SynSel plans to build two advanced biofuels plants in USA
SynSel
Energy, Inc. (SynSel) is a developer and integrator of biorefining
processes, whose vision is becoming a leading producer of 2G drop-in biofuels
using environmentally friendly and sustainable technology. It is based in
Elmhurst (Illinois) and operates in USA and Canada. The company is particularly
focused on revitalizing communities devastated by the closure of pulp and paper
mills, creating jobs and strengthening energy security.
According to its page web, they have projects
under development or consideration in the following locations: Grand Rapids (Minnesota,
USA), Eureka (California, USA), Louisville (Mississippi, USA), Lumberton (Mississippi,
USA), Missoula (Montana, USA), Ontonagon (Michigan, USA) and Portage-du-Fort
(Quebec, Canada). A Michigan on-line publication reported on 17th
July that Ontanogon and Lumberton have been selected as initial sites in USA
for the construction of advanced biofuels plants (see news).
In Ontonagon, the facility would be built at
the site of the former Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill that was closed in 2010. The county
has consistently had one of the highest unemployment rates in the state and the
potential project could be a huge step in reversing this trend. Each biorefinery
is expected to cost $300 million and create about 250 direct and indirect jobs.
SynSel is currently securing each plant’s construction project deposit. The
final decision is anticipated to be taken within the next several months.
The process
SynSel utilizes a thermocatalytic process to
convert non-food biomass feedstock (wood waste from mill operations and forest
residues) into synthetic gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel.
The conversion process consists of 5 key steps:
- Feedstock sizing and moisture control to specification.
- Hydropyrolysis.
- Hydroconversion.
- Distillation to remove trace aromatics.
- Product recovery to separate the biofuel into gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel.
Figure 1. SynSel biorefinery concept (extracted
from SynSel web page)
SynSel biorefineries are the anchors to future
Enviro Industrial Parks where process waste byproducts are used to generate
bioproducts. The thermocatalytic conversion process produces marketable
commodities like biogenic carbon dioxide, biochar, nitrogen-based fertilizer
and process heat.