BioRefineries Blog

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Attero , Nordsol and Titan have been awarded 4,3 M€ in funding for a bio-LNG production plant. The FirstBio2Shipping project will help decarbonize maritime transport through scalable and decentralized production of bio-LNG. Press release: “ Titan, Attero, and Nordsol awarded €4,3M in funding for a bio-LNG production plant ”, 13/12/2021. Figure 1. Attero, Nordsol and Titan receive funding from the EU for a bio-LNG plant It is one of the first projects to receive funding from the Fit for 55 package. The plant, set to be completed in 2023, will produce around 2,400 ton/year of bio-LNG (liquefied biomethane) and will be located at the Attero facility in Wilp (Netherlands). It will supply into existing LNG fuelling infrastructure. Bio-LNG originates from organic waste flows, particularly domestic and agricultural waste that are available in abundance. Attero will produce 6 million Nm3 of biogas per year from domestic biowaste for the...

Versión en Español BIOREFINERY PLATFORMS Concept - Biogas is produced through Anaerobic Digestion (AD), a biological conversion process that breaks down the organic feedstock in the absence of oxygen. - Biogas can be produced from a broad range of feedstocks that are suitable for AD: municipal wastewater, residual sludge, food waste, food processing wastewater, dairy wastes, poultry manure, aquaculture wastewater, seafood processing wastewater, yard wastes and municipal solid wastes. Feedstocks for biogas production may be solid, slurries and both concentrated and dilute liquids. - Biogas is composed of methane (CH4) at a relatively high percentage, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), water vapor and trace amounts of other gases. Its composition varies depending on the origin of the anaerobic digestion process. - The methane content of biogas typically ranges from 45% to 75% by volume but it can be upgraded to 97-99% purity to be used as potential substitute of natural ga...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS. The three Danish cooperatives DLG , Danish Agro and DLF have joined forces to establish a green biorefinery for local production of grass protein with a environmental and climate-friendly profile. The goal is that grass protein in the long term can replace part of the soy that agriculture uses in animal feed today. Press releases: - “ Danish cooperatives join forces on green protein ”, 26/05/2020. - “ Grass protein could revolutionise the farming industry ”, 04/02/2021. Green biorefinery , Figure 1. Danish cooperatives join forces to produce proteins in a green biorefinery (taken from BioRefine Denmark website) The three agricultural companies have established a joint venture called BioRefine Denmark , which will run the green biorefinery, where protein from clover grass and alfalfa will be extracted for organic feed, and eventually also protein that can be included in human food. DLG owns 50% of BioRefine Denmark, while Danish Agro and ...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Total announces the acquisition of Fonroche Biogaz , a company that designs, builds and operates anaerobic digestion units in France. Total intends to produce 1.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of biomethane a year by 2025 and Fonroche Biogas is the cornerstone of its development in this market. Press release: “ Total acquires Fonroche Biogaz and becomes the French leader in renewable gas ”, 11/01/2021. Figure 1. Total becomes a major player in renewable gas with the acquisition of Fonroche Biogaz (taken from the press release) With close to 500 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of installed capacity, which doubled between 2019 and 2020, Fonroche Biogaz is today the French market leader in the production of renewable gas with more than 10% market share thanks to a portfolio of seven units in operation and a pipeline of four imminent projects. With this acquisition, Total becomes a major player in renewable gas in France and Europe, and significantly stre...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. The project NEOSUCCESS has obtained funding from the EU Fast Track Innovation (FTI) program, starting in June 2020. It is aimed at making commercially available an efficient technology for simultaneously upgrading biogas and producing biobased succinic acid (bio-SA) through a unique complementary process. Figure 1. Scheme of the biogas upgrading reactor (taken from the patent WO/2014/188000) Biogas mainly contains methane (50-75%) and carbon dioxide (25-50%). For biogas to be used as fuel it must be upgraded removing unwanted gases, mainly CO 2 , but also other gas impurities. Upgrading of biogas to CH 4 content higher than 90% can not only increase the heating value, but also reduce corrosion caused by acid gas. The most common upgrading methods remove the impurities mechanically or chemically. The new NEOSUCCESS process, based on an innovative biological approach patented by DTU, (“ Methods for upgrading of a fu...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. St1 and Q Power (renewable energy start-up) have launched a joint project for developing a novel way of making synthetic biomethane from carbon dioxide. Press release: “ Q Power and St1 piloting synthetic fuel production from biorefinery carbon dioxide ”, 27/8/2019. Figure 1. Q Power’s methanisation unit at St1’s Etanolix® biorefinery in Vantaa Q Power has developed a patented, microbe-based renewable energy storage method. In the pilot project, its biological methanation process utilises the carbon dioxide recovered from the production of waste-based ethanol at a St1’s biorefinery. The technology allows producing biomethane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide and it was developed by utilising methanogenic archaea isolated from a boreal peat. The pilot project will be implemented at St1’s Etanolix® biorefinery in Vantaa, where advanced ethanol is produced from bakery waste for use as fuel. Q Power’s methanisation unit has been integrate...

