per product 1 product 1 product 1 annum No imported biomass Xylose-based product 2 Glucose-based product 2 Lignin-based product per tonne Xylose-based Glucose-based Lignin-based for lignin product n product n product n 5

6 AT THE HEART OF THE CONCEPT: ORGANOSOLV REFINING +H 2 O +Peracids/H 2 O 2 +H 2 O 2 /NaOH 6

7 WHAT WAS ACHIEVED IN BIOCORE? An analysis of how biorefineries can be inserted into real environments Case studies rolled out in 5 regions The development and trialing (up to pilot scale) of technologies Biomass cracking, or pretreatment, technologies Biotechnologies Chemistry The production of complex process designs using new methods Explore unit operation integration and product synergies An extensive sustainability analysis of the BIOCORE concept Notably environmental and economic performance indicators that supply clues about how to go forward 7

8 What was achieved in BIOCORE? A FEW HIGHLIGHTS 8

9 BIOCORE CASE STUDIES Rice Hardwood Wheat and barley Maize, wheat, barley 9

10 BIOCORE CASE STUDIES Transport and logistics Policy frameworks Local social impacts and stakeholder interest Local environmental impacts Local biomass availability and uses 10

11 WHAT WAS LEARNED? 11

12 WHAT WAS LEARNED? All regions had enough biomass to sustain biorefining in 2015 But this will be reduced in 2025 Some regions have quite low biomass availability and thus feedstock flexibility will be a huge advantage Biomass transport is a major cost driver Regions with best infrastructures including rail and waterways perform best Most scenarios predicted mostly negative local environmental impacts In India the outcome was positive In Europe in some places LUC can have positive as well negative impacts Local stakeholders are genrally supportive of biorefining Source of local jobs and better revenues 12

13 BIOCORE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: SOME FINDINGS The old adage you can make everything out of lignin except money is untrue The CIMV lignin was used as: A phenol substitute in phenol-formaldehyde resins An active charge in PU resins A raw material to make liquid polyols for PU foams Higher electrical resistance Lower formaldehyde emissions Higher dimensional stability and lower flammability Rigid PU foams Biobased phenol-formaldehyde resins wood panels PU elastomer coatings 13

14 BIOCORE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: SOME FINDINGS Sugars could be used to make energy and chemicals The CIMV cellulose was readily hydrolyzed, providing fermentable glucose for Ethanol production Itaconic acid production The C5 syrup was a tougher problem, but shows potential for furfural production or as a fermentation feedstock Phthalate-free Bio-ethanol for fuel or PVC Itaconic acid for alkyd coatings 14

15 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR BIOCORE Environmental assessment Screening LCA Local Environmental assessment Economics Market analysis and manufacturing costs Social LCA Including policy and legal considerations 15

16 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR BIOCORE: A BRIEF SUMMARY Climate change SHF ethanol Ethanol to PVC Ethanol / ethanol Xyl / IA Xyl / ethanol Xyl / PVC Advantages Disadvantages t CO 2 eq. / t biomass (dry) -1-0,8-0,6-0,4-0,2 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 Environmental benefits can be achieved, but The CIMV refinery process is energy-intense Process integration (esp. heat) is necessary Depends on the product portfolio Lignin must not be used for heat and power Biomass use must be maximal Small C1/C2 molecules do not perform well 16

17 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR BIOCORE: A BRIEF SUMMARY Climate change Advantages Disadvantages Wheat straw Hardwood Bioref.: Xyl / IA Combustion CHP Synfuel Bioref.: Xyl / IA Combustion CHP Synfuel t CO 2 eq. / t biomass (dry) BIOCORE biorefining can potentially be better than other biomass uses For best results strong process optimization is required Performance also depends on biomass chosen 17

18 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR BIOCORE: A BRIEF SUMMARY No accurate economic evaluation methods available Current methods are adapted to oil/gas industry A short-cut method developed CAPEX is Mn for 150 kt capacity 18

19 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR BIOCORE: A BRIEF SUMMARY A few biorefinery schemes are able to generate profits Especially in India at 500 kt scale (scale-up effect) Limited scope to achieve an internal rate of return of 25% When dimensioned for 150 kt and using currently available data Green premiums can help to achieve 25% IRR target For BIOCORE products premiums would be lower than the current bioethanol subsidy level 19

20 CONCLUSIONS The BIOCORE biorefinery, producing nonenergetic products from lignocellulosics, looks very attractive Proven feedstock flexibility A wide range of high performance products Encouraging environmental and economic assessment results Advanced biorefineries could get the ball rolling by offering higher revenues allowing technologies to mature 20

21 CONCLUSIONS All biomass uses should be put on a level playing field Obeys the logic of cascading or carbon first approach Subsidies would be beneficial for first of kind BIOCORE biorefineries Green premiums for products or subsidies? Even better: products with new properties that provide competitive edge and add value Final take-home message Oil refining is a good paradigm for biomass refining, but Biomass is NOT oil 21

22 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 22

23 Thank you for your attention Check out the BIOCORE website for upcoming public release of results: BIOCORE received funding from the European Union s Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no FP