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BioEnergyTrain
Course: Environmental challenges in bio-refineries
Prof. dr. Dana PERNIU

Prof.dr. Anca DUTA

Prof.dr. Ion VISA
Prof.dr. Alexandru ENESCA
Prof.dr. Luminta ISAC
Lect dr. Cristina BOGATU
Lect. dr. eng. Maria COVEI

Transilvania University of Brasov

R&D Centre: Renewable Energy Systems and Recycling

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Cultural and economical revolutions

(-) Pressures on
soil quality,
AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION human health
(+) basic need addressed: food security

(-) Pressures on
environmental quality,
human health
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
(+) basic need addressed: energy security + material security

SUSTAINABILITY REVOLUTION: addressed to ensure the food and

energy security without compromising the environmental quality

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Drivers to bio-based economy

Climatic
change

Bio-based
economy

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
Bio-based economy – brief history 4
 Early Stone Age – biomass for heat production
 End of 19th century – Nikolaus August Otto invented the Otto engine fueled with
ethanol
 Early 20th century – Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine, fueled with peanut
oil
 Early 20th century – Henry Ford designed Model T car to run with hemp-derived
ethanol.
 1930 – start of the industrial era dominated by oil.
 World War II – shortage of fuels. Consequently, gasoline was used together with
ethanol produced from potatoes (Germany) or grain (Great Britain)
 1970s’ – oil crisis. The re-use of biofuels to increase the energy security.
 1977 - Brazilian patent (Parente) the first industrial process for biomass
conversion in biodesel.
 1987 – the first pilot plant for biodiesel, Austria – Gaskoks company.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 5

 End of 20th century – concerns about global warming and climate change
 Beginning of 21st century – legislation to push the alternative sources for
energy, with a focus on industrialization of biorefineries.
 2006 – total world production of bioethanol: 51.3 billion liters.
 In 2017, the consumption of bioenergy reached 119.301 ktoe,
more than double than in 2000
equivalent to the annual coal consumption in the industrial,
residential and service sectors combined.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Terminology
Bioenergy
refers to all types of energy derived from the conversion of natural, biological
sources (referred to as biomass) available on a renewable basis. 
Feedstock: an abundant source of organic materials) such as plants, trees,
algae, or organic wastes, which all can be valuable fuels as soon as a technology
makes it possible to efficiently extract all of its energy potential.
currently used in Europe:
wood from forests,
agricultural crops and residues,
by-products from the wood and agricultural industry,
herbaceous and woody energy crops,
municipal organic wastes and manure,
could potentially integrate algae and marine biomass in the future

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Bio-based economy
encompasses the production of renewable biological resources and the
conversion of these resources and waste into value added products such as
food, feed, bio-based products and bio-energy
Bio-refinery
the concept is analogous to the basic concept of conventional oil refineries:
to produce a variety of fuels and other products from a certain feedstock.

Bio-based products
refers to different product categories: biofules (e.g. biodiesel and
bioethanol), bio-energy (heat and power) and bio-based chemicals and
materials (e.g. succinic acid, polylactic acid).
Biomass is the only renewable energy source capable of providing heating and
cooling, electricity and transport fuel.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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https://bioenergyeurope.org/about-bioenergy.html

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 9

From refinery to biorefinery

• Refinery: natural gas, crude oil - relatively homogenous; low in oxygen

content, the weight of the product generally increases with processing
Feedstock • Biorefinery: heterogenous regarding bulk components; most of starting
material in polymeric form; high oxygen content; the weight of the product
generally decreases with processing

Main building • Refinery: ethylene, propylene, methane, benzene, xylenes, toluene

block • Biorefinery: glucose, xylose, fatty acids (e.g. oleic, stearic, sebacic)
composition
• Refinery: chemical processes; wide range of conversion chemistry
• Biorefinery: combination of chemical and biochemical processes; smaller
Processes range if conversion chemistry – dehydratation, hydrogenation,
fermentation

