Deliverables
The Integrated Biomass Utilisation System (IBUS) is the main cornerstone for sustainable biorefineries of the future.
The main product is bioethanol produced by integrated conversion of lignocellulosic and starch/sugar raw materials. By-products are animal feed and a solid biofuel low in alkalichlorides.
The bioethanol production is integrated with a power plant in order to exploit the huge unused resources of low temperature thermal energy from the electricity production and to achieve maximum electricity generation from the solid biofuel by co-firing in the boiler of the power plant.
On this background the IBUS concept can provide:
- Production of bioethanol without consumption of fossil fuel.
- Below zero emission of CO2 by condensation of the N2 free CO2 from fermentation and use the liquid CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (E.O.R.)
- Full sustainability by recycling of plant nutrients to the soil via animal feed.
- Production of bioethanol without waste water and without emission of dioxin and other volatile organic compounds.
- Optimal utilisation of household waste by recycling of plastic, metals, glass, porcelain, batteries etc. and conversion of the biodegradable fraction to bioethanol
Current status
A pilot plant for conversion of 100 kg/h of straw has operated from Oct. 2003 and a 10 kg/h plant will start working March 2007.
A fully integrated IBUS demo-plant for 4 t/h of lignocellulosic and 4 t/h of starch/sugar raw materials is under construction and will start working ultimo 2008.
Work by TMO has successfully established the growth requirements for the wild-type ethanologen and reproducible growth and product formation has been achieved. A stable lactate dehydrogenase deficient (LDH-) strain has been developed and shown to produce ethanol at an elevated level - demonstrating that the elimination of lactate production is essential for high ethanol productivity. Significantly, the LDH-phenotype is stable and not reliant on antibiotic selection - the organism is routinely cultured continuously for extended periods (>1000 hours), with the longest culture period being nearly 4000 hours (6 months) with no reversion to lactate production. In addition, a number of novel thermophilic strains, isolated from environmental samples, have been examined for ethanol production when grown on glucose, xylose or sucrose. A number of candidate ethanologens have been identified and will be characterised further. Finally, the fermentation capability of the LDH-organism or wheat straw hydrolysate - a significant lignocellulosic feedstock - has been successfully demonstrated in both continuous and batch fermentations, indeed ethanol production has been shown on pilot scale. A full data file supporting this summary report is available on request.
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