1. Doubling of synthetic biofuel
production with hydrogen
from renewable energy
Dr. Ilkka Hannula & Esa Kurkela
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
2. Carbon Capture and Storage Program (CCSP)
• Target: technological readiness for pilots and demonstrations by the end of
the program
• 17 industrial partners, 9 research partners, 1.1.2011 – 31.10.2016
– Volume: 15 M€
• Key focus areas:
– Carbon capture and storage (CCS) in CHP systems
– CCS related to multi-fuel and Bio-CCS
– Solid looping technologies (e.g. CLC)
– Overcoming non-technical barriers for CCS
– Monitoring technologies
– Mineral carbonation
• Close collaboration with IEA GHG,
NORDICCS, Swedish CCS Project
(Bastor2), Bastor, BASREC
• Participation in IEA GHG, IEA CCS,
ZEP, EERA CCS, ENeRG, CGS
Europe, International Gas Union
4. 4
Biomass gasification for fuels and chemicals
PEAT AMMONIA PLANT
OULU, FINLAND
SYNGAS R&D FOR BIOFUELS
o GASIFICATION PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
o CATALYTIC REFROMING
o FINAL GAS CLEANING
o TESTING OF SYNTHESIS CATALYSTS
GASIFICATION
R&D AND PILOTING
USA, GERMANY,
SWEDEN, FINLAND
2010 2015 20201985 2005 203020001995 2025
BIO-DME PLANT
PITEÅ, SWEDEN
GTI PILOT, USA
NSE BIOFUELS, FINLAND
BIO-FUELS AND
CHEMICALS
o DIESEL, MeOH, DME,
SNG, H2, GASOLINE
o OLEFINS, OTHER CHEMICALS
o FOREST & AGRO-INDUSTRY
INTEGRATION
o INTEGRATION TO HEAT
AND POWER
o INTEGRATION TO SOLAR &
WIND ENERGY
o NEW WASTE-TO-FUEL
CONCEPTS
SKIVE CHP, DENMARK
CEGABTL 2015 - 2017
o IMPROVED LARGE-SCALE
GASIFICATION PROCESS
o NEW PROCESSES FOR SMALLER SCALE
o SIMPLER, CHEAPER GAS CLEANING
o NEW CONCEPTS FOR INTEGRATED
PRODUCTION OF FUELS, POWER AND HEAT
5. 504/11/2015 5
*Source: Wasted - Europe’s untapped resource,
http://europeanclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WASTED-final.pdf
Sustainably available residues and waste
in the EU in 2030*
“If all the sustainably available
residues and wastes would be
converted only to biofuels, it
could supply 16 % of the
transportation fuel need in
the EU in 2030
(technical potential).”
6. Solar insolation greatly exceeds our needs!
More energy from sunlight strikes the Earth in one hour
(4.3 × 1020 J) than all the energy consumed on the planet in a year
(4.1 × 1020 J).
This theoretical potential could be used to generate
15 TW of low-carbon power from 10 %-efficient
solar-conversion systems covering 0.17%
of the earth’s surface area
This is roughly 2.5 times the
land area of Finland
7. Base case layout for
synthetic biofuels
production allows:
• 50 – 60 % fuel
efficiency and
• up to 80 % overall
efficiency.
These numbers are
among the best in the
industry.
GASIFICATION SYNTHESISGAS CLEAN-UP UPGRADING
Biomass
residues
Synthetic
fuel
CO2
8. Despite the high energy efficiency, more than half of feedstock carbon is
rejected from the process, as there is not enough hydrogen to convert it
into fuels.
The traditional conversion route is therefore hydrogen constrained.
9. Feed carbon
Surplus carbon
Feed hydrogen
Biomass
feedstock
However, by adding hydrogen from external source, the surplus
carbon could be hydrogenated to fuel as well.
Fuel
10. Feed carbon
Surplus carbon
External hydrogen
Feed hydrogen
Biomass
feedstock
However, by adding hydrogen from external source, the surplus
carbon could be hydrogenated to fuel as well.
Fuel
11. Feed carbon
Fuel
Surplus carbon
External hydrogen
Feed hydrogen
FuelBiomass
feedstock
However, by adding hydrogen from external source, the surplus
carbon could be hydrogenated to fuel as well.
13. Implications:
- Only methane and methanol have reaction route via CO2
- More H2 is required to produce one mole of fuel from CO2 than from CO
- CO2 has higher activation energy than CO
- Byproduct water from CO2 hydrogenation inhibits methanol catalysts
CO
Fuel
CO2
H2
H2
Biomass
feedstock
Fuel
14. Despite challenges related to CO2 hydrogenation, the potential
increase in fuel output is significant.
Fuel
CO
H2
CO2
Biomass
feedstock
H2
15. O2
Despite challenges related to CO2 hydrogenation, the potential
increase in fuel output is significant.
Fuel
Conversion
CO
H2
CO2
Biomass
feedstock
H2
Low-C
electricity
Electrolysis
Conversion
23. SUMMARY: Hydrocarbon output from
100 MW biomass input
”Biomass only” pathway:
• 52 MW of gasoline
• 31 % carbon utilisation
Bioenergy with hydrogen supplement:
• 134 MW of gasoline
• 79 % carbon utilisation
-------> 134 / 52 = 2.6 fold increase in output!
24. Take-home messages
• With proper integration, biomass residues can be converted to
biofuels and heat at ~80 % overall thermal efficiency
• Still, more than half of biomass carbon not utilised at all in fuel
production
• Renewable and sustainable carbon a scarce resource globally
• Combining the vast resources of wind and solar with bioenergy
can effectively more than double biomass ”availability”
• Significant impact to sustainability issues as well?
• Cost will remain as an issue. However, hydrogen enhanced
biofuels likely to be the least cost method for large scale
decarbonisation of the hydrocarbon supply system?
25. Thank you for your attention!
http://www.cleen.fi/en/ccsp