• Refinery: fuels for transportation service, electricity, heat, chemicals

Products • Biorefinery: fuels for transportation service, electricity, heat, chemicals

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Biomass – resource in the sustainable world

Gazeous biofules: biogas,

sunlight syngas, hydrogen, biomethane
Energy
products for: Solid biofules: pellets, lignin,
Electricity Biofules charcoal
Heat
Transport liquid biofules: bioethanol,
biomass biodiesel, FT-fules, bio-oil

Chemicals: fine chemicals, building

Material blocks, bulk chemicals
products
Organic acids: succinic, lactic, itaconic,
other sugar derivatives

Polymers and resins: starch-based

plastics, phenol resins, furan resins
Biomaterials: wood panels, pulp, paper,
cellulose
Food and animal feed
Fertilizers
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Biorefinery products Paper and

paperboard
Cellulose
Bio-Methanol based
Rayon

Bioethanol
Hemicellulo
Biochemical Furfural
se based
conversion
Higher
bioalcohols Adhesives

Biogas Dispersants

Biodiesel Emulsifiers
Biomaterials
Lignin based
Chemical Adsorbents
Energy products DME
conversion

FT diesel Vanilin

Soil
Heat conditioners

Particle
board
Electricity
Thermochemical Carbon
conversion Miscellanous
products
Syingas
Animal feed
Hydrogen
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Electricity generation: Emissions comparison

2010: 280 TWh of electricity from biomass (equivalent of

1.5% of world total energy production)

Conventional system Coal fired: 975.3 gCO2/kWh

Oil fired: 742.1 gCO2/kWh
Gas fired: 607.6 gCO2/kWh
Nuclear: 24.2 gCO2/kWh

Renewable system Wind: 9.7 – 123.7 gCO2/kWh

Solar PV: 53.4 - 250 gCO2/kWh
Biomass: 35 – 178 gCO2/kWh
Solar-thermal: 13.6 – 202 gCO2/kWh
Hydro: 3.7 – 237 gCO2/kWh

Varun, Bhat, I.K., Prakash, R., LCA of renewable energy for electricity generation systems – A
review, in: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviwes 13 (2009) 1067-1073

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 13

BIOFUELS
 liquid fuels derived from biomass,
 used as alternative to fossil-fuel based liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline,
diesel, aviation fuels, mainly to reduce CO2 emissions and to overcome the energy
security.
 Conventional biofuels:
 have reached the market maturity
 already at commercial stage,
 typical examples: sugarcane ethanol, starch-based or corn ethanol, biodiesel,
pure plant oil
 feedstocks: sugars, starches, oil-bearing crops, animal fats – usually can be
used as food or animal feed.
 Advanced biofuels:
 pre-commercial, demonstration or in R&D phase.
 Feedstock: non-food crops, agricultural or forest residues.
 Composed of 3 building blocks: cellulose, hemicellulose, hemicellulose

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 14

BIOFUELS – 1st generation

Raw material Conventional 1st generation of biofuel

sugar, starch, technology Bioethanol, Biodiesel
vegetable oil, Starch-derived biogas
wheat, corn, Vegetable oils
rapeseed Biomethanol, Bioethers

Uses:
- blended with petroleum-based fuels in
internal combustion engines
- Alternative fuel, in Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(FFV)

Advantages: Disadvantages:
- easy conversion Competition with food
- reduction in GHG emissions industry - food feedstock, soil
- reduction in fossil energy fertility,
consumption

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 15

BIOETHANOL for transportation

Feedstock:
Sugar-cane BIOALCOHOLS
biorefinery
Sugar beet
Starch crops
GASOHOL (E10): DIESHOL:
10% ethanol + 90% gasoline 84.5% diesel fuel + 15% hydrated ethanol + 0.5%
3% methanol + 97% gasoline emulsifier.
(+) Higher octane (antiknock) properties (+) significant reduction particulate emissions,
than gasoline thus in visible smoke
(+) Burns more slowly, coolly, completely (+) increases the engine thermal efficiency (~8%)
 reduce some pollutants emissions (+) overall reduction in emission of CO2
(-) Vaporizes rapidly  contributes to (+) for mixtures containing 5% bioethanol no
ozone formation in warm weather engine modifications are needed

