Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of
Biofuel from Fast Pyrolysis and Bio-oil Upgrading
Lesley Snowden-Swan, Sue Jones, Jonathan Male, and Pimphan Meyer
• The Department of Energy, EERE Biomass Program is developing new
pathways for sustainable biofuel production.
A)
(plant
growth)
• PNNL conducts experimental research and development supporting
the EERE Biomass Program's goals, including conversion technology
for drop-in biofuels derived from direct liquefaction of biomass.
Materials
Chem.
Fuel
(fert)
Water
Water and
Air Emissions
• One conversion pathway that has been of primary focus is the fast
pyrolysis of wood and subsequent bio-oil upgrading to drop-in fuels.1,2
(fuel, catalyst,
chemicals)
Electricity
FUEL
PRODUCTION
POPLAR
PRODUCTION
• Alongside experimental work, process modeling, economic analysis
and environmental analysis is conducted (in close collaboration with
other Labs – NREL, ANL and INL) to evaluate the feasibility and impact
of emerging technology pathway options.
• This work focuses on analyses of the life cycle GHGs associated with
fuels derived from the fast pyrolysis of wood and subsequent bio-oil
upgrading.
CO2
(ash, catalyst)
(GHG, others)
2-step
Hydrotreating
Fast
Pyrolysis
• Identify critical design drivers in the biomass conversion process that
affect life cycle GHGs and understand relationship to economics.
Stable
Oil
Product
Separation
Diesel
Input from
Researchers
Go/No Go
Process
Model
NEW
PROCESS
Guide
Research
Diesel
40
25
120
100
63%
Reduction
80
20
62%
Reduction
15
61%
Reduction
60
40
10
5
20
0
0
2011-12
$5.12
Feedstock
Production
Volume Mandates and Biofuel Definitions
under EISA and RFS23
140
36.8
35.2
34.2
MGSP
2013-14
$3.68
Feedstock Transport
and Handling
Fuel Distribution
End Use
2017
$2.32
Feedstock
Preprocessing
Conversion
Fuel Yield
*GHG reductions are relative to GREET 2005 petroleum gasoline baseline of 93.4 g CO2-e/MJ.
Renewable Fuel
Advanced Biofuel
Biomass-based Diesel
Cellulosic Biofuel
Volume Standard
for 2012
15.2 bill. gal.
2.0 bill. gal.
1.0 bill. gal.
8.65 mill. gal.
20%
Figure 3. Life Cycle GHGs for Gasoline from fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading – Hybrid Poplar
• 2017 goal case2 has better yields and economics, but higher GHGs
• Higher yields lower feedstock contribution but increase conversion contribution
30
50%
50%
60%
• The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) expanded
the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), requiring 36 billion gallons of
renewable fuel by 2022 and defining new fuel categories.
• Biofuels are further incentivized by the Cellulosic Biofuel Producer Tax
Credit4 to stimulate market adoption of these fuels.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts their own LCA
and makes the final determination of whether or not a fuel meets
these definitions.
g CO2-e/MJ gasoline
Fuel Type
Minimum GHG
Reductions from 2005
Petroleum Baseline
24.1
25
20
15
50
40
U.S. Ave
NPCC
WECC
TRE
MRO
Conversion
Fuel Transport
and Use
GHG Reduction
Figure 5. Sensitivity Analysis for 2017 FP&U Case: U.S. NERC Region Resource Mix5
(NPCC= Northeast Power Coordinating Council; WECC=Western Electricity Coordinating
Council; TRE=Texas Regional Entity; MRO=Midwest Reliability Organization)
• Variation in electricity mix can influence the LCA
SUMMARY
• GHG reductions for fuel from fast pyrolysis of wood and bio-oil
upgrading appear to be in the range of 60%, however the ultimate
determination resides with the EPA.
RESULTS
LCA
Environmental
Metrics
Figure 1. Integrated process development, modeling and analysis for optimized
process design.
Hydrocracking
and Product
Separation
Wastewater
Figure 2. A) LCA Scope and B) Flow Diagram for Fuel Production via Fast Pyrolysis of
Wood and Bio-Oil Upgrading1.
