Biomass Quality Standard Gaps in the Biofuels Sector and Activities to Address

Biomass Quality Standard Gaps in the Biofuels Sector and Activities to Address BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology July 26, 2017 Stu Porter

Biomass Quality Standards The BQNC (Biomass Quality Network Canada) undertook a study to assess the current standards for the four sectors of Biofuels, Bioenergy, Biomaterials and Biochemicals The purpose of this study was to build a library of biomass based standards for these four sectors and to identify gaps in these four sectors that the BQNC may be able to seek to address

Biomass Quality Standards Study Each of the four sectors of biochemicals, biofuels, bioenergy and bioproducts, standards such as ASTM, CGSB, ISO and CEN were researched and complied The resulting BQNC database can be searched by standard or keyword for standards on biomass for each of the four sectors biochemicals, bioenergy, biofuels and biomaterials

Biofuels Standards Gap Assessment There are no gaps in biofuels standards or specifications. Biofuels standards will continue to evolve as new testing instruments are introduced and the existing specifications will continue to evolve as new regulations and changes in engine technology are introduced. In terms of the biofuels produced, those standards and specifications are well developed due to an established market both in Canada and the USA and internationally.

Biofuels Standards Gap Assessment In terms of characterization of biomass for cellulosic biofuels, the ASTM E48 Committee has some biomass characterization standards and NREL has characterization standards Technologies seeking to utilize biomass for biofuels typically either use the ASTM or the NREL biomass characterization lab standards However, it was identified that there would be benefit in developing an NIR model to correlate some of this characterization testing since the characterization methods are time and labour intensive

Biofuels Standards Gap Assessment The BQNC Biofuels Committee undertook a project to develop a method for characterizing biomass potentially for biofuel applications by correlating near-infrared (NIR) spectra with results derived from conventional wet chemical methods In Phase I of this project BQNC member Sherbrooke University was contracted to do characterization testing on 12 biomass samples and also performed NIR analysis on the samples For each biomass, moisture, ash, lignin, alphacellulose, holocellulose and lignin contents were determined by gravimetric methods

Project Summary For this year in Phase II of the project the BQNC will license a biomass database from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that will provide the data needed to develop a robust NIR model The 12 characterized samples and corresponding NIR spectra that were analyzed will be used in conjunction with the NREL data for the formation of a BQNC NIR spectroscopic model for characterizing biomass relevant to biofuels and biochemicals

NIR spectrum of the original grinded biomass, Switch grass

NIR spectrum of the alpha-cellulose, Switch grass

NIR spectrum of the holocellulose, Switch grass

NIR spectrum of the lignin, Switch grass

Next Steps BQNC will receive the spectra and the primary analytical chemical analyses, which should enable the development of a model for any (or all) of the parameters Data includes corn stover (70), miscanthus (38), switchgrass (20) and a variety of perennial cool season grasses (58, including wheat straw, wild rye, brome, and fescue The critical parameters of most interest would be glucan, xylan, lignin, ash, and total extractives The next level of priority would include protein, then the minor structural sugars (arabinan, galactan)

Questions? sporter@biofuelsconsulting.ca