Disadvantages:
bioethanol (and biomethanol) are highly flammable
In alcohol engine pre-ignition and knocking are more dangerous than in gasoline engines

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 16

BIODIESEL

Feedstock:
Vegetable oils
Animal fats
Transesterification BIODIESEL
Grease (beef
tallow, pork lard, Uses:
yellow grease) Biodiesel – as such
Blends – B5 (5% biodiesel) – B20 (20%
biodiesel)

Advantages towards conventional diesel:

• Less polluting
• Renewable nature
• Can be used in diesel engines without modification
• Byproducts (proteins and glycerol) are also
important for the overall economics of the
production process

Source:
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/diesels_emissions.html,

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Environmental performance of a bioethanol

Biofuel type Energy GHG emission SOx emissions NOx emissions

efficiency
(Fossil) energy gCO2-eq/MJ g/MJ g/MJ
input/energy in biofuel
fuel
Grain ethanol 0.33 - 0.42 44 - 57 0.066 – 0.081 0.12 – 0.25
Cellulose 0.08 to 0.13 5 to 23 0.014 – 0.51 0.05 – 0.65
ethanol
F-T diesel 0.05 – 0.22 5 to 19 0.009 – 0.11 0.03 – 0.1

Bioethanol in place of gasoline in transportation: save emission of 198 g CO 2

equivalent /km of vehicle travelled

Parajuli, R., Dalgaard, T., Jorgensen, U., Adamsen, A.P.S.,

TryndemanKnudsen M., Birkved, M., Gylling, M., Schjorring, J.K., Birefining
in the prevailing energy and materials crisis: a review of sustainable
pathways for biorefinery value chains and sustainability assessment
methodologies, in: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43 (2015)
244-263
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 18

Biofuel worldwide production

Bioethanol
Total world production: 51.3 billion liters (2006) Biodiesel
Total world production : 6 billion liters (2006)
USA (largest producer):
Production: 19.8 billion liters/year Germany (largest producer):
Primary feedstock: corn Production: 6 billion liters/year
Primary feedstock: rapeseed and sunflower
Brasil:
Production: 17.8 billion liters/year primary USA:
Primary feedstock: sugarcane Production: 0.86 billion liters/year
Primary feedstock: rapeseed and sunflower
European Union:
Production: 3.44 billion liters/year primary
Primary feedstock: sugarbeet and starch crops

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
Competition on bio-resources: specific issues for agriculture and industry

First generation of raw

materials

High negative impact on bio-resources

Agricultural productivity Competition: Food/feed
production
Increase use of fertilizers
Effects on water supply

eutrophication Increased use of pesticides Increasing food prices

Human/animals toxicity

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 20

BIOFUELS – 2nd generation

Thermochemical
Flash pyrolysis
enzymatic route 2nd generation of biofuel
Raw material
Biogas;
Non-food crops –
Fisher Torpsh diesel
lignocellulosic
Synthetic liquid biofuels
materials
Uses:
Fuel for vehicles, engines or fuel cells
for electricity generation
Advantages:
- the raw material does not compromise food
security
- reduction in GHG emissions Disadvantages:
- reduction in fossil energy consumption Technologies at pre-commercial scale
- land use efficiency
- For production the whole plant is used
- use of lignocellulosic residues and waste and raw
materials

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 21

BIOFUELS – 3rd and 4th generation

Advanced
3rd generation of biofuel
technology
Raw material Vegetable oil (oilgae)
Non-food crops Biodiesel
Algae Biohydrogen
biomethanol

Raw material
Crops that are
genetically engineered Advanced
technology 4th generation of
to consume more CO2 biofuel
from the atmosphere biogasoline
than they produce
during combustion as
fuel Main advantage:
Closes the CO2
balance

