Biomass and Bioenergy

Outline
Biomass Resources
Biomass Conversion Technologies
Recent Applications and Advances

Biomass Resources
What is biomass?
BIOMASS
Plant material
Municipal wastes
Biological wastes
Combustible wastes
Animal matter
Why is biomass important?
In the future, it will be come an important source of
carbon

It is a renewable and sustainable energy resource

It is valuable source of raw materials
How to produce biomass?
http://cdn4.kidsdiscover.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Photosynthesis-Infographic-Kids-Discover.png
Levels of Photosynthesis
Trophic level

Plant level

Molecular level
Photosynthesis at the trophic level
Photosynthesis at the plant level
Absorption and action spectra of plant
leaves and pigments
Structure of Plant Leaves
Thermodynamic considerations
Thermodynamic considerations
Photosynthesis at the molecular level

Light reactions

Dark reactions (Calvin cycle)
Assimilation of CO2




Overall Calvin cycle


How efficient is photosynthesis?
Definition of efficiency

At 100% efficiency
At average of
160 W/m
2
,

3000 t/y dry
biomass per
person
1225 t/y of
carbon per
person
Theoretical
Potential
Yield of 9%
Limited
absorption
spectrum
Quantum
inefficiency
Realizable
potential
0.5 to 2%
Losses due to
photobreathing
Limits of
cultivation
How efficient is photosynthesis?
World Estimate
Energy obtainable
Forest and meadows: 1.3
toe/year/person
Arable land: 0.7
toe/year/person

Strategies to improve
photosynthesis yield
Increase the number of
cultivation cycles each year
Use the entire plant to
produce energy or for
other applications

Biomass: an old energy resource
Advantages
Potential role as an energy
storage system
Produce energy with a low
net contribution to CO
2

emissions

Disadvantages
Competition with the
other uses of crop
Still the main source of
energy 3 B of 6.6 B of
earths inhabitants

Greatly renewed interest
as source of energy
Concerns over fossil fuel
availability and costs
Concerns about
greenhouse gas emissions,
Availability of new biomass
conversion technologies
Biomass Sources
U.S. apportionment of sources of biomass
- supplied energy consumption (2004).
www.energy.gov .


Agricultural and Forestry
Crops
Short-rotation forestry crops
Perennial crops

Residues from primary
biomass production
Wood residues from forestry
production
Straw residues from food and
industrial crops

By-products and wastes
from different processes


Biomass Sources
U.S. apportionment of sources of biomass
- supplied energy consumption (2004).
www.energy.gov .


Agricultural and Forestry
Crops
Short-rotation forestry crops
Perennial crops

Residues from primary
biomass production
Wood residues from forestry
production
Straw residues from food and
industrial crops

By-products and wastes
from different processes


Biomass Sources
Biomass Conversion
Technologies
Biomass transformation methods
Biomass utilization methods envisioned by
DOE
Technologies that produce electricity
Direct combustion technologies

Co-firing technologies

Biomass gasification

Anaerobic digestion

Pyrolysis
Direct Combustion Technologies
Bioelectricity or biomass
power plants

Types
Fixed bed

Fluidized bed

Dust combustion
Co-firing technologies
Burning a mixture of a
fossil fuel and biomass

Types
Direct

Indirect

Parallel


Biomass gasification
Oxidation of biomass to
produce a gaseous fuel

Synthesis Gas that
contains H
2
, CO, CH
4
,
CO
2
, H
2
O

Types
Fixed bed
Fluidized bed


Anaerobic digestion
Decomposition of organic
matter by bacteria in the
absence of O
2

Feedstock include
Agricultural, industrial &
household organic wastes
Sewage sludges
Animal by-products
Municipal wastes

Biogas (60-70% CH
4
and 30-
40% CO
2
)


Anaerobic digestion
Decomposition of organic
matter by bacteria in the
absence of O
2

Feedstock include
Agricultural, industrial &
household organic wastes
Sewage sludges
Animal by-products
Municipal wastes

Biogas (60-70% CH
4
and 30-
40% CO
2
)


Pyrolysis
Thermal decomposition of
biomass with O
2
that
result into
Solid char
Bio-oil (or pyrolysis oil)
Combustible Gases

