SPEAKER:	Eric D. Larson Energy Systems Analysis Group, Princeton Environmental Institute, Princeton University
TITLE:	Resource-Efficient Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels from Biomass
DATE:	October 6 2011
TIME:	10:30
PLACE:	JHE 326H

ABSTRACT

As the only carbon-bearing renewable energy source, biomass is especially valuable as a feedstock for producing low lifecycle-CO2 emission liquid transportation fuels. But potential biomass supplies are modest relative to transportation-fuel demands, so efficient use of the resource is essential to maximize benefits. Near-term process options for producing liquid hydrocarbon transportation fuels from biomass are examined.  A common feature is thermochemical gasification of the feedstock to produce a synthesis gas which is converted into liquid fuel by reaction over commercial catalysts. Fuels of interest include synthetic diesel, jet, gasoline, methanol, dimethyl ether (DME), and others. The technical and economic performance of two particularly interesting conversion pathways are described. One involves the conversion of black liquor, the lignin-rich byproduct of fiber extraction at a kraft pulp mill, to DME. The second involves co-gasification of lignocellulosic biomass with coal in plants designed to produce Fischer-Tropsch fuels (synthetic diesel and gasoline) while capturing byproduct CO2 for underground storage.  Both pathways enable production of hydrocarbon fuels with near-zero lifecycle CO2 emissions using far less biomass per unit of liquid fuel produced than for conventional biofuels.