A European Integrated Project supported through the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development

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1 BIOmass for the market competitive and environmentally friendly SYNthesis of bio-products together with the production of secondary energy carriers through the biorefinery approach. The need for renewable energy sources is rapidly growing in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance the security of supply. Biomass is a versatile and abundant resource that can fulfil a substantial share of this growing demand. The BIOSYNERGY project aims to use BIOmass for SYNthesis processes (transportation fuels, platform chemicals) and energy production (power, CHP) by application of innovative, fully integrated, synergistic biorefinery concepts, using advanced fractionation and conversion processes, and combining biochemical and thermochemical pathways. BIOSYNERGY works towards contributing to the sustainable management of Europe s natural resources and their integration with human activities, specifically in the bioenergy, biofuels and chemical industry. The project will be instrumental in the establishment of facilities for integrated co-production of bulk chemicals, specialty chemicals, biofuels and energy from a range of biomass feedstocks in Europe. This document provides a text and stills image version of the Biosynergy video that can be viewed by visiting or A European Integrated Project supported through the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development

2 The opportunities and challenges for biomass World demand for energy, chemicals, materials and products is increasing every year. Current production systems and consumption patterns are unsustainable, and so the global challenge is to meet demand through increasingly sustainable sources. To this end, we believe biomass has a unique role to play. How can biomass help? Biomass is a sustainable source of resources that can be pre-treated, converted and refined, to produce fuel chemicals for product manufacture heat and electricity.

3 The benefits of harnessing biomass The benefits of harnessing biomass are immense. For a start, it will invigorate farming and rural communities. It will reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, it will encourage biodiversity and sustainability and will improve the security of energy and fuel supplies. What is biomass? Under the biomass umbrella is a wide array of organic sources, including willow, straw, miscanthus grass, residue from forest management and even the byproducts of manufacturing, such as food or sawmill waste. These sources can be harvested by felling, chipping, combine-harvesting, cutting and clearance. Once harvested, they then need transporting to where they can be pre-treated.

4 Biomass processing There are two main routes when it comes to processing biomass; either biological or thermo-chemical. These processes are at the core of the Biosynergy project which the European Commission has sponsored. Biological processing Thermo-chemical processing Hydrolysis Fermentation Purification Ethanol and other products Power, heat, biofuels and chemicals Biological processing Hydrolysis The biological process firstly involves pre-treatment, in which the biomass is received, handled, stored, dried and reduced in size. Fermentation Purification Ethanol, lignin and other products

5 Biological processing (continued) Hydrolysis Hemi-cellulose and cellulose are converted by a process of hydrolysis, using acid or enzymes. Fermentation Purification Ethanol, lignin and other products Hydrolysis This creates sugars, which are fermented to produce a dilute product, from which ethanol is separated. Fermentation Purification Ethanol The ethanol produced can then be used as a fuel in its own right, a fuel additive, an industrial solvent or processed as a petrochemical to produce other specialty and commodity chemicals, which can be used to make a wide range of consumer products. Hydrolysis A byproduct of hydrolysis is lignin, which is used in the production of specialty and commodity chemicals. Fermentation Purification Lignin

6 Thermo-chemical processing The thermo-chemical process is different in that high temperatures are involved, but again involves pre-treatment in which the biomass is received, handled, stored, dried and reduced in size. Power, heat, biofuels and chemicals It then goes through one of three different types of thermo-chemical processing: combustion, gasification or pyrolysis. Power, heat, biofuels and chemicals Combustion is used to generate heat, which produces steam and this in turn drives turbines to generate power. Power and heat

7 Thermo-chemical processing (continued) Gasification turns biomass into fuel gas or synthesis gas: fuel gas is used to generate power and heating, while synthesis gas is used to manufacture synthetic transport fuels and bulk chemicals, which can then be refined to produce specialty chemicals such as polymers, used in the manufacture of consumer goods. Power, heat, biofuels and chemicals Pyrolysis encompasses a number of varying processes: fast pyrolysis produces high yields of a high energy liquid that is cost efficient to handle and transport. This can be used directly for heat and power; or to produce chemicals, such as adhesive resins for wood panels. It can also be processed further by gasification. Power, heat, biofuels and chemicals Low temperature pyrolysis, or torrefaction, also prepares biomass for gasification, and improves its quality. Various other forms of pyrolysis, intermediate and slow pyrolysis, also produce gas, liquids and solids, that can be used in analogous applications such as acetic acid production. Power, heat, biofuels and chemical