30
20
Gasoline
Heavies
g CO2-e/MJ gasoline
Excel Capex
& Opex
NEW IDEA
60
*GHG reductions are relative to GREET 2005 petroleum gasoline baseline of 93.4 g CO2-e/MJ.
Off -gas
Fast
Pyrolysis
Oil
Ash
35
25
Hydrogen
Total Fuel Yield, gal/dry ton
• Overall Goal – Close integration of experimental work, process design,
TEA and LCA/sustainability analysis to achieve designs that are
optimized for both cost and environmental performance.
30
Feedstock
Steam
Reforming
Gasoline
• Greater harmonization of sustainability and LCA assumptions across
DOE Labs and facilitate comparison of data while increasing the value
of the knowledge to DOE.
70
Natural Gas
Drying and
Size
Reduction
Wood Chips
31.9
34.1
36.5
5
Combustion Exhaust
Combustion
Exhaust
• Quantify life cycle GHGs (using SimaPro®) for fuels from fast pyrolysis of
biomass and bio-oil upgrading.
35
0
Hydrogen
PURPOSE
36.8
38.4
10
(Electricity)
*Indirect land use change is not included in analysis.
Exhaust
Vent
40
GHGs, Other
Air Emissions
FUEL
USE
Air
Emissions
Wastewater Solid Waste
B)
80
45
% GHG Reduction
BIOFUEL LCA SCOPE
g CO2-e/MJ gasoline
INTRODUCTION
16.6
20.1
• The trade-off between carbon-to-fuel yields (and lower cost) and fossil
GHGs is critical for fuels made via hydrocarbon-based intermediates that
require deoxygenation.
• There is significant variation in GHGs depending on the regional
electricity mix assumed. This will especially affect low yielding conversion
processes that co-produce lots of power, and thus receive a large GHG
credit under LCA -- however, a credit may not be realistic in all cases.
• Integrated LCA/TEA provides flexibility to look at sensitivities and adjust
the design to meet both economic and environmental goals.
FUTURE WORK
• Evaluate the use of pyrolysis oil for providing upgrading H2 and the
potential affect on GHGs for the fast pyrolysis and subsequent
upgrading pathway.
• Quantify GHGs for related emerging direct-liquefaction conversion
routes, such as catalytic pyrolysis, hydropyrolysis, and hydrothermal
liquefaction.
• Quantify other critical sustainability metrics including water consumption
and solid waste for the conversion stage of the life cycle and integrate
into the LCA.
REFERENCES
1. Jones SB, JE Holladay, C Valkenburg, DJ Stevens, C Walton, C Kinchin, DC Elliott,
S Czernik. 2009. Production of Gasoline and Diesel from Biomass via Fast Pyrolysis,
Hydrotreating and Hydrocracking: A Design Case. PNNL-18284, Rev. 1, prepared for
the U.S. Department of Energy by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland,
Washington.
2. DOE – U.S. Department of Energy. 2011. Biomass Multi-Year Program Plan – April 2012.
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Biomass
Program. Washington, DC. Accessed 8/15/2012 at
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/mypp_april_2012.pdf.
15
10
5
3. 42 USC 7545. 2007. Energy Independence and Security Act. Public Law 110-140.
0
4. 20 USC 40. 2008. Food, Conservation and Energy Act. Public Law 110-234.
2011-12
NG – Reforming
Infrastructure
2013-14
NG – Upstream
2017
Electricity
Waste Treatment/Disposal
Catalyst
Boiler/Cooling Chems
Figure 4. Conversion Stage GHGs for Fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading
• Natural gas and electricity are the primary GHG drivers for the conversion plant
• As better yields are achieved, more bio-oil is produced and less volatiles are
available for reforming into H2, increasing the need for natural gas
5. U.S. EPA, eGRID2012 Version 1.0 Year 2009 Summary Tables, April 2012, accessed
8/15/2012 at http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/egrid/index.html.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• The support of DOE EERE’s Biomass Program: Paul Grabowski, Melissa Klembara,
Liz Moore, Zia Haq, Alicia Lindauer, Kristen Johnson
• David Hsu, Danny Inman, and Eric Tan of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for
providing the initial LCA model for fast pyrolysis and upgrading