Biofuels produced sustainably from waste
Biofuels could reduce imports of fossil diesel fuels. Added advantages are the utilisation of increasing quantities of organic waste and the minimised impact of energy production on global climate change. However, many of the current feedstocks for biofuel production face technical, economic and environmental challenges when it comes to meeting diesel needs. EU and Latin American scientists investigated solutions to these problems within the scope of the EU-funded project DIBANET . The focus was on production of diesel miscible biofuels (DMBs) such as ethyl-levulinate from wastes. The team studied conversion of biomass to levulinic acid (LA) and co-products (formic acid and furfural) for subsequent production of ethyl-levulinate. Fast pyrolysis and gasification produce valuable intermediates that can be recovered and further processed to produce other valuable biofuels such as clean syngas or upgraded bio-oil. Researchers planned to upgrade acid hydrolysis residues (AHRs) by thermal and catalytic processes to produce a bio-oil for direct use or as a DMB after hydro-treating. After examining the results of AHR pyrolysis, the team focused on AHR upgrading through steam gasification and catalytic steam gasification to produce a syngas rich in hydrogen. DIBANET demonstrated that acid hydrolysis is an important process for the sustainable and profitable development of biofuels and platform chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. Optimising process engineering will produce high yields of LA and furfural, of higher value than ethanol, from a variety of feedstocks. These could subsequently be used to synthesise biofuels. In addition, robust kinetic models for acid degradation of biomass pointed to shortcomings that can now be overcome with commercialisation of DIBANET technologies. A patent was filed on the pre-treatment process. The team has developed a technology transfer business plan for both the EU and Latin America that includes policy implications and socioeconomic issues. Scientists have provided important technologies to reduce the dependence of the EU and Latin America on fossil diesel imports, thus improving the security of energy supply and reducing environmental impact. Improved cooperation between the two regions on biofuels research is an added benefit.
