Energy Generation From

Thermo-Chemical conversion
of Biomass
 What is Biomass ?

Biomass is biological material derived from living,

or recently living organisms. In the context of
biomass for energy this is often used to mean plant
based material, but biomass can equally apply to
both animal and vegetable derived material.

2
CONTD.

Essentially, biomass is stored solar energy which

man can convert to electricity, fuel and heat.
Through photosynthesis, the energy from the sun
is stored in the chemical relations of the plant
material. Typically, biomass energy comes from
three sources: agricultural crop residues,
municipal and industrial waste, and energy
plantations

 Examples of this energy source include:

• Fast growing trees and grasses
• Agricultural residues like used vegetable oils, or
corn
• Wood waste like paper trash, yard clippings,
sawdust, or wood chips
• Methane that is captured from landfills,
livestock, and municipal waste water treatment.

3
 Why is there a need to use Biomass ?

Environmental

Biomass - Wood Renewable Energy Cycle

Political

Commercial
4
Conversion Technologies

Thermal conversion

Combustion

Combustion is the process with which everyone is

familiar by which flammable materials are
allowed to burn in the presence of air or oxygen
with the release of heat.

5
 CONTD.

Pyrolysis

 Pyrolysis is the precursor to gasification, and takes place as part of

both gasification and combustion. It consists of thermal
decomposition in the absence of oxygen. It is essentially based on a
long established process, being the basis of charcoal burning.

6
Gasification

The newest method for

generating electricity is
gasification. This method
captures 65-70% of the
energy present in solid fuels
by converting it first to
combustible gases. These
gases are then burnt as we
currently burn natural gas,
and create energy.

7
1.Biomass resources in China
Straw from agriculture
650 Mton, 50% can be
used as energy,
210 MTCE
Forest industry and
Biomass Energy timber work waste:
Potential: 270Mton, 30% can be
used as energy, 50MTCE
385 MTCE
Biogas from livestock
excreta and waste water
100MTCE

Municipal solid waste

155 Mton, about 25MTCE

Energy crops and plants industry are not established!

Promote rural economy 8
1.Biomass resources in China
1.1 Agricultural waste
 The amount of straw that can be utilized as
modern energy increased by 1~2% every year.
 60% of the total amount can be used as energy.
 After 2030, about 400~500 mil. tons of straw can
be used as energy, 200~300 M TCE.
The consumption of straw for different
purposes(2004)
Unit: million tons
Total Consumption Potential as fuel
546 Return to Feedstuff Paper 290 Burned as The rest
soil making
fuel
82 153 21 152 138

Power generation is the most efficient

technology before the maturation of 9
 1.Biomass resources in China
2 Forestry residues

125 million tons

71.66 M TCE

Logging and timber processing Firewood

77.60M tons 48.13 M tons
44.23 MTCE
27.43 M TCE

The preferential option for forestry residues

should be raw materials for industries,
then be used as fuel 10
1.Biomass resources in China
1.3 Livestock excreta
 It is estimated that by the year of 2010 and 2020, the
excreta yield will be 2.5 and 4billion tons.
 The collectable resource will be 180 and 290 M TCE

Complex composition and high water content

Low energy utilization Efficiency

Environmental protection requirement

11
1.Biomass resources in China
1.4 Industrial organic wastes
 50 billion m3 biogas can be produced from
food processing wastes– 35 MTCE

1.5 Municipal solid waste

 MSW production increased by 8% each year.
More than 80% of the total was treated by
landfill.
 Average calorific value of MSW : 4~5 MJ/kg
 According to the data of 2004 (150 M tons)—
25 M TCE.
 If 10% used for energy—2.5 M TCE

12
1.Biomass resources in China
1.5 Waste Vegetable Oil & Tallow

Biodiesel: 2 million tons/year

Cottonseed Oil
1 million tons/year of cottonseed
oil can be collected for biodiesel
production
Waste oil and fat
1 million tons/year 1.6 million tons of cottonseed oil

9 million tons of cottonseed

4.86 million tons/year cotton

production

13
1.Biomass resources in China
1.6 Energy crops
Marginal Land Availability in China
32-75 million ha.