Type of post: NEWS. Haldor Topsoe will build a methanol plant to scale-up its electrified and extremely compact eSMR Methanol™ technology for production of sustainable methanol from biogas. It is expected to demonstrate that the process can compete with traditional methanol production based on fossil fuels in terms of cost. Press release: “ Topsoe to build demonstration plant to produce cost-competitive CO2-neutral methanol from biogas and green electricity ”, 16/7/2019. Figure 1. Comparison between a traditional reactor and the electrified compact reactor of Haldor Topsoe Location Aarhus University’s research facility in Foulum (Denmark) Feedstocks The technology exploits the full carbon potential of biogas by utilizing even the 40% CO 2 content which is routinely separated and vented today. Green electricity from wind turbines or solar panels instead of natural gas. Product and production capacity 10 kg/h of meth...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Chevron U.S.A. Inc (subsidiary of Chevron Corporation ) and California Bioenergy LLC   (CalBio, company which designs, develops, operates and finances digester projects) have announced a joint investment in a holding company (CalBioGas LLC) with dairy farmers to produce and market biomethane as a vehicle fuel in California. Press release: “ CalBio & Dairy Farmers Partner with Chevron on Dairy Biomethane Fuel Projects ”, 18/6/2019. Figure 1. Stockdale dairy (taken from the website of the company). This CalBio project is a 600 kW facility located outside of Bakersfield. It was one of the first double-lined covered lagoon digester’s in California. Chevron has signed an agreement to provide funding for as many as 18 digesters across three geographic clusters in Kern, Tulare and Kings counties (San Joaquin Valley, California). The clusters of digesters have been awarded California Department of Food and Agriculture grants, which must be...

Type of post: NEWS. Oberon Fuels is a California-based advanced biofuels producer which monetizes biogas and industrial waste streams by converting them into higher valued commodities. Using its proprietary small-scale process, Oberon makes rDME (renewable dimethyl ether) from methane, carbon dioxide and/or methanol. In 2013, Oberon Fuels’ pilot plant in Brawley, California, produced the first fuel-grade DME in North America, which has been used by Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks and Ford Motor Company for vehicle demonstrations around the world. The firm has been officially awarded a grant for 2.9 M$ from the California Energy Commission (CEC) for a first-of-its-kind, multi-phase project to produce rDME at relevant scale in the USA. This project unlocks the near- and medium-term decarbonization benefits of rDME, which means a key step in the development of a renewable hydrogen (rH 2 ) pathway in California. Press release: “ Oberon Fuels Secures $2.9 Million Grant from State of ...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Eni and the Italian Biogas Consortium (CIB) have signed an agreement to promote the production of advanced biomethane from animal waste, agro-industrial byproducts and dedicated winter crops for use in the transport sector. Inter alia, the benefits will be lower atmospheric emissions and a more competitive primary sector. For Eni, it represents another step forward in the production of advanced biofuels and aligns with the transformation of the Venice and Gela biorefineries. Press release: “ Eni signs agreement with Italian Biogas Consortium to promote Italian advanced biomethane ”, 29/3/2019. Figure 1. The agreement was signed at Eni’s Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi Refinery in the Province of Pavia by Giuseppe Ricci (Eni Chief Refining & Marketing Officer) and Piero Gattoni (President of the Italian Biogas Association) Agreement highlights: - Through commercial and industrial collabor...

