CANADA’S Renewable Energy Plan:

Gasification (Biofuels)

Fernando Preto
CANMET Energy Technology Centre – Ottawa
Natural Resources Canada
March 19, 2006
2 Canada’s Bioresources

Canada has an abundance of renewable bioresources.

Canada makes up 7% of world’s land mass, has 10% of
world’s forests, and about 68 million ha of agricultural
land (but only 0.5% of the world’s population). Of the 998
million ha of land, about 42% is forested, of which about
245 million ha (25%) is considered productive forest. A
further 67.5 million ha (6.8%) is agricultural land, of which
about 36.4 million ha (3.6%) is cropland.
 3 Canada’s Bioenergy Use

Over 650 PJ/a of biomass energy is currently used in Canada

15% Electricity
This represents
Ethanol approximately 6%
of Canada’s
22%
Thermal energy
62% Energy consumption
1% Thermal -
Residential

Pulp mills account for 80% of bioenergy use in Canada

4 Biomass Supply (BIOCAP)
 5 Canada’s “BioVision”

There is no generally accepted vision or strategy for all the

individual biofuel technologies being considered in
Canada. The only area with a specified target is
transportation fuels. The Government of Canada has
announced a national target of 5% (3.3 BL/yr) of biofuels
in transportation by 2010. This would consist of 2.8 BL/yr of
bioethanol, and 500 ML/yr of biodiesel. This represents a 7-
fold increase in bioethanol production (currently 413 ML/yr),
and a 5-fold increase in biodiesel production (currently 95
ML/yr) within four years. The biofuels industry acknowledges
that the existing targets lack sufficient detail to adequately
build the industry in Canada An industry vision has
“evolved” and compiled by SDTC.
 Biofuel Industry Vision (SDTC)
6
7
8
9
10
11

Enerkem: MSW Gasification

12 Enerkem: Methanol Synthesis

A new and potentially commercial

technology to produce biofuel
alcohols (i.e. methanol as initial
alcohol) from complex wastes is
being developed by Enerkem
Technologies Inc. The pilot scale
facility for the methanol synthesis
comprises a fluid bed gasification
unit (BioSynTM, Enerkem’s
patented gasification technology)
coupled to a proprietary gas
conditioning sequence and to a
three-phase reactor for the catalytic
synthesis.
13
14 Gasification: Nexterra

13,000 tonnes /y ~ 13 MWth

 15
Core Gasification Technology

ƒSyngas exits at 500 – 700°F

Partial oxidation at ƒSyngas 100 – 300 btu/scft
1500 – 1800 °F and
ƒClean burning fuel comprised of
fuel is converted into
CO, H2, CH4, N2, H2O, CO2
“syngas”
ƒPM emissions less than 100
mg/dscm without cleanup
Ash migrates to
base, removed
by automatic ash
grate
Hog fuel
Primary Air (30% of 3-inch minus
stoichoimetric) 25 – 55% moisture
16
Thermal Heat –> 100 MMBtu/hr
TOLKO INDUSTRIES HEFFLEY CREEK PLYWOOD PLANT

¾ 38 MMBtu/hr turnkey system

¾ Heat to veneer dryer and
block conditioning vats
¾ System started up May 2006
¾ Performance tests complete
and successful
¾ Displaces 100% of natural
gas
¾ Excellent start-up and uptime
¾ VOCs consumed by oxidizer
¾ Highly automated
¾ Other Applications: Veneer
Dryers, Dry Kilns, Tissue
 17
Cogen – Up to 10 Mw Electricity
JOHNSON CONTROLS BIOMASS PLANT AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Gasifiers Oxidizer
¾ 60,000 lbs/hr high
pressure steam boiler
(650 psig/750 °F)
¾ 3 Gasifiers - Oxidizer
¾ Gasifier equipment
onsite August 2006
¾ Expected system
Steam boiler
startup: Q2-07

Combustion air fan

Induced draft fan
18
Cogen 60,000 lbs/hr + 1.4 MWe
 Direct-Firing
19 Syngas in
Existing Steam Boiler

¾ Syngas
Syngas
@ 500°F
pressurized and
delivered directly
into boiler via dual
Gasifier fuel burner nozzle
¾ Syngas is
combusted,
replacing natural
gas
¾ Up to 35 GJ/hr
Hot syngas Dual fuel natural gas
fan burner (syngas/ displacement per
natural gas)
gasifier
Direct-Firing Syngas in
20

Pulp Mill Lime Kiln

Syngas / natural
gas flame ƒ Syngas pressurized and
delivered to dual fuel
NG/syngas burner
nozzle
ƒ CFD modeling will
define displacement %
ƒ Syngas can be
upgraded if required

Dual fuel burner

(syngas / natural gas)

Syngas
pressurization fan
21
22 Black Liquor Gasification

Black Liquor Gasification offers energy self-sufficiency for the

pulp and paper industry. It more than doubles the ability to
generate electric power from renewable biomass – or
alternatively it can produce significant amounts of liquid
fuels and/or bio-based chemicals.

BLG
 23

Norampac, Trenton
Numerous
24
Gasifier Start-ups in Canada
25 Pyrolysis Opportunities

The opportunities for biomass pyrolysis

again lie in certain applications:

- Biomass “Densification”
- Utilization of “problem” fuels
- Process limitations
- Chemicals feedstock
26

“Mobile” Biorefinery Model

Biorefinery
Plant:
1 month fuel
supply stored ABRI 50 tpd
on-site Under Construction
 27

•5 tpd plant operated in

Alabama on chicken litter
•15 tpd plant
commissioned for sawmill
in Massachusetts
•1 tpd portable “farm” unit
completed
•50 tpd unit being built for
Ontario for start-up in
2007

5 tpd Mobile Pyrolysis Plant

28 Small Scale Power : 2 MWe West Lorne

Orenda
29
The “Biorefinery” Promise
INPUTS BASIC INTERMEDIATES DERIVATIVES/ CUSTOMERS
BUILDING APPLICATIONS
BLOCKS

Food
Food Product Variety of Food Industry
Intermediates Products

Wood
Phenol Industry
Natural Substitute
Resins
Bio-Oil Foundries
Insulation,
Abrasives
Industrial
Additives
Other Polymers & Concrete,
Biomass Asphalt
Co-Polymers Cross
Linkers
Industrial
Other Uses
Products
Liquid
Bio-Fuels Distributed
Combustion Generation

Stationary
Char
Fleets
Solid
Bio-Fuel Transport
Briquettes,
Anodes
Carbon

Commercial + 10 years Filter Industry

Early stage commercial
Development stage
30 Pyrolysis Extracts/Byproducts

Activated Carbon Resins

Food Flavoring
 Questions?

Thank you.

Fernando Preto

preto@nrcan.gc.ca
+1-613-996-5589