Set-aside
Set-aside land:
land: Cropland
Cropland not
not in
in use
use in
in wintertime:
wintertime:
7.34~9.37
7.34~9.37 --8.66
8.66 million
million ha.
ha.
million Set
Set aside
aside woodland:
woodland:
million ha.
ha.
-- 16~57
16~57 million
million ha.
ha.
Energy
Energy crops
crops Woody
Woody crops
crops
Existing
Existing oil
oil plant
plant forest
forest
3.43
3.43 million
million ha.
ha.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel resource
resource
14
1.Biomass resources in China
Estimation: Energy crops
production
Set-aside
Set-aside land
land Cropland
Cropland not
not in
in use
use in
in wintertime
wintertime
7.34~9.37 --8.66
8.66 million
million ha.
ha.
7.34~9.37
million
million ha.
ha.

Oil
Energy Crops Production Ethanol equivalence Potential
Productivity (ton/ha) (ton/ha) (MT CE/yr) plant
Sweet
60-80(haulm)
sorghum 4-6 18.35
40%
3-5(grain) 9.53 MTCE/yr
Sweet
15-20 2-3 3.67
potato 20%
Cassava
20-30 4-6 7.34
20%
Sugar cane
60-70 4-6 3.67
10%
Total 33.03 15
1.Biomass resources in China
Estimation: Woody crops
2010: 800 thousand ha. of woody oil plant

2020: 13 million ha. of woody plant, 54 million tons dry material

.Woody crops Woody oil plant

8.9 million ha. 4.1 million ha.

35 million TCE/yr
6.7 million tons of biodiesel
16
1.Biomass resources in China

Biomass resource potential evaluation: MTCE

Item 2006 2010 2020 2030 20
Existing biomass resource 500 500 500 500 50
Utilized 220 200 180 150 10
Available 280 300 320 350 40
Increment of biomass resource 0 30 230 470 58
Agriculture and forest industy 20 140 300 40
Energy crops 10 40 70 8
Marginal land planting 0 50 100 10
Total 500 530 730 970 108
Practically Available 280 330 550 820 98

17
1.Biomass resources in China
The potential biomass development capacity:
about 1 billion TCE
Types of Biomass Fundamentals
Priority:
a. Waste material Resource utilization and
Large amount-clean environmental protection
energy

Development of energy
crop agriculture and
b. Energy crops energy forest industry-
Scale-up enlarge the supply of
biomass resource
Marginal land
c. Non-edible species development-
Food security- Protect existing
Marginal land for cropland, forest and
production grassland 18
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization

A
Power generation Types of
Biomass Energy
B Utilization
Liquid fuel
C
Gas fuel
D
Pelletized fuel

19
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization

Characteristics of Biomass utilization:

About 14% of the primary energy consumption in the
world:
 Outside China:
Power generation>Fuel ethanol>Biodiesel>Industrial biogas
 In China:
Household biogas>Fuel ethanol>others including power
generation
 The motivation differences:
Developed countries: CO2 emission reduction, environmental
protection;
Developing countries: Energy supplements, promote
agriculture development
20
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization

High subsidy

Profitable
Stage technologies

point
II Bioethanol Biogas
Biodiesel from sugar
techonolgy
Maturity of

from oil and starch Biodiesel Pelleting

plants from Low subsidy
Direct waste oil technologies
combustion Stage
power III
generation
Gsification Engineering
Bioethanol Synfuel power CHP demonstration
from from generation
Polygener
cellulose gasificati ation
Stage on Stage
utilization
I IV New
H2 from technologies
biomass Advanced need to be
technologies explored

Market competition
force 21
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization

There stages of biomass utilization technology:

 Commercialized technologies:
 High subsidy technologies: Biodiesel from oil plants, bioethanol from
sugar and starch
 Low subsidy technologies: Biogas, pelleting, direct combustion power
generation
 Engineering demonstration
 Fuel ethanol from cellulose, gasification power generation, synfuel from
gasification, direct liquefaction, combined cooling-heating-power
generation(CHP);
 Technologies under development
 Algae utilization, biosynthesis, H2 from biomass
 Technologies need to be explored
 Polygeneration, et al.
22
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization
The trend of biomass energy utilization
Combusti
on power
Commerciali

