Possible Role of a Biorefinery ́ s Syngas Platform in a Biobased Economy – Assessment in IEA Bioenergy Task 42 “ Biorefining ”

IEA Bioenergy Task 42 “Biorefining – Sustainable Processing of Biomass into a Spectrum of Marketable Bio-based Products and Bioenergy“ has formulated the following definition: “Biorefining is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bioenergy (biofuels, power and/or heat)”. “Energy-driven” biorefineries and “product-driven” biorefineries are distinguished. A classification system for biorefinery was developed to describe each biorefinery by the following four features: 1) platform e.g. syngas, 2) feedstock, 3) products and 4) processes, e.g. “A 3-platform (lignin, C6&C5 sugar, electricity&heat,) biorefinery using wood chips for bioethanol”. Based on the activities of the 12 participating countries (A, AUS, CA, DK, FR, G, I, IR, J, K, NL, US) the task identifies and assesses the current status and development potential of “energy-driven” biorefineries and “product-driven” biorefineries for a biobased economy. Synthesis gas (Syngas) is a mixture of mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It is produced by gasification in the presence of oxygen, air or steam. After cleaning, the syngas can be used to produce power or can be converted into lower alcohols, fuel (e.g. Fischer-Tropsch diesel) and chemical products. Syngas can also be fermented to methanol, ethanol, ammonia and potentially other chemical building blocks. The most promising syngas derived chemicals are methanol, DME (dimethylether), bioethanol, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and Fischer-Tropsch diesel. The synthesis gas is a platform in different biorefinery concepts, of which the most promising biorefineries until 2025 with a syngas platform using wood and straw were identified in IEA Bioenergy Task 42. As a first step the 5 most interesting “energy-driven” biorefinery concepts until 2025 based on wood and straw to produce syngas and their value chains, including the integration and deployment options in industrial infrastructures, are analyzed. These concepts based on wood and straw produce the following transportation biofuels: FT-biofuels, biomethane, dimethyleter and hydrogen: 1. “4-platform (electricity&heat, hydrogen, biomethane, syngas) biorefinery using wood chips for biomethane (SNG), hydrogen and carbon dioxide“ 2. “5-platform (C6 sugars, C5&C6 sugars, lignin, syngas, electricity&heat) biorefinery using starch crops and straw for bioethanol, FT-biofuels, feed, electricity and heat“ 3. “2-platform (electricity&heat, syngas) biorefinery using wood chips for FT-biofuels, electricity, heat and waxes with steam gasification“ 4. “3-platform (pyrolysis oil, syngas, electricity&heat) biorefinery using straw for FT-biofuels and methanol with oxygen gasification“ 5. “4-platform (pulp, syngas, electricity&heat) biorefinery using wood chips for FT-biofuels, electricity, heat and pulp“ For these selected concepts “Biorefinery Fact Sheets” are made within the activities of IEA Bioenergy Task 42 “Biorefineries”. Based on the mass and energy balance of these biorefineries with a syngas platform in these “Biorefinery Fact Sheets” a sustainability assessment based on whole value chain including environmental, economic and social aspects is documented. Further information: http://www.iea-bioenergy.task42biorefineries.com/