Bioenergy-Biodiesel

Agenda

Why biodiesel? How to make it?

» Possible sources» Transesterification

Biodiesel plants» Imperium Renewables

Biodiesel story Biodiesel/bioethanol discussion

Rudolf Diesel (1893)

“The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today,” he argued, “but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time."

Energy content

Gasoline Butanol Ethanol Biodiesel Diesel

100% 96% 67% 86% 120%

Biodiesel versus bioethanol (1)

~12 x more (2005)

*Europe currently represents 80% of global biodiesel consumption and production

Biodiesel versus bioethanol (2)

Biodiesel is not the same thing as raw vegetable oil. It is produced by a chemical process which removes the glycerol from the oil.

Biodiesel» Domestic » Renewable » For diesel engines » Derived from oils and fats

Biodiesel

Why biodiesel?

Biodiesel » Biodegradable» Non-toxic» Lower gas emission that diesel when

burned (reduced green house gases emission by at least 68%)

» Commercially available in Europe and US» Low S content» High lubricity

Biodiesel production

Biodiesel is typically produced by a reaction of a vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol such as methanol or ethanol in the presence of a catalyst to yield mono-alkyl esters and glycerol, which is removed.

How? Tranesterification: alcohol + ester →

different alcohol + different ester » Base of acid as a catalyst » The oil is mixed with an alcohol, usually

methanol or ethanol, and separated into methyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerol.

Transesterification

Methyl esters

Biodiesel technology

Possible sources

Vegetable oil (soy, canola, palm, rapeseed, coconut etc.) Non food plants (jatropha) Recycled oil (McDonald’s fryer) Animal fats (fish oil) Algae

Palm oil (1) Palm oil plantations-

approximately 11 million hectares (2006) in the world» Conversion of tropical forest

in Asia into palm oil plantation

– Habitat destruction and potential extinction of certain endangered species (e.g. the orangutans in Borneo, the Sumatran tigers and Asian rhinoceros)

Palm oil (2)

Palm oil is derived from the plant’s fruit» A hundred kilograms of oil seeds typically

produce 20 kilograms of oil » Crude palm oil is extracted from the

yellow parts of oil palm fruit

Algae to biodiesel

Greenfuels bioreactors

Gallons of oil/acre/year

Corn 15

Soybeans 48

Sunflower 102

Rapeseed 127

Palm oil 635

Algae 1850*cost

Pond algae

What are algae?

Primitive plants closely related to fungi

No true leaves, stems or root systems

Reproduce by means of spores, cell division or fragmentation.  

“Live" from excess nutrients in the water and sunlight  

Over 17,400 species of algae have been identified and thousands more probably exist

Not all of them produce high% of oils

Algae news (March, 2008)-PetroSun

March, 2008 PetroSun's, commercial algae farm in Rio Hondo, Texas has begun production of algae for biofuel production. » 1,100 acres of saltwater or wastewater ponds

– 4.4 million gallons of algal oil and 110 million pounds of biomass on an annual basis .

Farming system will utilize native microalgae strains, so as to not disrupt local ecosystems.

PetroSun has dedicated 20 acres of ponds for a proposed algae derived JP8 jet fuel research and development program.

http://www.petrosuninc.com/index.html

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) (1)

Resistant to drought and pests

Grows on marginal lands India, South Africa, South

East Asia Seeds contain up to 40% oil

» Oil in the seeds for biodiesel» Residues for power electricity

plants The plant yields more than

» 4x /ha that of soybean » 10x /ha that of corn

British Petroleum and D1 oils= D1-BP Fuel Crops Limited ($160 million over the next 5 years)» Producing and growing jatropha seedlings » 172,000 hectares of existing plantations in

India, Southern Africa and South East Asia Imperium Renewables

» Growing Jatropha curcas in Hawaii as a feedstock for biodiesel production

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) (2)

Imperium Renewables (1)

Imperium Renewables has constructed a new biodiesel manufacturing plant at the Port of Grays Harbor. The facility includes 8 main tanks that can hold 2 million gallons each, and 2 smaller tanks that can hold 500,000 gallons each. The rail line that serves the facility passes through the center of this photo. Imperium Renewables=the largest biodiesel facility in US.

Imperium Renewables (2)

February 24th, 2008Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747

» 20% biofuel (coconut)+80% standard fuel (1/4 engine)

» No modification to the engine

Washington ferries Issaquah, March 2008» B5 blend of canola

biodiesel

Biodiesel cars

The 86% fuel economy compared to 100% gasoline» A smoother running engine due to the

cleaning and lubricating properties of the fuel. 

» Other benefits– Better smelling exhaust (french fries or a warm

waffle iron).

» Special materials required for fuel lines, hoses, valves, gaskets

B10, B20….

Bioethanol versus biodiesel

Feedstocks (competition with food industry)

Major producers Process Yields Production facilities