Bioethanol
generatio Biodiesel from
Biogas n from plant cellulose
demonstrat demonstratzation

oil
Pelleting Indirect
liquefaction
Fuel ethanol Direct
liquefact
Industry

ion
Maturity of
lgy

Gasificati
on power
ion
techono

generatio H2 from
n biomass
Engineerin

ion
g

2010 2020
23
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization
Bio-ethanol
Status in China In the near future

Just started Marginal land for the

Mainly from production of cassava,
corn sweet sorghum

Mid to long term direction

Promote the development of fuel
ethanol from cellulose
24
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization
At present, power generation is
still the main technology for
biomass waste utilization

Trend of biomass power generation

Developments of different kinds of technology
CHP and comprehensive utilization
Small to medium scale and stand alone power
system

25
2. Status of Biomass Energy Utilization
Factors affect the generation
capacity Direct
Factors Gasification Remarks
combustion
Generation eff. >25MW >6MW Part of 12MW direct combustion
can also use high parameter
generation system
Biomass cost <10MW <10MW <60,000ton/yr
Investment& >6MW >3MW
management

6MW-10MW, the bigger the better;

The capacity for direct combustion: 6-
12MW
The capacity for gasification(BIGCC): 4-
12MW; 26
 3.Targets of R&D in China
Basic principles for the energy utilization of biomass
Resource
cultivation and
Clean fuel for rural
exploitation
area : Fuel gas and
solid fuel

Promote
Power the
generation, developme
comprehensive nt of liquid
utilization
fuel-
substitutio
n of fossil
fuel 27
 3.Targets of R&D
In the near future(2010):
Biomass power generation: 600MW
Biomass liquid fuel: 2 million ton/yr
3~5% of agriculture and forestry waste can be used
development

Mid-term target(2020)
Missions of

Biomass power generation: 3000MW

Biomass liquid fuel: 15 million ton/yr
15~20% of agriculture and forestry waste can be used

Mid-term target(2030)
Biomass power generation: 5000MW
Biomass liquid fuel: 50 million ton/yr
30~40% of agriculture and forestry waste can be used
28
 3.Targets of R&D
Direction of Development

 Development of Resources:
 Short to mid-term: mainly agriculture and forestry waste; Give
attention to energy crops and energy plants ；
 Long term: Mainly energy agriculture and energy forestry; Give
attention to new resources, such as energy algae…..

 Route of Technology Development:

 Short to mid-term: Biogas, pelleting, fuel ethanol, biodiesel,
power generation, CHP….
 Mid to long term: Synfuel from gasification, ethanol from
cellulose, biochemical engineering;
 Long term: Algae technology, ocean biomass, H2 production…

29
 4.Technology Road Maps
Summary of technologies
High moisture
content biomass
Product
separation
Non-edible
sugar and Separation Fermentation CH4/H2 Gas fuel
starch

Hydrolysis
Combustion Power Heat & Power
Cellulose Pretreatment Gasification
Synthesis
Microbe Pyrolysis &
Residue Refining Liquid fuel
catalytic
cracking
Non-edible Component
oil & fat separation Esterify Chemicals
30
 4.Technology Road Maps
Technologies for bio-conversion
Ethanol
Bacteria Cellulose

Fermentation
reconstruction Butanol
enzyme

Concentrating
Stepped
……

Separation &
H2
CH4
treatment

Straw &

conversion
Chemical
sugar Hydrolysis
Pre-

crops Ethene

fermentation
Synchro
Acetic
acid

Combustion
SiO2
Residue
Micro-algae Fertilizer
Heat/
Residue Power
Drying Feedingstuff
31
 4.Technology Road Maps
Road Map for Biomass Bio-Conversion
2005
2005 2010
2010 2015
2015 2020
2020

Cellulose
Cellulose
fermentation Cellulose
Cellulose ethanol
Pretreatment
Pretreatment fermentation fuel
fuel ethanol
ethanol 10000t/Y
ethanol 3000t/Y
3000t/Y 10000t/Y
Large
Large scale
scale

high-grade
Genetic
Genetic tech.
tech. for

scale high-grade
for

application
Cellulose
Celluloseenzyme Solid
Solidstate

fuel application
enzyme state
bacteria
bacteria solid
solidstate
state fermation
fermation application
application
cultivatio
cultivatio fermentation
fermentation
Residue
Residue SiO2
SiO2 from
from ash
ash Coupled
CoupledVaporized
Vaporized
combustion
combustion tech
tech tech.
tech.

