Wetterlund, Elisabeth (MSc. in Chemistry with a focus on Eco-technology, Borås University College,
2005)
Accepted for postgraduate studies and into the Energy Systems Programme May 2006
Project title: Thermal biofuel gasification as part of the energy system
Background
Biofuels are currently considered one of the foremost means of reducing climate effects from the
transportation sector. First-generation biofuels (ethanol derived mainly from corn or sugar cane,
biodeisel from vegetable oils, and biogas) are being used at present. These fuels are of limited
potential in terms of carbon reduction. The second generation of biofuels is being developed, using
wood fuel as the raw material (gasification of chips or black liquor followed by synthesis into, for
example, DME, methanol or synthetic diesel, or ethanol from cellulose).
There are high hopes that these fuels will be able to contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. A substantial portion of the energy content of the raw materials is left behind in the
form of waste heat and residual products in connection with the production of second-generation fuels.
At the same time, biofuel represents a limited resource that is in demand in many different sectors.
Project description
My research focuses on technologies for gasifying solid biomass, mainly forest raw materials.
Various gasification applications will be studied to determine how they can interact at the local and
regional levels with other parts of the energy system (industry and/or buildings) with a view to
improving energy efficiency. I am studying various system solutions to determine how material and
energy flows can be utilised as efficiently as possible. For instance, I am studying gasification-based
energy combines that produce a mix of fuels, electricity and district heating.
I am also studying integration with industries such as the pulp and paper manufacturing industry.
Optimised systems analyses based on MIND (Method for analysis of INDustrial energy systems) are
being used in the project to evaluate various system solutions from the standpoint of cost and global
carbon emissions for instance. Theories concerning industrial ecology are being applied as well.
Examples of factors whose influence is being analysed include policy instruments, raw material price
trends, and the technical nature of the surrounding energy system.
The research project is part of the overall Systems Study Project that studies the three large pilot
plants, and which also involves doctoral candidates from the Department of Technology and Social
Change (Linköping University), the Royal Institute of Technology, and Chalmers. I am working in
cooperation with doctoral candidates and postgraduate students from within my own division and from
other universities as well.
During the summer of 2010, I took part in the Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) at IIASA
(International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) in Laxenburg, Vienna, where I researched the
production of biofuels from a European perspective under the title “Optimal localisation of biofuel
production on a European scale.” For this I was awarded IIASA’s Mikhalevich Award, which gave me
an opportunity to spend three more months at IIASA.
Links to personal websites
http://www.iei.liu.se/energi/about-us/personal/wetterlund-elisabeth/ (IEI, LiU)
http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/FOR/biofuels.html (IIASA) 7 February 2011
Publications
Journal articles
Wetterlund, E., Pettersson, K., Harvey, S. Systems analysis of integrating biomass gasification with
pulp and paper production – Effects on economic performance, CO2 emissions and energy use. Energy
36(2) 2011, pp. 932-941.
Wetterlund, E., Karlsson, M., Harvey, S. Biomass gasification integrated with a pulp and paper
mill – the need for economic policies promoting biofuels. Chemical Engineering Transactions
21 2010, pp. 1207-1212. Also presented at PRES, Prague, 28 August-1 September 2010.
Wetterlund, E., Söderström, M. Biomass gasification in district heating systems – the effect of
economic energy policies. Applied Energy 87(9) 2010, pp. 2914-2922.
Difs, K., Wetterlund, E., Trygg, L., Söderström, M. Biomass gasification opportunities in a district
heating system. Biomass & Bioenergy 34(5) 2010, pp. 637-651.
Wetterlund, E., Pettersson, K., Flink, M. Implications of system expansion for the assessment of
well-to-wheel CO2 emissions from biomass based transportation. International Journal of
Energy Research, 2009, International Journal of Energy Research 34(13) 2010, pp. 11361154.
Conference presentations
Leduc, S., Wetterlund, E., Dotzauer, E. Biofuel production in Europe – Potential from lignocellulosic
waste. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste, Venice,
Italy, 8-11 November 2010.
Wetterlund, E., Pettersson, K., Harvey, S. Integrating biomass gasification with pulp and paper
production – Systems analysis of economic performance and CO2 emissions. Proceedings of
ECOS, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 31 August-3 September 2009, pp. 1549-1558.
Wetterlund, E., Difs, K., Söderström, M. Energy policies affecting biomass gasification applications in
district heating systems. Presented at the First International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE09),
5-7 January 2009, Hong Kong.
Flink, M., Petterson, K., Wetterlund, E. Comparing new Swedish concepts for production of
second-generation biofuels – evaluating CO2 emissions using a system approach. Presented
at SETAC Europe 14th LCA Case Studies Symposium, 3-4 December 2007, Gothenburg.
Reports
Lundgren, J., Ji X, Grip, C-E., Dahl, J., Wetterlund, E. et al. Development of a regional-economic
process integration model for Billerud Karlsborg AB, 2010.
Wetterlund, E. Optimal localisation of biofuel production on a European scale. International
Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria, 2010. 2011-02-07.
Trygg, L., Difs, K., Wetterlund, E., Thollander, P., Svensson, I-L. Optimala fjärrvärmesystem i
symbios med industri och samhälle – för ett hållbart energisystem (Optimal district heating systems in
symbiosis with industry and society – for a sustainable energy system). Report 2009:13, Svensk
Fjärrvärme, 2009.
Publications within the postgraduate school
Fallde, M., Flink, M., Lindfeldt, E., Pettersson, K., Wetterlund, E. Bakom drimedelstanken – Perspektiv
på svenska biodrivmedelssatsningar (Behind the fuel tank: Perspectives on Swedish biofuel
investments) Memorandum No. 36, The Energy Systems Programme. Linköping University, 2007.
Wetterlund, E. En introduktion till flermålsoptimering (An introduction to multi-objective optimisation),
in Karlsson, M. and Palm, J. (ed.) Att analysera system – reflektion och perspektiv (Analysing systems
– reflections and perspectives). Memorandum No. 35, The Energy Systems Programme. Linköping
University, 2007.
Wetterlund, E. Kampen om kubbarna – En studie av konkurrensen om skogsråvaran (The fight for the
logs – A study of the competition for forest raw materials), in Karlsson, M. and Palm, J. (ed.)
Omställning för uthållighet - essäer om energisystem i utveckling (Retooling for sustainability – essays
on developing energy systems). Memorandum No. 34, The Energy Systems Programme. Linköping
University, 2007.