Types
Fast : ~T, t
Carbonization : T, t
Gasification: T,t



Pyrolysis
Thermal decomposition of
biomass with O
2
that
result into
Solid char
Bio-oil (or pyrolysis oil)
Combustible Gases

Types
Fast : ~T, t
Carbonization : T, t
Gasification: T,t




Heat production
At present, most
important biomass use is
HEAT

In EU, wood is the largest
renewable resource for
heat production at 58.7
Mtoe (5-6%/y increase)

Technologies
Fireplaces
Wood-fired boilers

Biomass for cooking
Number of deaths per year in
different areas of the world caused by
indoor air pollution
2.5 B people in developing and
emerging countries, use biomass to
meet their household energy needs :
cooking as the primary demand

Sources used are wood, charcoal,
agricultural residues, animal dung

Problem associated:
Indoor air pollution
Inefficient cooking

Solutions
Encourage alternative renewable energy
supplies
Use of dry fuel
Alternative foods and cooking methods
Efficient stoves



Environmental Impact
Noticeable impact on the environment
Net positive CO
2
emissions in cultivation of biomass and use
of biomass since fossil fuels are used
Transforming grassland and removing forests to cultivate
biomass crops
Use of fertilizers cause pollution
Large quantities of water are needed




Market Share
Biofuels
History
End of 1900, France
considered the use of
denatured alcohol for engines
Before WWI, Paris buses ran
on Gasoline-denatured
alcohol (30%) mixture
Between 1920-1950, ethanol
was widely used as fuel for
vehicles
1960s, use of ethanol ceased
1973-1979, oil shocks
renewed interest in biofuels
Two ways:
Bioethanol
Biodiesel

Motivations for the
development of biofuels
Increasing oil prices
Decrease demand on oil
Carbon sequestration
Decrease greenhouse emissions
Develop local agricultural
resources

A new emphasis but not an old
concept

Bioethanol or ethanol
Biofuel for gasoline engines
Primary biofuel in the world
From crops with high sugar content
which is fermented by yeast to produce
ethanol
Blended with gasoline at any ratio

Advantages
High octane rating
Reduce CO
2
and hydrocarbons from
incomplete combustion

Disadvantages
Smaller energy content to gasoline
Increased NOx emissions
Corrosive to many parts of the vehicles
Competition with food and land
cultivation

Yields of crops used for bioethanol
production
Biodiesel
Biofuel for diesel engines
10% of the biofuels
From the trans-
esterification of oils and
fats
Can be blended with diesel
at any proportions
Better fuel consumption
Storage instabilities





Biodiesel
Biofuel for diesel engines
10% of the biofuels
From the trans-
esterification of oils and
fats
Can be blended with diesel
at any proportions
Better fuel consumption
Storage instabilities





Second- and third-generation biofuels
First-generation biofuels
Being produced from crops have constraints
Competition with food production and other uses
Decreasing areas of cultivable lands
Some crops cannot be grown on the same place every year

So far as CO
2
emissions are concerned, wheel to well analysis
indicate 30 to 94% reduction can be realized


Second-generation biofuels
Third-generation biofuels
Applications and Advances
Biomass sector roadmap
Biomass power plants in the Philippines
Upcoming biomass power plant projects
Upcoming biomass power plant projects
Biofuels in the Philippines
RA 9367 Philippine Biofuels
Act (2007)
2% blending of biodiesel to 5%
by 2013
10% blending ethanol

Compliance
No issues with biodiesel
World top coconut oil
producer
9 biodiesel producers (393
ML)
Inadequate capacity and
competitiveness of sugarcane
distilleries


Integrated biorefineries
Integrated biorefineries
Integrated biorefineries
Advances in biofuels
Advances in 2
nd
-generation biofuels
Cost-effective pretreatment process
Unlocking full potential of hydrolysis
Creating super-bugs to increase ethanol yield

References
Ng, C. & Natowitz, J. B. (2009). Our energy future:
resources, alternatives and the environment. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.; New Jersey USA.
Twidell, J. & Weir, T. (2006). Renewable energy sources 2
nd

edition. Taylor & Francis; UK.
Renewable Energy Plans and Programs (2011-2030).
Department of Energy; Philippines.
Integrated biorefineries. (2014). Department of Energy,
USA.
Corpuz, P. (2014). Philipines Biofuels Situation and
Outlook. Global Agricultural Network,
Thank you very much for your kind attention.