Second-generation biofuels
In Europe, the new European directive relating to renewable energies currently being discussed is set to encourage Member States to increase the share of renewable energies in the overall fuel pool in the transport sector to 10% by 2020. The directive is moving the market increasingly towards second-generation fuels, i.e. those obtained from non-food resources, by means of a “double credit” mechanism in favor of these technologies.
IFP is a leading player in the development of new biofuel production options which consist in converting lignocellulosic biomass produced by forestry and agriculture (wood, straw, dedicated crops, plant waste, etc.) in order to open up access to a less limited resource that does not compete with food use.
The medium-term objective is to succeed in producing synfuels suitable for use in conventional engines, either directly or as a blend.
- Biological conversion of biomass to ethanol
- Thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid fuels
- Economic and environmental qualification
Biological conversion of biomass to ethanol
The first of these relates to the biological conversion of lignocellulose to ethanol. The approach consists in extracting the fermentable sugars from the cellulose before reverting to the ethanol fermentation we are familiar with for the first generation (which uses monomer sugars or starch).
The aim of the Futurol project, launched in this field in 2008, is to establish a complete industrial process (from the production of the resource to the distribution of ethanol, the production of enzymes and yeasts and the development of sustainable technologies). Alongside IFP, this project involves R&D as well as industrial and financial players.
Still in the same field, IFP is coordinating the the European NILE (New Improvements for Lignocellulosic Ethanol) project.
Thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid fuels
The second option is thermochemical conversion or BTL (Biomass to Liquids). The process involves the gasification of biomass (and potentially other feeds as well) and the purification of the synthetic gas obtained, followed by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to ultimately produce very high quality gas oils and kerosenes.
A demonstration project is currently being designed by IFP together with industrial and R&D partners; the aim is to develop a competitive and sustainable integrated process making it possible to treat biomass with other resources, such as oil residue and coal. This co-treatment concept paves the way for a gradual transition between old methods of fuel production and new ones and also guarantees the supply of raw materials needed by future production plants. It also means that units that are big enough to benefit from a scale effect in terms of investment costs can be considered.
Economic and environmental qualification
The issue of sustainable supplies (in all senses) of biomass is one of the major considerations with these technologies. IFP has conducted several concrete case studies in this area. Moreover, the issue of the conditioning of the biomass prior to gasification (torrefaction/grinding and liquefaction) is an R&D area in its own right and something IFP is working on as part of ANR projects in particular.
Finally, the various options have to be examined globally in order to assess their economic, environmental and industrial performance. IFP has developed considerable expertise in the use of LCA (life-cycle analysis) methodologies for this very purpose and these methodologies have become a European reference standard for the qualification of renewable energies.
+ Industrial development > IFP's offer in biofuels
+ Information/Publications > Panorama 2007 technical reports: "What future and what role for biofuels?"
+ Specific issue: IFP and biofuels