Tipo de entrada: NOTICIA BREVE. Según una reciente nota de prensa de ERA (Emissions Reduction Alberta, sociedad creada con la misión de identificar y acelerar soluciones innovadoras que aseguren el éxito de la Alberta en una economía de menos emisiones de carbono), un proyecto de biocombustibles basados en trigo ha recibido 5 millones de dólares canadienses de financiación de su Programa Partnership Intake. Esta instalación de producción de biocombustibles está siendo desarrollada por Carbon Clean Energy Inc (CCE) y tiene por objetivo generar un etanol de baja intensidad de carbono que responda a la nueva normativa de combustible renovable de Alberta. De hecho, generaría anualmente 1,3 millones de toneladas de los créditos compensatorios de carbono de Alberta. Nota de prensa: “ $12.1 million announced for projects worth over a half billion dollars ”, 18/3/2019. Información del proyecto: “ Project Wheatland ”. Nombre del proyecto Wheatland Ubicación ...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. According to a recent press release of ERA (Emissions Reduction Alberta, corporation with a mandate to identify and accelerate innovative solutions that secure Alberta’s success in a lower carbon economy), a wheat-based biofuels project has received 5 million CAD in funding from its Partnership Intake Program. This biofuels production facility is being developed by Carbon Clean Energy Inc (CCE) and aims to generate low carbon intensity ethanol in response to Alberta’s new renewable fuel standards. In fact, it would generate 1.3 million tons of Alberta carbon offset credits annually. Press release: “ $12.1 million announced for projects worth over a half billion dollars ”, 18/3/2019. Project information: “ Project Wheatland ”. Project name Wheatland Location Strathmore (Alberta, Canada) Project value 285 million CAD Products and production capacity 160 million litres of denatured eth...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. DuPont Industrial Biosciences (DuPont) and VERBIO North America Corporation (VNA), US subsidiary of German bioenergy company VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG (VERBIO), have reached terms for VNA to acquire DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol plant in Nevada (Iowa, USA) and a portion of its corn stover inventory. Press release: “ VERBIO to acquire DuPont’s Nevada, Iowa-based cellulosic ethanol plant ”, 8/11/2018. Related post: “ Official opening of the cellulosic ethanol biorefinery of Dupont in Iowa ”, 27/10/2015. DuPont officially opened the biorefinery on October 2015 and reported its plans to sell it two years after. Following its merger with Dow in 2017, the company announced a strategic shift within the cellulosic biofuels business and began to seek a buyer for the plant. Currently, it continues to participate in the overall biofuels market offering enzymes and engineered yeast solutions that improve yield and productivity. Figure 1. Cel...

Type of post: NEWS. An interesting example of cooperation between an oil and gas company and a player of the renewable energy arena was unveiled at the end of the last month. On the one hand, Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) which owns and operates the Point Breeze and Girard Point oil refineries located on an integrated complex in Philadelphia. Their 335,000 barrels per day of combined capacity makes PES the largest refining complex on the US Eastern Seaboard. On the other hand, RNG Energy (RNG) which develops, finances, owns and manages the operations of anaerobic digester projects that produce renewable natural gas. RNG built in Colorado what it says is the world's largest codigester ( Heartland Project ) which converts food waste and cattle manure into methane. Figure 1. The Heartland Project in Colorado was built by RNG (extracted from RNG website) Both companies announced on August 27 that they have completed and executed several contracts including a lon...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Enbridge Gas Distribution and the City of Toronto will build and install equipment that will turn the city's organic waste into clean energy (see press release , 20/7/2018). Location It will be located at Dufferin Organics Processing Facility (Toronto, Canada). Feedstock Organic waste (apple cores, egg shells, coffee grounds…). Products and production capacity 5 million cubic metres of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). The methane produced by anaerobic digestion will be captured, cleaned and injected into the natural gas distribution system to feed the very trucks that picked up the green bin waste. It would be enough to fuel 132 garbage trucks (90% of the city's fleet). Expected start-up 2019. Figure 1. Creating energy from organic waste (extracted from the press release) The Ontario Ministry of Energy believ...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. The EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, opened the new phase of the All-gas project at the wastewater treatment plant of Chiclana (Cádiz, Spain) last Friday. The project is aimed at the biogas production from the cultivation of microalgae in waste water (reclaimed). All-gas (Industrial scale demonstration of sustainable algae cultures for biofuel production) is co-funded by the European Union through 7 th Framework Programme (Call: ENERGY.2010.3.4-1 - Biofuels from algae, topic: FP7-ENERGY-2010-2). Figure 1. Opening of the All-gas project´s new demo phase (extracted from the press release) The previous activities of the pilot and prototype phases have been completed successfully and have enabled the production of biogas, which is being tested in different vehicles to check its performance. Now, the project enters its demonstration stage after the completion of the works carried out inside the local authorit...

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the demo event “Zero Waste Biorefineries” organized by ASEBIO (Spanish Bioindustry Association) under the framework of the Valor Plus project (Improving by-product output through sustainable and integrated closed loop biorefineries, FP7-KBBE-2013-7-613802). The event was held in the CLAMBER R&D Biorefinery and included a visit to the pilot facilities. Javier Mena (Scientific Coordinator) and Francisco Javier Pinar (Technical Manager) showed and explained the different units and equipment of the plant. The biorefinery occupies a parcel next to the oil refinery of Repsol in Puertollano. A good panoramic view of the vast refinery can be clearly seen from the small biorefinery. It was an image with a major symbolic dimension for me: the transition between the fossil economy and the bioeconomy starting from a tiny seed. This pilot plant is destined to be a key tool for the growth of the biorefining sector in the region and in the whole...