Biomass Energy Alternatives The production and application of pyrolysis oils in the forest products industry Presented by: Colin McKerracher DynaMotive Energy Systems 2006 Forum on Energy: Immediate Solutions, Emerging Technologies May 15-17 Appleton, WI
Biomass to Play a Key Role in Energy Sector US Market: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Report: 1 billion dry tons of biomass Potential to displace 30 percent of nation's petroleum consumption Path to greater energy security/independence
Biomass to Energy Industry Overview Application Summary Advantages Disadvantages Pyrolysis Thermal decomposition of biomass at high temperature in the absence of air to produce BioOil & char. Variety of abundant feedstocks Replace or blend with conventional fuels Derivative products Emerging technology Direct and Cofiring Biomass fired in boilers to produce steam for process heat or electricity generation Low capital costs Offset fossil fuel usage High particulate emissions Low efficiency Large volumes needed Gasification Conversion of biomass to medium or lowcalorific gas used in combined cycle power generation. High capacity factor Proven track record High capital costs Large scale only Transportation of end product Ethanol Production Fermentation of sugars from carbohydrates of agricultural crops and cellulosic residues. Blends with conventional fuels Production currently in place Proven track record High capital costs Large scale only Expensive biomass
Biomass to BioOil The Fast Pyrolysis Process Fast Pyrolysis: Rapid heating of biomass in the absence of oxygen. Two commercial products produced: BioOil (yield 55 73%) Char (yield 15 25%)
Characteristics of BioOil Clean burning, CO 2 neutral alternative to fossil fuels: No SO x Emissions Low NO x Emissions Transportable and storable Produced from non-depleting agricultural and forest biomass
Characteristics of BioOil Comparison of BioOil to fossil fuels: Fuel Specific Gravity Energy High Heating Value Light Fuel Oil 0.82 46 MJ/kg 19,800 BTU/lb Heavy Fuel Oil 0.99 42 MJ/kg 18,050 BTU/lb Diesel 0.84 46 MJ/kg 19,800 BTU/lb Natural Gas N/A 38.1 MJ/m 3 1,020 BTU/ft 3 Bit Coal N/A 34.8 MJ/kg 15,000 BTU/lb BioOil 1.2 15 20 MJ/kg 6,500 8,500 BTU/lb Char N/A 23 32 MJ/kg 10,000 13,800 BTU/lb
Characteristics of BioOil Yields from various tested biomass feedstocks: BioOil Yield (wt%) Char Yield (wt%) NCG Yield (wt%) BioOil Energy (GJ/ton) 100% white wood 70 18 12 17.4 75/25 white wood/bark 64.5 22 13.5 17.2 50/50 white wood/bark 63 23 14 16.9 100% bark 58 27 15 16.5 Bagasse 68 20 12 16.7 Corn Stover 70 15.7 14.3 17.5 Wheat straw 58 18 24 16.5
BioOil Applications Base Fuel Boilers, Lumber / Lime Kilns, Diesel and Turbine Engines Examples of Tested Applications Alcoa Aluminum Plant: Boilers and furnaces Great Lakes Greenhouses Inc: Burner Oil CanFor: Lumber Kiln applications Top Gro Greenhouse: Hot water fire tube boiler Magellan Aerospace Corp, Orenda industrial: Turbine (CHP) Fuel Blend Ethanol, Methanol and Diesel Creation of Derivative Fuels Bio Methanol, Syngas, Synthetic Diesel Specialty Products or Chemicals
BioOil is an Effective Replacement for Natural Gas in Lime Kilns Tests conducted at the University of BC. Product lime showed same extent of calcination for BioOil and NG Equivalent thermal performance for BioOil and NG. Lime Reactivity not affected SEM micrographs of the lime products for BioOil and natural gas No SOx and low NOx emissions
BioOil is an Effective Replacement for Natural Gas in Lumber Kilns Two loads of lumber tested- 168,000 fbm each Initial moisture content: 42% and 56% Final moisture content: 12.8% and 15.4% 18,488kg of BioOil burned Low CO and NOx emissions Instant ignition of BioOil Stable and complete combustion
Benefits of BioOil Eliminate disposal costs and reduce environmental impact Convert biomass residue into an asset while creating a renewable energy reserve. Reduce transportation costs Establish green credit pipeline Provide energy security and hedge price and supply volatility
Char Applications Briquette Manufacturing Activated Carbon Manufacture of Black Powder Steel/Metallurgical Char Pellets Synthesis Gas Production/Gasification BioOil Production
BioOil Production Costs Production Costs + Amortization + Royalties ($/BOE) 40 35 30 25 20 Cost of $10/ Bio Mass bdt per Tonne $ 0/ bdt $20/bdt $10/bdt $0/bdt 15 10 5 0 100 tpd 200 tpd 400tpd Note: bdt = Bone Dry Tonne
Pyrolysis Technology Scale up Stages BENCH BENCH SCALE SCALE 2 2 tonnes tonnes per per day day Scaled up 7 times PILOT PILOT SCALE SCALE 15 15 tonnes tonnes per per day day Scaled up 7 times COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL DEMONSTRA DEMONSTRA TION TION SCALE SCALE 100 100 tonnes tonnes per per day day Scaled up 2 times COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL 200 200 tonnes tonnes per per day day 1994/2000 1994/2000 2000/01 2000/01 2004/05 2004/05 2005 2005 Completed Completed Proven Proven & & Decommissio Decommissio ned ned includes includes 2.5 2.5 Megawatt Megawatt Cogeneration Cogeneration Facility Facility Currently Currently in in Fabrication Fabrication 1994-1999 2000-2001 2004-2005 2005
100 Tonnes per Day Commercial Demonstration Plant Located at Erie Wood Flooring Worlds Largest BioOil Fired Co-generation Plant 100 Tpd of Biomass Input 68 Tpd BioOil Output Grid Connected 2.5MW Turbine Running on BioOil Electricty and BioOil: EcoLogo Certified
Pyrolysis As Part Of The Biomass Refinery regional pyrolysis plants other slurries pulverised coal large central pressurised entrained flow gasification syngas cleaning and conditioning synthesis slurry transport by rail straw ~200 000 t/a area radius ~ 3000 km 2 ~30 km
PRESENTED BY Colin McKerracher DynaMotive Energy Systems Corp. Colin.Mckerracher@dynamotive.com Thank You