8 What are biomass-derived products? So what do these conversion and upgrading processes actually produce? For a start, they produce heat and power either for industrial and domestic use or for use in the biomass conversion and upgrading processes. Secondly, they produce transport fuels, either by blending bioethanol with fuel or using it as a fuel in its own right, or by using hydrocarbons to produce synthetic diesel and gasoline. Thirdly, they produce specialty and commodity chemicals, which can be used to manufacture a wide range of products for use in industry and, ultimately, in consumer goods. How will the most be made of biomass? It s essential that we get the most effective output from processing biomass and to achieve this, we need to look at integrating the biomass processes in order to optimise the range of products they generate. In essence, this means developing integrated biorefineries capable of producing a similar range of products to those produced by conventional petrochemical refineries. Biorefinery Options

9 Developing cost-competitive concepts The concepts we develop for biorefineries also need to be as cost-competitive as possible, and this can be achieved by optimising usage of all the biomass components. One aim is a design for an integrated lignocellulose biorefinery, based on the straw-based bioethanol demonstration plant of Abengoa Bioenergy in Salamanca, Spain. An example is provided in this diagram. At present, we are evaluating five different methods of straw pretreatment for the production of fermentable sugars, each differing in performance and cost. The optimal process will depend on the processing destination of the fractions and the envisaged end-products. As well as producing ethanol by fermentation, we are also investigating other biochemical processes that can produce acetone, butanol and other platform chemicals.

10 Developing cost-competitive concepts (continued) Another idea is the development of thermo-chemical conversion integrated with separation technologies. For example, thermal conversion by gasification produces synthesis gas, which can be converted into ethanol, methanol, diesel and gasoline. Thermal conversion by pyrolysis produces a liquid oil, which can be used as an energy carrier that can be upgraded into refinery feedstock material for the production of transport fuels, and can be used as a source of commodity and specialty chemicals. A key byproduct from bioethanol production is lignin and we are investigating this as a feedstock for resins and phenol for polymer synthesis, while potential chemicals from the hemicellulose fraction include surfactants and furfural. At present, we are evaluating all these process concepts, in order to identify the most promising biorefinery chains - in terms of performance, energy efficiency, environmental performance, cost and socio-economic contribution. This will entail several of the best performing biorefinery processes being tested at pilot plant scale.

11 The challenges ahead It all sounds workable, but there are a number of challenges ahead if we are to seriously consider biomass as a sustainable energy source for the future. For example, where do we source biomass without damaging local economies and areas set aside for food production and feedstock? How do we reduce processing costs? And how do we integrate products into the supply chain and get them to consumers? How do we go about producing multiple products, making the whole process more cost-efficient? And what is the overall lifecycle impact taking into account use of land, cost of processing, the carbon footprint and the socio-economic benefits? These are the challenges Biosynergy needs to overcome if we are to optimise the range of products that can be derived from a biorefinery and provide future generations with a viable and sustainable biomass resource.

12 The Biosynergy consortium consists of 17 complementary partners with a high level of industrial participation. There are 3 companies, 8 research institutes, 2 universities and 4 SMEs. Each is a market leader in their respective fields of innovative technology development and implementation. Biosynergy has a total budget of 13.4 million Euros, an EU grant of 7 million Euros and is coordinated by the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands. Biosynergy Partners Abengoa Bioenergía Nuevas Tecnologías (ABNT) Spain Agro Industrie Recherches et Développements (ARD) France Aston University United Kingdom BTG Biomass Technology Group Netherlands Biorefinery.de Germany Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) Greece Chimar Hellas S.A. Greece Compañía Española de Petróleos (CEPSA) Spain DOW Benelux B.V. Netherlands Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) Netherlands Główny Instytut Górnictwa (GIG) Poland IE - Joint Research Centre (JRC) Netherlands ie.jrc.ec.europa.eu IFP - Institut Français du Pétrole France JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbh Austria VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Finland WUR Food and Biobased Research Netherlands Delft University of Technology (TUD) Netherlands Biosynergy is an EC sponsored integrated project with the overall objective to: Develop technologies and designs for innovative biorefinery processes. These will produce chemicals, materials, transport fuels, power and/or CHP. Both biochemical and thermochemical pathways are being developed as integrated biomass-to-product chains and are being tested from laboratory scale to pilot-scale demonstration in order to make bioethanol production more cost competitive. European Commission Contract No: SES 6 This literature is printed on 100% recycled paper. Biosynergy literature and video designed and produced by Glued Limited.