Advanced Biofuels

The UK’s National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials

NNFCC

The Potential for Advanced Biofuels

Dr Jeremy Tomkinson

CEO NNFCC

February 2012

NNFCC


• Why next generation biofuels are needed in the UK

• UK strengths and why thermal routes are potentially more suited to the UK

situation

• When advanced fuels may emerge in the UK

• Potential build rate scenarios in the UK to 2020 and cost / benefit analysis

Advanced Biofuels in the UK: Key questions?

NNFCC


Advanced Biofuels: the potential for a UK industry

NNFCC Roadmap Project:

NNFCC have examined the potential costs and benefits of developing a UK

advanced biofuels industry, compiling data that will assist the DfT and DECC in

developing a business case to support the growth of an advanced biofuels

industry in the UK.

Project aims:

• Establish if there is a need for advanced biofuels in the UK in 2020

• Investigate the potential costs and benefits of developing a UK advanced

biofuels industry

– The revenue required to support the industry

– The cost of meeting the RED and FQD with advanced biofuels

– The overall value of a UK industry

NNFCC


Only in transport are UK emissions rising!

-50

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1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

MTC

O2

eq

Energy Supply

Business

Industrial Processes

Transport

Public

Agriculture

Land Use, Land Use Change &Forestry

Waste Management

NNFCC


UK Renewable Energy Targets

• Renewable Energy Strategy (RES)

– UK RED delivery plan

– 15% renewable energy by 2020

10% transport fuels

14% heat

32% electricity

Encourages use of wastes and residues

Waste feedstocks have a zero LCA

reference value

Biofuels made from wastes will count

double

NNFCC


• In 2020 15% of the UK’s energy to be supplied from renewable sources

(10% of the UK’s road and rail transport energy from renewable sources)

31.8%

39.9% 0.2%

1.3% 1.9%

1.2%

23.6%

Road petrol

Road diesel

Road LPG

Rail gas/diesel oil

Shipping gas/dieseloil

Shipping fuel oils

Aviation

petrol

road diesel

Air

65 Mtoe transport fuel

demand in UK by 2020

67% mid distillates

excluding heat/power

32% petrol

© 2011 NNFCC

UK Renewable Energy Targets

NNFCC


Impact of 10% biofuel blending in petrol and diesel

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availability

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Biodiesel Demand and Availability

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Bioethanol Demand and Availability

© 2011 NNFCC

NNFCC


Potential first generation bioethanol and first generation

biodiesel expansion

• Options to increase the use of ethanol

• Options to increase the production of diesel and mid distillate fuels currently

limited on vegetable oil supply.

• Biomass and wastes can be employed to derive drop in biofuels for mid

distillates

– Such fuels are used across all transport modes including aviation and

their use is increasing year on year.

Bioethanol production potential

Petrol demand

Diesel/mid-distillate demand

Biodiesel production potential

© 2011 NNFCC

NNFCC


0

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max reported max predicted min reported

PJ/y

ear

Bio

mas

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d w

aste

as

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e)

Sugar Beet

UK OSR

UK and Imported Tallow

UK and Imported Waste Cooking Oil

UK Green Waste

UK Food Waste

Imported oils (all types)

UK Straw

Imported Agricultural Residues

UK and Imported Forestry Products

Wheat

UK Energy Crops

Solid Wastes (MSW/C&I/C&D biofractions including waste wood)

Estimated UK Bioenergy/Biofuel Resources

© 2011 NNFCC

NNFCC


Advanced bioenergy projects

• Bioethanol, power and heat from biowastes - Ineos Bio (Seal Sands)

• Aviation fuel from waste wood - British Airways / Solena (London)

• Air Products: Building a 49 MWe IGCC plant incorporating plasma gasification

of waste. Air Products have plans to develop hydrogen production on the back

of this project.

• NNFCC are working with at least two other potential UK XTL projects which are

client confidential.

• NNFCC have identified 750 MWe of potential gasification and pyrolysis projects

in the UK – most propose to use wastes.

NNFCC


Waste to fuels and Chemicals – Ineos Bio

Biocatalytic conversion from MSW

– Proprietary production of synthesis gas (CO & H2) from renewable waste

element.

– The use of natural bacteria through synthesis gas to clean renewable

transport fuel & valuable chemical intermediates such as ethylene

– A relatively low cost high throughput process that could drive the high

volume segregation of MSW and I&C wastes

NNFCC


Benefits of syngas fermentation to ethanol

• > 90% greenhouse gas savings vs. petrol / gasoline

• Potential for bioethanol to be cheaper than petrol

• Provides energy in addition to fuel

• High diversion of biodegradable wastes from landfill

• Wastes generated locally converted to clean fuel for local use

• Simple, energy-efficient process

• Platform to ethylene value chain

NNFCC


Aviation fuel: The requirement is for a “drop in” kerosene

• Expensive feedstock

• Limited feedstock availabilities

• Sustainability and poor yield/ha

• Emerging commercially

HRJ (HVO)

• Expensive process

• Not yet proven

• Demo plants only now emerging

• Potential to convert solid wastes

Biomass to liquids

• Shell/Virent

• Heterotrophic algae (e.g. Solazyme, BP/Martek)

• Expensive, need source of low cost waste sugars

• Sugars available from energy cane, starches and/or LC biomass

Hydrocarbons from sugars

NNFCC


NNFCC


BA/Solena waste to jet fuel plant

Gas clean

ing /p

olish

ing an

d

con

ditio

nin

g Syngas

cleaning & conditioning

Gasification Fischer Tropsch

Wax upgrading

NNFCC


Impact of incentives on product choice

0

50

100

150

200

250

power (directbiomass firing)

power (gas enginefrom syngas)

power (IGCC) fromsyngas

road fuel (atcurrent approx.RTFC price) - no

elec

aviation fuel

Pro

du

ct v

alu

e, £

/to

nn

e d

ry b

iom

ass

pro

cess

ed

fuel value RO value CCL value RTFO (2 certs where appropriate) EU ETS (from 2013)

© NNFCC 2011©

NNFCC


0.0

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EthanolCost

EthanolPrice

SyntheticKerosene

Cost

SyntheticKerosene

Price

SyntheticDiesel

(waste)Cost

SyntheticDiesel

(woodchip)Cost

SyntheticDiesel Price

p/l

Economic Analysis of UK Advanced Biofuels

• Advanced Biofuel Cost vs Fuel Price Projections - 2020 ‘Snapshot’

NNFCC


Fuel GHG emissions

NNFCC


The NNFCC provides high quality, industry leading consultancy

for more information contact us

www.nnfcc.co.uk

Email - [email protected]

Twitter - @NNFCC

+44 (0) 1904 435182

• Future Market Analysis

• Feedstock Logistics Planning

• Sustainability Strategy

Development

• Technology evaluation & associated

due diligence

• Project feasibility assessment

• Policy and regulatory support