Northern Hemisphere Progress in the Utilization of Wood for Biofuels

1
Northern Hemisphere Progress in the Utilization
of Wood for Biofuels

• Madeira 2008
• December 10, 2008
• Lynn Wright, WrightLink Consulting, Adjunct
  Faculty, University of Tennessee
• wrightlld_at_gmail.com

2
Presentation Overview

• US biofuels market/current ethanol production
• Status of cellulosic biofuels production and
  technology development
• Cost targets and current estimates of cellulosic
  biofuels costs with examples
• Feedstock supply requirements, costs, new
  technology
• Alternative advanced transportation biofuel

3
The US biofuels market is very large due to 2007
federal mandate

• The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
  Mandates
• 2008 Ethanol Production 9 Billion Gallons
• 2022 Total Biofuels Target 36 Billion Gallons
• 2022 Advanced Biofuels Target 21 Billion Gal.
• Cellulosic Biofuels target 16
  Billion Gal.

4
US ethanol production in 2008 will likely reach
close to 9 billion gallons
Feedstocks include Corn starch 99 Wheat
starch Milo starch Barley starch Cheese
whey Potato waste Brewery waste Wood waste Sugar
Cane Bagasse Two demo facilities are
currently producing up to 3 mgy of cellulosic
ethanol
Total capacity is 11,051 million gallons per year
(mgy) at 180 refineries
Source Renewable Fuels Association
www.ethanolrfa.org
5
Status of cellulosic biofuels refineries in the U
S and Canada
48 cellulosic projects total29 projects are
currently receiving US or Canadian federal and
state support as of December 2008 Both US and
Canada have recently announced new programs to
assist advanced biofuels commercialization.
Source Lynn Wright survey of biomass
information sources in 2008
6
The US and Canadian governments are strongly
supporting cellulosic biofuels
7
Three US Government Funded Bioenergy Research
Centers are addressing Biofuels Basic Science
Issues

• BioEnergy Science Center Oak Ridge National
  Laboratory and partners
• cell-wall deconstruction
• consolidated bioprocessing microbes
• poplar and switchgrass engineering

• Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center Univ. of
  Wisconsin / Michigan State University and
  partners
• new crops (e.g. Miscanthus)
• increasing plant production of starches and
  oils
• sustainable systems

• Joint BioEnergy Institute Lawrence Berkeley
  National Laboratory and partners
• rice and Arabodopsis plant models
• microbal-based synthesis of Biofuels

8
The Tennessee demonstration project is near my
home!
The feedstocks will be corn cobs, corn fiber and
switchgrass grown by Tennessee farmers
DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, LLC and the
University of Tennessee broke ground on October
14, 2008 for an innovative pilot scale
biorefinery.
Ethanol production is anticipated by end of 2009
9
Many biofuel technology processes are being used
and developed
10
US has aggressive targets for biofuels price
reduction by 2012
Biochemical biofuels costs and 2012 targets
Based on reports Aug 2008 conference, both
biochemical and thermochemical processes show
similar estimated costs in 1.50 to 2.50/gallon
range
Some companies are already claiming new
technologies with potential ethanol production
price of lt 1.00 per gallon
Graph from US National Biofuels Action Plan
published October 2008 available from
www.brdisolutions.com
11
Repurposing of existing pulp mills is one
approach being proposed
Ponderosa Mill Base Case
Biochemical Ethanol Process Substituted
Source Phillips, Jameel Clark (NC State
University), Aug 2008, TAPPI International
Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference Presentation
Technical and Economic Analysis of Repurposing a
Kraft Pulp and Paper Mill to the Production of
Ethanol
12
Ethanol production cost under best repurposing
scenario was 1.90/gal
All cases assume 0.30 enzyme cost
Source Phillips, Jameel Clark (NC State
University), Aug 2008, TAPPI International
Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference
13
Analysis of ethanol production in pulp mill with
added thermochemical processes showed similar
costs
Effect on Minimum Ethanol Selling Price (MESP)
MESP 2.21
MESP 1.89
MESP 1.57
Feedstock cost significantly affects ethanol cost
Key assumptions total alcohol yield/dry ton
92.5 gal (ethanol 78 gal higher alcohols
14.5 gal) feedstock is bark and residue of
southern pine steam from gasifier used for
pulping processes.
Source Koch et al (Georgia Institute of
Technology), August 2008, TAPPI International
Biomass and Bioenergy Conference.
14
Analysis of 3 cellulosic supply scenarios show
ethanol imports help meet 20 BGY mandate for
advanced biofuels and keep feedstock costs lower
Scenario 3
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 3 results in adequate feedstocks to meet
2022 mandate, at lowest price 45 per dry ton.
Inclusion of 4 Billion Gallons per year of
biofuel imports reduces residue use more than
energy crop production.
15
Costs and availability of forestland wood depends
on source
Most wood residue captured at lt 30/dry ton
(roadside) All types of forestland wood, is
captured at lt 50/dry ton (roadside)
Source Report by Biomass Research and
Development Board entitled Increasing Feedstock
Production for Biofuels. Released Dec 2008.
www.brdisolutions.com
16
Commercial hybrid poplar costs are within the
ranges assumed
Poplar Biomass Production Costs1
1 Growing costs reported as NPV (6.5 discount
rate) per dry ton, inclusive of the cost of land
rent, site preparation, planting stock, planting,
and crop care through the rotation
Source Report by Jake Eaton of GreenWood
Resources at Aug 2008 Short Rotation Crops
Meeting
17
New planting and harvest equipment under
development can significantly reduce cost
GPS guided, 6 row, high-speed tree planter
Whole Tree Harvester for Planted Trees
Status tested in 2007 Design improvements
ongoing.

• Cuts, accumulates loads trailer
• Cuts 1 tree/second w/o stopping
• Field transports up to 90 tons
• Travels up to 12 MPH empty
• Handles large size range of trees
• Size 50 ft long, 16 ft wide, 28 ft tall

• Tree injection operates by hydraulics
• 6 trees injected in ground every 1.5 seconds
• Optimum rate at 5ft x 5 ft spacing 8.3 ac/hr
• No. injection positions/spacing can vary

Energy Performance Systems patented
technology www.energyperformancesystems.com
Status prototype harvester fabrication nearly
complete
18
Higher yielding tree crops will increase
cost-competitive resources
19
Advanced transportation alternatives can include
electricity from biomass
Source Yang and Wyman, Aug 2008, TAPPI
International Biofuels Bioenergy Conference
20
Preliminary comparison of land-use efficiencies
of transportation options
Estimated Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) using 20
million acres of land.
1 20 million acres of land is currently used to
produce corn grain for ethanol fuels 2 Current
total vehicle miles traveled in US is 2.69
trillion
US Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
requires consideration of indirect land-use
effects
Source Draft paper by Ragland, Ostlie and Wright
entitled Electric Vehicles Compared to
Ethanol-Fueled Vehicles (paper still in review as
of Dec 2008)
21
Summary

• N.A. cellulosic biofuels market are/will be
  large. Government support strong.
• Many projects started/planned, one near
  commercial start.
• Cost range of 1.00 to 2.50/gal.
• Feedstocks include plantation grown wood
• Feedstock and equipment engineering will reduce
  plantation wood costs
• Biomass electric/ electric vehicle technology
  should be considered.

22
Obrigada! Perguntas?
Ask me later about my hybrid poplar project in
Minnesota