Biomass to Biofuel: How Will We Get There?
ID: 3465

Abstract: Feedstock availability, quality, and cost will define the scale and success of the cellulosic biofuels industry. Cellulosic biorefineries require a perpetual supply of low cost, high quality feedstock to avoid downtime and minimize operating costs, while maximizing output and profitability. However, energy crops are not currently grown at large scale to supply biorefineries and growers will not grow such crops unless they have are guaranteed contracts to sell the biomass. Much needs to be learned and financed to enable this industry to prosper from field to fuel production.

Feedstock costs can best be minimized through increased fuel yields on a per-acre basis, allowing for lower production, harvest, and transportation cost per ton. Increased gallon yield per-acre can be achieved through maximizing biomass yield while also optimizing biomass composition and conversion characteristics for an individual process. Many other practices must be employed to achieve this goal, including specific on-farm management practices, storage protocols, and utilization of multiple crop varieties and species to achieve yield sustainability on a continual basis.



Numerous issues need to be resolved to build the value chain between the field and the biorefinery. Genetics, seed ramp up and agronomic practices from stand establishment to harvesting need to be established for new energy crops. Innovative grower contracts and aid through government programs need to be developed and implemented to convert land into energy crop production while paying attention to emerging worldwide Indirect Land Use issues.



Our panel will discuss what is being done to develop a supply of low cost and high quality biomass feedstock to meet the needs of the biorefinery.



Vonnie Estes, VP Business Development DuPont Dansico Cellulosic Ethanol:

• Developing a value chain to feed biorefinery.

• Global potential for crop residue and energy crops; how will energy crops be selected regionally?



Spencer Swayze, Manager of Business Development

• Discussion of the value chain from seed genetics and seed development to get biomass to the plant gate

• A review of the critical issues facing the industry in the implementation and use of dedicated energy crops at scale.



Dr. Kelly Tiller:, Assistant Professor & Director. Department of Agricultural Economics.

• Case Study: Discussion of the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative; the first large scale energy crop grower program



Balu Sarma

Praj Matrix – The Innovation Center (a Division of Praj Industries Limited) has been working on developing Lignocellulose to Bioethanol Technology for the past several years. Praj Matrix commenced operations of its lignocellulose to ethanol pilot plant located in Pune, India in December 2008.

Initial trials at the pilot plant operations have demonstrated the feasibility of producing ethanol from two agricultural residues - corn cob and sugarcane bagasse. The pilot plant trials have validated the work done at the laboratory scale and have validated the scale up criteria used to design the pilot plant. A scale up of 3 orders of magnitude was involved from the laboratory studies to the pilot plant.

The lignocellulose to ethanol pilot plant is capable of treating up to 2 metric tons per day of various feedstock such as sugarcane bagasse, corn cob, corn stover, grasses, rice straw, wheat straw, wood, and other agricultural residues. Over the next few months, Praj Matrix will work on optimizing the pilot plant operating parameters with corn cob and sugarcane bagasse, and will develop the basic engineering package for a commercial demonstration plant.

Praj’s lignocellulose to ethanol process is characterized by a unique catalyst and a unique pre-treatment process. The feedstock is processed in such a manner that the sugar containing fraction is separated from the lignin in a highly efficient manner. The sugar containing fraction is then converted to ethanol using Praj proprietary micro-organisms at high yields. The process will also employ Praj’s proprietary energy integration technologies as well as Praj’s proprietary water treatment and recycle technologies. Praj Matrix is also pursuing technology programs to produce biochemicals from the same feedstock. In the future, these technologies will be integrated to form the foundation of Praj’s Biorefinery technology.

In this presentation, an overview of the laboratory and pilot scale results will be presented.



Moderator: Vonnie Estes, Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE) (United States)

Presenter 1: Biomass to Biofuel: How Will We Get There?
Spencer Swayze, Ceres, Inc., (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 2: Biomass to Biofuel: How Will We Get There? 
Kelly Tiller, University of Tennessee, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 3: Biomass to Biofuel: How Will We Get There? 
Vonnie Estes, Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE), (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 4 (if necessary): Lignocellulose to Bioethanol Technology – The Praj Matrix Experience 
Balu Sarma, Praj Matrix - A Division of Praj Industries Limited, (India)  [Confirmed]

Panel Organizer:
Vonnie Estes, Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE), (United States)

Why should your submission should be selected for this year’s program?
Much of the focus to date has been on conversion technology. Now that most of the technology providers feel we are closing the gap in producing and demonstrating biomass to ethanol; the focus needs to turn to how we are going to fuel these plants. Growing biomass is a very regionally based decision. We must understand where energy crops will grow that have the agricultural infrastructure to support it. Ceres, DDCE and Univ. of TN are all doing new work on understanding, developing and implementing programs to feed biorefineries with biomass. These three companies have the largest grower and seed genetic based programs tied to conversion technology.