Comparison of Biomass-to-Diesel Conversion Technologies
ID: 3633

Abstract: While a great deal of attention is given to gasoline substitutes such as ethanol and butanol, comparatively little focus has been given to biomass-to-diesel conversion technologies that can address the large (and growing) worldwide demand for diesel fuel. According to the American Petroleum Institute, over the past five years through 2007, demand growth for diesel was triple that of gasoline demand. This panel of experts will provide a comprehensive comparison of emerging sugar-to-diesel conversion technologies, including insights on the technology, expected cost of production, technical and economic development challenges, timelines, and commercial trends for each of their respective technologies. The panel will review the critical technical issues while also addressing the strategic implications and commercial opportunity of such challenges.



Randal Goodfellow

Ensyn has the world’s only commercially proven fast pyrolysis process. Ensyn’s pyrolysis oil has been used since 1989 for the production of speciality chemicals and advanced bio-fuels used in thermal and electricity generation applications. Ensyn’s joint venture with UOP/Honeywell, Envergent Technologies, is scaling up proven hydro-treating technology that will be available for sale to the commercial market in 2012. This complimentary technology to fast pyrolysis will enable pyrolysis oil to be upgraded into bio-crude which will then be further processed in the existing fossil fuel refining infrastructure to produce green gasoline, green diesel, and green jet fuel.



Dirk den Ouden

Avantium is developing Furanics, a new class of biobased products. The company uses chemical – not biological - production methods to convert C5 and C6 carbohydrates from biomass into valuable products in an economically viable way without compromising on product properties. The process makes a good fit with existing chemical production assets, that will allow to retrofit existing production plants. The core applications will be polymers and fuels. When these products have been successfully developed, they form an attractive and sustainable alternative to fossil based materials and fuels. For its fuels, Avantium has succesfully carried out engine tests with blends of regular diesel with Furanics in a regular diesel engine. The test results were encouraging, because of lower soot (fine particulates) emissions, normal engine behaviour and the lack of sulphur. The company is planning to test Furanics biofuels in trucks and for application in jet fuels later this year. Avantium intends to further develop and commercialize Furanics production and applications in partnership with industrial agro, polymer, fuel and chemical companies.







Moderator: Stephen Del Cardayre, LS9 (United States)

Presenter 1: Fast Pyrolysis: Thermal Chemical Pathway from Residual Biomass to Green Hydrocarbons
Randal Goodfellow, Ensyn Technologies, (Canada)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 2: Avantium's Chemical Route to Biobased Fuels 
Dirk Den Ouden, Avantium Technologies BV, (The Netherlands)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 3: Virent Energy Approach 
Randy Cortright, Virent Energy Systems, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 4 (if necessary): Amyris View 
Kinkead Reiling, Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Panel Organizer:
Jon Ballesteros, LS9, Inc, (United States)

Why should your submission should be selected for this year’s program?
Focus on moving to commercialization using sugar.