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
Raw materials in bio-refineries: bio-resources

Wood Waste Overcome the fuel vs. food

Second dilemma
generation of Non-food Crops
raw materials Overcome the social
Waste Cooking Oil
/economic / environmental
Forestry residues challenges

Cultured at low-cost
Third generation
(Micro)Algae
of raw materials High energy

Eco-friendly

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Biorefining flow – Biomass processing technologies

• Milling
• Briquetting
Mechanical/Physical • Mechanical fractionation
processes • Distillation
• Extraction
• Filtration
Biomass
Biochemical processing Thermochemical processes
processes
technologi • Pyrolysis
• Enzimatic
ess • Gasification
hydrolysis
• Liquefaction
• Fermentation
Chemical processes • Combustion
• Anaerobic
• • Hydrothermal
digestion Hydrolysis
• Precipitation
• (Trans)esterification
• Steam reforming

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 24

CHEMICALS and MATERIALS from BIOMASS

• Fine chemicals, building blocks, bulk

Chemicals
chemicals
• Succinic, lactic, itaconic, other sugar
Organic acids
derivatives
• Starch-based plastics, phenol resins, furan
Polymers and resins
resins
Biomaterials • Wood panels, pulp, paper, cellulose
• Food components – phytosterols, folates,
Food and animal feed
phytates
Fertilizers • Fertilizers

Byproducts valorization • Activated carbons

!!! the use of bio-chemicals could lower the CO2 emissions

by 282 to 668 Mt CO2.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 25

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

World total primary energy • 2014: 13699 Mtoe, 10.3% - from biofuels and waste
supply • 2050: 879 EJ=144PWh (61% increase comparing to 2010

World total primary • 2011: 50 EJ

bioenergy supply • 2050: 160 EJ (provided by 8 to 11 billion dry tonnes)

Electricity generation • 2014: 23816 TWh

• 2050: 536 billion MWh; 3100 TWh from bioenergy

• 2014: 32381 MtCO2

CO2 emissions from fuel • 2050: biofuels could provide 27% of total transport fuel; can avoid
combustion 2.1 Gt of CO2/year
• 2050: bio-electricity could bring savings of 1.3 Gt CO2- equivalent

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 26
Biorefineries sustainability

displacement Community
commitments/
benefits
Mitigation of SOCIAL
environmental impact

economic
feasibility
biodiversity
preservation ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMIC

renewability

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Energy security

Availability

Energy Accessibility
Acceptability security

Affordability

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 28

Energy sources availability

 All fossil fuels are finite resources:
• coal proven reserves estimated to be available for 277 to 155 years
• oil commercial reserves will be exhausted in 40 years
• Natural gas reserves estimated to be available for 63 to 66 years.
 Biomass has a fast renewability cycle.
 The availability of biomass induces conflictual issues:
 Pressure on arable land: the theoretical maximum availability of biomass is limited by
the primary production capacity of the biosphere.
 Ethical conflict: biomass has other uses as human feed, animal fodder. Any use of
biomass for non-food, takes it out from food web, the basic functional mechanism of
every ecosystem.
 Biomass availability depends on:
• Priorities of farming communities
• Choice of conversion technology
• Scale of operation
• Administrative policies

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Renewable resources
Feedstock Recycle time Standing biomass Biomass production
(tons/ha) (tons/ha.year)
algae 1 month 0.9 11.25
agricultural crops 3 months – 1 year 4.5 2.93
temperate grasses 1 year 7.2 2.70
savanna 1 year 18.0 4.05
shrubs 1-5 years 27.0 3.15
tropical forest 5 – 25 years 202.5 9.90
tropical season forest 5 – 25 years 157.5 7.20

boreal forest 25-80 years 90.0 3.60

temperate deciduous 10-50 years 135.0 5.40
temperate evergreen 10-80 years 157.5 5.85
oil, gas, coal ~280 million years (estimated reserves:
38.4 x 1021 t)

