Techno-Economic Assessment of Biomass Pre-Processing (TEABPP) - Analysis and Recommendations Report

Abstract:

The techno-economic project will provide a greater understanding of the options available to modify or improve the physical and chemical characteristics of different types of UK-derived 2nd generation energy biomass feedstocks, that may otherwise reduce the cost-effective performance of conversion technologies

This report (Deliverable 6) presents prioritised recommendations for further research into pre-processing technologies following the analysis of ten supply chains, two of which generate heat, and eight generating power to compare their costs, efficiencies and greenhouse gas emissions with and without pre-processing. These are compared in groups according to their shared conversion technology, and all the chains are able to use a blend of Miscanthus and woody feedstocks (from 0-100%). Every chain is described in the gPROMS model by a set of 200+ input parameters, each with a base case value and a minimum to maximum range.

The final recommendations are

• High Priority
  •  Conversion technologyinnovation improvements, especially CAPEX and efficiencies,result in dramatic chain improvements, and are worth exploring further as these will be required to increase the competitiveness of all of the TEABPP chains.
• Medium-High Priority
  • Torrefaction+pelleting plants should focus on increasing product LHV, optimising with energy crop/SRF feedstocks, and reducing electricity use.
• Medium Priority
  • Chemical washingplants, if developed, should focus on reducing output nitrogen content and lowering chemicaluseand GHG emissions, plussafely dealing with waste water disposal.
  • Water washingplants should focus on optimisation with forestrythen perennial energy cropfeedstocks, and compliance with combustion and gasification plant feedstock limits and non-GHG emissions limits
  • Pyrolysis plants should focus on significantlyimproving bio-oil yields when usinghigher-ash energy crop/SRF feedstocks, and overall plant thermal integration.

Publication Year:

2017

Publisher:

ETI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/ukerc.edc.000431

Author(s):

Taylor, R., Westerbeeke, H., German, L., Bauen, A., Brownbridge, G., Bhave, A., Bianco, N., Wong, R., Lawal, A., Shah, N., Martinez, L., Eastwood, M., Hughes, K. and Pourkashanian, M.