Country Report -- USA Presented at the IEA Bioenergy Task 34 meeting September 15, 2009 Doug Elliott

Outline USA research groups USA commercialization efforts

Biomass to End Use Integrated Biorefineries Thermochemical Conversion Feedstock Production and Infrastructure Demonstration & Deployment Processing RD&D Biofuels Feedstock Production Feedstock Logistics Bioproducts Biopower Biofuels – rail, truck, pipelines – blenders – fuel pumps Vehicles CONVERSION Biopower – transmission lines Bioproducts – rail, truck DISTRIBUTION END USE Chemicals, Materials Grid Infrastructure Biochemical Conversion

Hydrotreating of Biomass Pyrolysis Oils fast pyrolyzer HC light products medium products heavy products hydrogen recycle and byproduct gas reforming char byproduct H2H2 biomass HT aqueous byproduct gas byproduct aqueous byproduct

Laboratory Research and Development Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (DOE) Eastern Regional Research Center (USDA-ARS) Iowa State University University of Massachusetts-Amherst University of Maine Washington State University-Pullman and Tri-Cities Mississippi State University Virginia Tech University of Minnesota University of Georgia

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Douglas Elliott, Alan Zacher Fluidized-bed pyrolysis 1 kg/h, 2 in pipe oil spray quench feedstock assessment Catalytic pyrolysis Technoeconomic assessments

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Douglas Elliott, Todd Hart Improved catalysts for bio-oil hydrogenation ruthenium palladium Small batch testing of model compounds acetic acid guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) furfural

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Douglas Elliott, Gary Neuenschwander Continuous-flow bench- scale reactor tests have been performed to test catalysts and processing conditions. 99 hydrotreater data sets 49 hydrocracking data sets Recovered products are analyzed at PNNL and UOP to determine composition and value

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Stefan Czernik, Kristiina Iisa Bio-oil neutralization and stabilization Catalytic Pyrolysis MBMS testing Mild-hydrotreating batch reactor Technoeconomic assessments Integration into petroleum refinery Hot-gas filtration (bio-oil stabilization DOE solicitation)

Eastern Regional Research Center-USDA ARS Akwesi Boateng, Charles Mullan Pyro-probe GCMS Bubbling fluidized-bed fast pyrolysis 2.5 kg/h, 3 in diameter fractional product recovery with electrostatic precipitator agricultural feedstock comparisons Catalytic pyrolysis (DOE bio-oil stabilization solicitation)

Iowa State University Robert Brown Fast pyrolysis research micropyrolysis  g to ¼ ton/day PDU fluidized beds, auger pyrolyzers, free-fall reactor bio-oil recovery methods with fractionation hot-gas filtration Interdisciplinary studies upgrading plant ideotypes to affect bio-oil properties carbon sequestration using bio-char technoeconomic assessments Bio-oil stabilization (DOE solicitation)

University of Massachusetts-Amherst George Huber Catalytic fast pyrolysis gasoline range aromatics directly from biomass Upgrading of bio-oil by aqueous-phase processing catalytic processing to hydrogen and alkanes Bio-oil stabilization (DOE solicitation) Fundamental kinetic model of pyrolysis reactor engineering model

Virginia Tech Foster Agblevor Fluidized-bed pyrolysis 100 g/h hot gas filter condensers and electrostatic precipitator Chicken litter pyrolysis 5 ton/day fluidized bed reactor Fractional catalytic pyrolysis 2 kg/h fluidized bed reactor Bio-oil stabilization (DOE solicitation) Stable bio-oils that can be distilled into various fractions Stable bio-oils will also be mixed with petroleum feedstock for processing

Mississippi State University Philip Steele Extensive review of fast pyrolysis Auger pyrolysis unit modified from ROI original design 1 kg/h <1.5 sec to few sec vapor residence time 30 to 50 seconds solids residence time) Bio-oil hydrotreating hydrocarbon products

University of Maine Clayton Wheeler, Brian Frederick, William DeSisto Fluidized-bed fast pyrolysis 100 g/h hybrid cyclone/hot gas filter electrostatic precipitator whole biomass and biomass fractions Catalytic upgrading of bio-oil fundamental study of HDO by model compound tests novel catalyst synthesis

Washington State University Manuel Garcia-Perez, Hanwu Lei Pullman Campus Fundamental studies of of reactions Pretreatment methods Built a 2 kg/h auger pyrolyzer Develop and validate new analytical methods Tri-Cities Campus Comparisons of microwave heating and bubbling fluidized-bed

University of Minnesota R. Roger Ruan Microwave-assisted pyrolysis up to pilot scale (70 kg/h) continuous-flow Catalytic pyrolysis to produce stable bio-oil Reach and maintain exothermic reactions Low-cost distributed system for on-farm application

University of Georgia KC Das Slow pyrolysis batch reactors, 1 to 5L Intermediate pyrolysis auger reactor, 4 in diameter by 14 in long 1 ton/d auger unit operated by Eprida Inc.

Commercial process Research UOP LLC Envergent Technologies Dynamotive Renewable Oil International (ROI) R&A Energy Solutions

UOP LLC Jennifer Holmgren, Rich Marinangeli Formed a Renewable Energy and Chemicals division in November 2006 CRADA project with PNNL and NREL for petroleum refinery feedstock from biomass pyrolysis Bio-oil stabilization project (DOE solicitation) with PNNL, NREL, ERRC, Ensyn and Pall

Distributed Pyrolysis and Centralized Bio-oil Processing Holmgren, J. et al. NPRA national meeting, San Diego, February 2008.

Envergent Technologies Mark Reno, Geoff Hopkins Joint venture 55/45 of UOP LLC and Ensyn Near term commercialization of fast pyrolysis of biomass for heat and power Longer term potential of upgraded fuels being evaluated

Dynamotive USA Tom Bouchard Bio-oil production under contract West Lorne operated at 75% of 130 ton/d capacity reached peak of 090% of nameplate 6-month contract for $260, shipments planned, August delivery completed 200 ton/day feed contract signed for Arkansas plant 220,000 green ton per year for 10 years 2-stage hydrotreating of bio-oil to hydrocarbons

Renewable Oil International Phillip Badger Has built several auger pyrolysis units Florence, Alabama University of Georgia Mississippi State University Boston, Massachusetts Virginia Small Business Industrial Research work Mobile demonstration unit recently in Oregon few hundred pounds per day

R&A Solutions Joel Keller Slow pyrolysis auger kiln Vapor products burned for power generation in integrated plant Oil, char and aqueous byproducts all have uses A wide range of biomass and waste can be processed 3 ton/day unit for the Army; 50 ton/day considered largest expected size

Conclusions Biomass conversion to liquid fuels via pyrolytic processes and catalytic hydroprocessing is under development. Interesting yields of hydrocarbon liquid products have been demonstrated at the bench-scale. Improved understanding of process steps and product properties is developing.