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 30

Energy affordability

• Coal: 3 Eur/GJ
Heat production
• Biomass: 4 Eur/GJ end product

Power • Coal: 6 Eur/GJ

• Biomass: 22 Eur/GJ end product

• Oil: 8 Eur/GJ
Transportation fuel • Biomass: 10 Eur/GJ end product

•
Average bulk chemicals Oil: 30 Eur/GJ
• Biomass: 75 Eur/GJ end product

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
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Biofuels Acceptability

Advantages  Promissing alternative to react to carbon emission issue.

of biofuels
 Bioethanol and biodiesel are the two promising biofuels for
utilization
transportation
 Can be used directly in conventional engines without major
modifications
 A variety of feedstocks can ensure a continuous supply for
biofuel production
 Bioethanol and biodiesel reached the commercial stage.
 The feedstock for bioethanol is sugarcane and soybean
 The feedstock for biodiesel is rapeseed and palm oil

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 32

Biofuels Acceptability

Controversial  Deforestation
issues in
 Loss of biodiversity
biofuels
utilization  Haze pollution
 Increase of nitrogen and particles emissions
 Huge amount of water usage
 Food versus fuel
 Rural poverty
 Land use conflict

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 33

References

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Biotechnology Advances, 30 (2012) 785-810
Cherubini, F., The biorefinery concept: Using biomass instead of oil for producing energy and
chemicals, in: Energy Conversion and management, 51 (2010) 1412-1421
IEA Statistics, 2015 edition
IEA Country reports, 2013
Demirbas, A., Biofuels sources, biofuel policy, biofuel economy and global bifuel projection, in:
Energy Conversion and Management, 49 (2008) 2106-2116
Ghatak, H.R., Biorefineries from the perspective of sustainability: Feedstocks, products, and
processes, in: renewable and sustainable Energy Reviews, 15 (2011) 4042-4052
Mohr, A., Beuchelt, T., Schneider, R., Virchow D., Food security criteria for voluntary biomass
sustainability standards and certifications, in: Biomass and Bioenergy, 89 (2016) 133-145
Demirbas, A., Biorefineries for biomass upgrading facilities, Springer, 2010
Varun, Bhat, I.K., Prakash, R., LCA of renewable energy for electricity generation systems – A review,
in: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviwes 13 (2009) 1067-1073
Sacramento, J.C., Navarro-Pineda, F., Vilchiz-Bravo, L., Evaluating the sustainability of biorefineries at
the conceptual design stage, in: Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 107 (2016) 167-180
Parajuli, R., Dalgaard, T., Jorgensen, U., Adamsen, A.P.S., TryndemanKnudsen M., Birkved, M.,
Gylling, M., Schjorring, J.K., Birefining in the prevailing energy and materials crisis: a review of
sustainable pathways for biorefinery value chains and sustainability assessment methodologies, in:
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43 (2015) 244-263

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760
 34

References

De Jong, E., Jungmeier, G., Biorefinery concepts in comparison to petrochemical refineries, in: Industrial
Biorefineries and White Biotechnology.
Sustainability Standards for Bioenergy, WWF Germany, 2006
The European Bioeconomy in 2030, European Commission 2012
OECD/IEA, Technology Roadmap – Bioenergy for Heat and Power, 2012
OECD/IEA, Technology Roadmap – Biofuels for Transport, 2011
IEA, Key world energy statistics, 2016
Biernat, K., Malinowski,A., Gnat, M., The possibility of future biofuels production using waste carbon dioxide
and solar energy,
World Energy Scenarios Composing energy futures to 2050, World Energy Council, 2013
Valentine, S.V., Emerging symbiosis: Renewable energy and energy security, in: Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews, 15 (2011) 4572-4578
Chin H.C., Choong W.W., Alwi S.R.W., Mohammed A.H., Issues of social acceptance on biofuel development,
in: Journal of Cleaner Production, 71 (2014) 30-39.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement N 656760