Large scale
H2
H2 from
from micro-

clean fuel
Bench
Bench scale
scale H2
H2 micro-
from algae:
algae:
frommicro-algae
micro-algae demonstration
demonstration
Large
Large scale
scale

Large
clean
Coupled
Coupledtech.
tech. for 100M
100M3CH4/H2
3

CH4/H2
for CH4/H2 bio-gas
bio-gas
CH4/H2 production
production Demonstration
Demonstration
application
application
Continuous
Continuous Large
Large scale
scale biogas
biogas
fermentation
fermentation for
for 10000M
10000M3
3

biogas
biogas

Large scale Nearly zero 32

Exploration Pilot scale Demonstration Industrialization
application emission
 4.Technology Road Maps
Technologies for solid biomass thermal-
chemical conversion
Separation Chemicals

Pyrolysis Bio-oil Chemical Boiler Fuel

liquefaction modulation
Vehicle fuel
Refining
Combustion Heat &
Power
CH4
Gasification Fuel Reforming
gas H2
a moi b dil o S

Catalytic DME
Syngas synthesis Methanol

Catalytic de-oxygen Diesel

Fractionation
liquefaction
Gasoline
33
 4.Technology Road Maps
Road Map for biomass thermal chemical
conversion
2007
2007 2010
2010 2015
2015 2020
2020

application
energy application
Industrialization
Industrialization of
of
BIGCC
BIGCC Large
Largescale
scale application
application
BIGCC
BIGCC
Advanced
Advanced Demonstration
Demonstration
gasificaiton
gasificaiton >3000t/a
>3000t/a

Pilot
Pilotscale
scale Syngas
Syngas synthesis
synthesis Indirect
Indirectliquefation
liquefation
Gas
Gas refinery

biomass energy
refinery 1000t/a >3000t/a >10000t/a
1000t/a >3000t/a >10000t/a

CO2
CO2 rich
rich Pilot
Pilotscale
scale
synthesis
synthesis 1000t/a
1000t/a

scale biomass
Selectivity
Selectivity Direct
Directliquefaction
liquefaction
1000t/a
1000t/a 3000t/a
3000t/a
liquefaction
liquefaction >10000t/a
>10000t/a

Bio-oil
Bio-oil separation
separation 200t/a
200t/a 1000t/a
1000t/a

Large scale
&&refinery
refinery

Large
Large scale Nearly zero 34
Exploration Pilot scale Demonstration Industrialization
application emission
 4.Technology Road Maps
Technologies for biodiesel
Chemicals Enzyme

Separation
Biodiesel
Lipid Esterification
abstraction

Fertilizer
Lipid

Catalyst Glycerin

Other lipid
ea gl a &
t nal pli O

High value acetone

conversion Glycol

……
Feedingstuff
High value
Residue conversion Medicine
……
35
 4.Technology Road Maps
Road Map for Biodiesel
2005
2005 2010
2010 2015
2015 2020
2020

fuel
liquid fuel
Continuous
Continuous Pilot
Pilotplant
plant3000t/Y
3000t/Y 30000t/Y
30000t/Y
reaction
reaction

grade liquid
Large
Large scale
scale
Magnetism
Magnetismnano-
nano- Glycerin
Glycerinhigh
high value
value 500t/Y
500t/Y polygeneration
polygeneration
catalytic reaction
catalytic reaction conversion
conversion
process
process

high grade
application
application
Residue
Residuehigh
high Medicine
Medicine component
component Pilot
Pilotscale
scale
value conversion
value conversion abstraction
abstraction comprehensive
comprehensive
utilization
utilization

scale high
Large scale
Large
Large scale Nearly zero 36
Exploration Pilot scale Demonstration Industrialization
application emission
http:// www.giec.ac.cn

37