Renewable Chemistry An Opportunity for Brazilian Biomass Dr. Sílvio Vaz Jr. Research scientist at Embrapa Agroenergy Rio de Janeiro, October, 2017.
Outline: Brief description of Embrapa; Brief description of Embrapa Agroenergy; Renewable chemistry in Brazil; Challenges and opportunities from biomass; Generation of knowledge and technology.
EMBRAPA Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation A research branch of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture.» Created in 1973» 47 RD&I and Service Centers» 9,506 employees» 2,355 researchers» 2,061 PhDs» International Agenda: Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa» Annual Budget: US$ 1 billion Mission: To provide feasible solutions for the sustainable development of Brazilian agribusiness through knowledge and technology generation and transfer. https://www.embrapa.br/international
Embrapa Agroenergy An Embrapa s R&D center dedicated to obtain bioenergy, biofuels, renewable chemicals and materials from biomass. R&D themes: chemical and biochemical conversion routes; analytical chemistry; pretreatments; improvement of microorganisms and plants; synthetic biology; enzymes; processing engineering; energy crops; biorefineries; green chemistry. 30 research scientists (PhDs); Four laboratories: Laboratory for Chemical Processes, Laboratory for Biochemical Processes, Laboratory for Biomass Chemistry and Laboratory for Genetic and Biotechnology; Pilot-plant for scale-up; Located in Brasilia (central region), the Brazilian capital.
Facilities - Laboratory for Chemical Processes.
Research area Research scientist Contact Enzymes for biorefinery and biofuels Dr. Dasciana Rodrigues Dr. Félix Siqueira Dr. Thais Salum Dasciana.rodrigues@embrapa.br Felix.siqueira@embrapa.br Thais.salum@embrapa.br Research areas and contacts: Co-products and Dr. Simone Mendonça Simone.mendonca@embrapa.br residues Synthetic biology Dr. João Almeida Joao.almeida@embrapa.br Energy from biomass Thermochemical processes Dr. José Dilcio Jose.rocha@embrapa.br Oleaginous for Dr. Simone Fávaro Simone.favaro@embrapa.br biorefineries Microalgaes Dr. César Miranda Cesar.miranda@embrapa.br Sustainability Dr. Alexandre Cardoso Dr. Gilmar Santos Alexandre.cardoso@embrapa.br Gilmar.santos@embrapa.br Biomaterials Dr. Leonardo Leonardo.valadares@embrapa.br Valadares Analytical chemistry Dr. Sílvio Vaz Silvio.vaz@embrapa.br Renewable chemistry Green chemistry Biomass quality Dr. Patrícia Oliveira Patricia.oliveira@embrapa.br Drought resistance & lignocellulosic biomass improvement Dr. Hugo Molinari Dr. Adilson Kobayashi Hugo.molinari@embrapa.br Adilson.kobayashi@embrapa.br Microorganisms for Dr. Leia Fávaro Leia.favaro@embrapa.br biorefinery Dr. João Almeida Joao.almeida@embrapa.br Bioprocess of Dr. Silvia Belem Silvia.belem@embrapa.br fermentation (chemicals, biogas and 2G ethanol) Process development & Dr. Rossano Rossano.gambetta@embrapa.br scale-up Gambetta Plant phenotyping Dr. Carlos Antônio Carlos.antonio@embrapa.be Biomass engineering Dr. Leticia Jungman Leticia.jungmann@embrapa.br (biology)
Renewable Chemistry Chemistry from renewable resources (e.g., biomass); Substitute to oil as main feedstock in chemical industry; Less impact on environment; Strong relationship among sustainability, bioeconomy and green chemistry.
Green chemistry in Brazil 12 Principles of Green Chemistry: 7. Use of renewable feedstock A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable. Meeting of the Brazilian School on Green Chemistry. Study about opportunities for GC in the Brazilian industry (from 2010 to 2030). Book about biomass for GC (ed.: Sílvio Vaz). Dialogues Brazil-USA on Green Chemistry 2016 2017 Webnars
Brazil, a great biomass producer: Table 1. Comparative production data from Brazilian renewable agro-industrial products against the same worldwide production (FAO, 2013). Usages Biofuels Natural fibers Paper Worldwide Brazil 1.1million of ktons of oil equivalent 46 thousand of ktons of oil equivalent 28.1 million tons 210.7 million tons 1.3 million tons 4.3 million tons Brazilian Agriculture Brazilian Annual Agricultural Production (million tonnes) Grains 202 (2014/15) Meat 26 (2014) Fruit 40 (2013) Milk 37 Billion liters (2014) Brazil Numbers»World s largest exporter of beef, coffe, sugar, orange juice, ethanol, chicken and soybean in 2013.»In 2014 agribusiness exports reached US$ 96.74 billion. Contribuition of Agriculture (approximately) 25% GDP 37% Job 42% Export 63% of the Brazilian Trade Balance Source: IBGE, Conab and MDIC. Reference source: Embrapa/SNE Brazil is one of the largest global producers of biomass!
Brazilian Agriculture Main Markets Destination Source: AgroStat Brasil from data of Secex/MDIC Elaboration: CGOE/ DPI/ SRI/ MAPA *Information of 2014 have still not been published by MAPA. Good climate conditions for agriculture. Strong agrobusiness chains. A chemical industry in development (8th in the world).
Sugarcane industry: southeastern (São Paulo, Minas Gerais), midwest (Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul), northeastern (Alagoas, Pernambuco) 391 industrial plants to produce sugar, ethanol, animal feed, and bioenergy; Paper & pulp: 7 bigger producers in southeastern (São Paulo, Minas Gerais), midwest (Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul), northeastern (Bahia); Others: polymer industry, second generation ethanol, soybean, etc.
Opportunities :
and Challenges:
Renewable Chemistry from Biomass: An Example of Embrapa Agroenergy s Project The C5-AGREGA Project Use of D-xylose from Sugarcane Bagasse to Obtain High Value Renewable Compounds Objective: Evaluate routes of production of renewable strategic chemicals (building-blocks and intermediates of synthesis) for chemistry and fine chemistry from D-xylose present in sugarcane bagasse by chemical and biochemical platform. Status: running (2012 2016). The Biorefinery of Lignin Project Objective: Development of new products from kraft lignin like antioxidants and microencapsulators for semiochemicals and agrochemicals. Status: running (2014 2018).
R&D products/processes for technology transference (October, 2017): Product/process Parameter Technological readness level Process for obtaining levulinic acid from sugarcane bagasse Process for obtaining succinic acid from sugarcane bagasse Process for obtaining furfural acid from sugarcane bagasse 15% m/m (there is not yet production from C5) 72,6% m/m (against 60% m/m from literature/patent) 95% m/m (against 60% m/m from literature/patent for woody material) The proof-of-concept is ready* The proof-of-concept is ready The proof-of-concept is ready Process for obtaining xylitol from sugarcane bagasse 85% m/m (against 80% m/m from literature/patent) The proof-of-concept is ready Slow-release formulation for plague control based on kraft lignina and semiochemical cisjasmone 1 cis-jasmone: 3 lignin is the most efficient mass ratio at field conditions The proof-of-concept is ready *TRL4: the proof-of-concept technology is ready; https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/engineering/technology/txt_accordion1.html
Thank you for your kind attention! Silvio.vaz@embrapa.br