Large scale Fischer-Tropsch diesel production opportunities and challenges to shift from black (coal) to green (biomass) Robin Zwart Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) www.ecn.nl
EU biofuels Directives and Proposals The driving force for Fischer-Tropsch diesel production 2005 2010 2015 2020 new proposal 2020 biofuels 2% 5.75% 7% 8% 15% natural gas 2% 5% 10% 10% LPG 5% H 2-2% 5% a few % Total 2% 7.75% 14% 23% > 30% 10% most recent proposal 2010 5 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Biomass availability and targets in the Netherlands PJ/y Biomass Biofuels Biomass (required) (required) (available) 912 Estimated biomass import: > 450 PJ th (hence over 15 GW th ) 450 max import inevitable 150 min 60 75 40 5 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 912 PJ in 2030 from Rabou, Deurwaarder, Elbersen, Scott: Biomass in the Dutch Energy Infrastructure in 2030, January 2006 6 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
16 GW of biomass?!? 50 MW th plants (commercial CFB, Choren β-plant) 600 MW th plants (commercial IGCC, planned Choren plant) 8 GW th plants (commercial GtL and CtL plants) IMPLEMENTATION VIA LARGE-SCALE PLANTS 7 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Biomass to liquids System line-up of Fischer-Tropsch diesel production Biosyngas off-gas Electricity (for use in plant) Biomass light product Fischer-Tropsch Diesel (ultra-pure high quality designer fuel) Pre-treatment Gasification Gas conditioning Fischer-Tropsch synthesis CC 8 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Option 1: Entrained Flow gasification High temperature (typically 1300-1500 C) Pure oxygen The ashes melt: slag Conversion: over 99% Conventional technology for coal on large-scale but: small fuel particles needed Large-scale implementation? Shift from large-scale black (coal) to green (biomass) 9 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Freiberg, Germany [Shell] Buggenum, Netherlands [Siemens] 10 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Option 2: Fluidised Bed gasification Low temperature (typically 800-900 C) Pure oxygen, steam needed as moderator No melting: dry ash Conversion: typically 95% Hardly any fuel size restrictions Technology in development but: gas contains too much CH 4, gas needs treatment Large-scale implementation? Shift from small-scale to large-scale green (biomass) 11 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
GTI pilot plant, USA VTT pilot plant, Finland Värnamo, Sweden 12 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Options summary R&D on: milling torrefaction pyrolysis advanced feeding Proven (coal) Large scale 20% E biomass installed capacity entrained flow fluidised bed time biomass pretreatment entrained flow gasifier SHORT-TERM syngas fluidised bed gasifier catalytic reforming LONG-TERM Under development Small scale 100% E biomass R&D on: tar cracking C x H y reforming deactivation 13 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Case study 10 cases Published in Energy and Fuels, 20, 2006, pp. 2192-2197 R1 Chipping Drying (7%) BCF Land transport Chips HUB Sea transport Chips ROTTERDAM Pulverizing EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R2 Chipping Drying (7%) Chips Chips Pulverizing Pyrolysis EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R3 Chipping Drying (15%) Chips Chips Torrefaction Pulverizing EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R4 Chipping Drying (15%) Chips Chips CFB EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R5 Chipping Drying (7%) Pulverizing Pelletizing Pellets Pellets Grinding EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R6 Chipping Drying (7%) Pulverizing Pelletizing Pellets Pellets Grinding Pyrolysis EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R7 Chipping Drying (15%) Pelletizing Pellets Pellets Grinding Torrefaction Pulverizing EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R8 Chipping Drying (7%) Pulverizing Pyrolysis Slurry Slurry EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R9 Chipping Drying (15%) Torrefaction Pulverizing Pelletizing Pellets Pellets Grinding EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis R10 Chipping Drying (7%) Chips Pulverizing EF 1300 C 40 bar FTsynthesis FTproduct 