Seaweed Biorefinery: towards third generation biobased fuels and chemicals

Transcription

1 Seaweed Biorefinery: towards third generation biobased fuels and chemicals Jaap W. van Hal Presented at the European Algae Biomass Conference, April 2012, London, United Kingdom ECN-L July 2012

2 Seaweed Biorefinery: towards third generation biobased fuels and chemicals Jaap W. van Hal

3 Parts of seaweed plant Blade Stipe Holdfast

4 Does not compete with food

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6 No land use issues

7 Bio-Offshore Seaweed cultivation area km 2 (<10 % of the NL area of the North km 2 ) Integration with off-shore wind parks & (other) aquaculture operations Energy potential up to 350 PJth (25 Mton dry biomass per year) ECN-C

8 Why seaweeds Does not compete with food Does not compete with any other land use Grows in cold seawater The fastest growing biomass at our latitude - The Netherlands is as far north as New Foundland Biochemical composition: complementary (for fuel/chemicals production) to micro-algae - Comprised of carbohydrates, protein and ash

9 Foto: M. Bartosch

10 Petten: energy research campus JRC-IE (275) NRG (370) COVIDIEN (290) ECN (570)

11 R&D units Biomass and Energy Efficiency Solar energy Wind energy Policy Studies

12 Sustainable energy technology to the market Bivkin, gasifier Olga, tar removal Green Gas and CHP (Milena, Olga) Torrefaction demo and commercialisation Marga aerosol and gas sampler Automatic Colum leaching test

13 National research project: seaweed biorefinery (EOS LT 08027) ECN (Project coordinator) - Irish Seaweed Center Wageningen University Food and Biobased Research (WUR-FBR) Wageningen University Plant Research International (WUR-PRI) ATO-NH (Technology transfer company) Process Groningen BV (Digestion) Project until

14 Is a biorefinery worth it?

15 Conceptual Process Fucoidan Sugars Mannitol Raw Seaweed Processing Primary Biorefinery Proteins Alginate Furanics Minerals Laminarin Butanol

16 Process synthesis To determine the maximum allowable raw material cost Compare different biorefinery options Identify profit drivers Methodology - Determine market value of potential products - Determine mass balance - Estimate CAPEX and OPEX - Estimate gross revenue per product - Evaluate market size vs plant output

17 Three Cases Estimated Full biorefinery Alginate only Simplified biorefinery

18 Product Spectrum Product Estimated Value ( /ton, 2010) Mannitol (as sorbitol) 1,500 Fumaric acid (as adipic acid) 1,600 Fucoidan (as detergent) 2,900 1-Butanol (chemical grade) 1,200 Ethanol (fuel grade) 600 Protein 1,000 Fertilizer (as ore) 350 Furanics 800 Alginates 3,000

19 Profit Drivers (for a 330 kta plant) Product Kta % of gross Mannitol % Fucoidan % Butanol % Ethanol % Fumaric acid % Protein % Fertilizer 77 12% Furanics 52 17%

20 Maximum raw materials cost (Euro/ton d.w. seaweed Maximum Raw materials cost vs. Pay Out Times Pay Out Time (Years) Full Biorefinery simplified biorefinery Alginate Production

21 SBIR EOS LT Precultivation on Land Planting at Sea Cultivation Harvesting Transport Primary Bio- Refinery Secondary Bio-refinery Products and Energy

22 Offshore Seaweed Cultivation Project The Ecofys Test Module

23 Design of the test module 1 ECOFYS

24 Location of the test module ECOFYS

25 Seaweed species native to the North Sea Laminaria saccharina Laminaria digitata Laminaria hyperborea (Perez) Ulva sp. Alaria esculenta (Irish Seaweed Centre) Palmaria palmata (AWI)

26 Rehydrated Laminaria

27 Sugar % Laminaria Digitata 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Mannitol Laminarin

28 Fractionation Water + Seaweed Optional Catalyst T: C t: 10 min-4 h Liquid:Solid = 0-10% Cat: none or acid Liquid Solid After reaction, separation by centrifugation (10 min, 4000 rpm) and separation of the phases

29 Digestion results 450% Normalized methane production 400% 350% 300% 250% 200% 150% 100% 50% 0% Microalgae Seaweed low Seaweed high Cow manure Whole sugar beet Normalized methane production

30 Summary Large potential for using seaweed as sustainable biomass supply Seaweed farm (1 km 2 ) for rent (noordzeeboerderij) Seaweed is a excellent source of (specialty) carbohydrates Seaweeds digests well (to methane) Seaweed carbohydrates can be fermented to chemicals and fuels Selective extraction of carbohydrate molecules appears technically feasible

31 Question? Further information Jaap W. van Hal The Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (ECN) Biomass, coal and environmental research Transportation fuels and chemical P.O. Box 1, 1755 ZG Petten +31-(0)

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33 Seaweed biorefinery process concept Sugars Fermentation Energy Carriers Raw Seaweed Processing Primary Biorefinery Proteins Chemical Conversion Bulk Chemicals Residues Minerals Energy Conversion

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