HGBiofuels
High gravity hydrolysis and fermentation of lignocellulosic material for production of bio-fuels
Background
With the diminishing availability of oilbased fuels, new energy
solutions are called for. There is a large interest of using bioethanol
as a transportation fuel, however, using raw materials that compete
with food production is not a sustainable and acceptable solution.
Therefore we will work with the 2nd generation biofuels, making use of
lignocellulosic raw materials. To meet the requirement of an
economically feasible process, we will develop the process towards high
gravity, i.e. operating at as high raw material concentrations as
possible. Biobutanol is an alternative to bioethanol that has received
increasing attention in later years, due to that it has several
advantages over bioethanol, however, its production via a fermentation
pathway faces a number of challenges. In the project we will develop
and compare ethanol produced via a high gravity path with butanol
production using bacteria and yeast. Life cycle analsysis will be used
to assess the environmental performances. The focus area will be to
optimise the enzymatic hydrolysis and the fermentation process. i.e.
how are these two process steps interacting and integrated in a high
gravity process. In addition, the project aims at solving and
understanding fundamental challenges that arise when operating at high
gravity.
Project goals
The major objectives and deliverables in the project
are:
- Advance the technology for production of 2nd generation liquid
biofuels (ethanol and butanol) at very high gravity by improving
process integration, hydrolysis procedures, developing novel robust
fermentation organisms and optimising fermentation
conditions
- Expand the knowledge-base on yeast and bacterial growth and
physiology under industrially relevant (and challenging) conditions
using various Nordic lignocellulosic feedstocks. Both Nordic wood and
agriculture residues pretreated with hydrothermal pretreatment and
steam pretreatment will be used.
- Use LCA as a tool to evaluate, from an environmental point of view
(i) yeast based ethanol production under high gravity conditions and
(ii) to assess research steps necessary to make butanol conceivable as
a biofuel in addition to ethanol.
The Top-level Research Initiative contributes 6 Million NOK (out of a
total budget of 8 Million NOK)
Project team
Chalmers University of Technology, Dept of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Lisbeth Olsson (project manager) and Christer Larsson
Chalmers University of Technology, Dept. Energy and Environment
Anne-Marie Tillman
University of Copenhagen,Denmark
Henning Jørgensen
Statoil Hydro, Norway
Hans Kristian Kotlar
Inbicon - a DONG Energy subsidiary
Jan Larsen
SEKAB E-Technology
Sune Wännström
Contact information
Chalmers University of Technology, Dept of Chemical and Biological
Engineering
Lisbeth Olsson. Email: lisbeth.olsson@chalmers.se