4 /GJ wood chips ~200 PJ/y FT products 14 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Case study Boundary conditions and assumptions (1) O 2 -blown entrained flow gasification, 40 bar Fischer-Tropsch process: - C 5+ hydrocarbons are assumed to be upgraded to products Power production/consumption included in cost calculations [Shell SCGP] 15 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Case study Boundary conditions and assumptions (2) wood-rich region sea the Netherlands wood chips in collection facility 4 /GJ collection facility (80x) hub/harbour (8x) Rotterdam (1x) ~200 PJ/y Fischer-Tropsch products in Rotterdam 200 PJ/y = 2% of EU15 fuel consumption 16 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Case study Transport Fischer-Tropsch products Wood chips Wood pellets Wood oil/char slurry Torrefied wood pellets (TOP) Publications on torrefaction (www.ecn.nl/bkm) Combined torrefaction and pelletisation: The TOP process (ECN-C--05-073) Torrefaction for entrained flow gasification of biomass (ECN-C--05-067) Torrefaction for biomass upgrading (ECN-C--05-013) green biomass waste demolition wood TOP fuel powder TOP fuel pellets 18 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Case study Resulting biomass price ( /GJ bm ) at the gate of the FT plant wood chips 7.2 /GJ bm wood pellets 7.3 /GJ bm bio-slurry 7.9 /GJ bm TOP pellets 6.7 /GJ bm FT-products --- wood-rich region sea the Netherlands 19 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Case study Fischer-Tropsch products costs 20 chips sea transport wood pellets sea transport other sea transport /GJ FT-products 15 ADV ADV slurry TOP ADV slurry TOP slurry TOP 10 slurry: pyrolysis oil/char-slurry feeding TOP: torrefied biomass powder feeding ADV: advanced FT-products 14 /GJ diesel = 0.50/ltr diesel (crude oil $ 80/barrel) 20 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Conclusions on case study the entrained flow case study: - biomass pre-treatment can significantly improve BtL economics: reduced transport costs overweigh additional capital costs - pre-treatment there (near wood source) is preferred over pre-treatment here (next to gasifier plant): making wood pellets is worthwhile, but pyrolysis or torrefaction is more attractive, but overseas Fischer-Tropsch is favorable! 22 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Conclusions in general large-scale BtL has two main technology options: - entrained flow gasification of pre-treated biomass torrefaction at ECN - fluidised bed gasification with subsequent reforming the implementation path: - entrained flow: from coal to biomass (large-scale) NUON, Elcogas? - fluidised bed: from small to large (100% biomass) the main technological challenges: - entrained flow: pre-treatment part of EU FP7 proposal - fluidised bed: catalytic reforming 23 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Short-term implementation of biosyngas The largest existing biosyngas plant 600 MW th Buggenum IGCC Co-gasification of biomass with coal (up to 20% E ) Syngas production via Entrained Flow gasification 24 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Short-term options in the Netherlands NUON Buggenum IGCC: - Shell Entrained Flow gasifier - Startup 1993 - Co-gasification up to 34% wt or 20% E of renewables - 600 MW th,input / 250 MW e, output - Currently ± 7500 hours / yr on syngas NUON Magnum IGCC: - Copy of the Buggenum IGCC - Startup 2011 - Co-gasification similar to Buggenum IGCC 1.8-7.2% of current consumption of 500 PJ - 3x600 MW th,input / 750 MW (+450 MW e, output e from natural gas) - Planned > 7500 hours / yr on syngas 2011 Biobased FT diesel potential: - 7.3 PJ (based on proven co-gasification percentages) - 36.3 PJ (based on maximum capacity available) 25 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl
Thank you for your attention ECN For more information, please contact: Ir. Robin Zwart phone +31 224 56 4574 fax +31 224 56 8487 email zwart@ecn.nl ECN Publications can be found on: www.ecn.nl/en/bkm Visit also: Phyllis - internet database for biomass, coal, and residues: www.phyllis.nl Thersites internet model for tar dewpoint calculations: www.thersites.nl 26 2nd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL technologies ( 8th - 12th May 2007 ) www.ecn.nl