Decarbonization of Biorefineries

Transcript

1. Decarbonization of Biorefineries - Improved carbon efficiency of Ethanol Plants

   Randy D. Cortright, Ph.D. Strategic Lead for Electrons to Molecules February 12, 2021

2. NREL | 2 Driving Force for Re-purposing Ethanol Plants •

   Next 10 to 15 years • Gasoline Demand/Ethanol Demand Expected to Decrease due to Electrification of Light Duty Fleet • Desire to improve Carbon Efficiency of Ethanol Plants • How to monetize existing assets • Expanding products from existing assets • Electrification

3. NREL | 3 Downward Trends for Renewable Electricity Costs

4. NREL | 4 Electricity Prices Vary Across the Year Source:

   Potomac Economics 2017 State of the Market Report for the MISO Electricity Market – Analytic Appendix (June 2018) • Hours with energy at very low and very high prices are increasing • Other revenue streams (e.g., capacity, services) are becoming more critical • Wind and solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) are key opportunities

5. NREL | 5 3 HP Platform

6. NREL | 6 Electrochemical Co-Processing Cathode: CO2 + 2H+ +

   2e- → CO + H2 O Eo = -0.106 V Anode: C2 H5 OH → C2 H4 O + 2H+ + 2e- Eo = -0.200 V Instead of: Anode: H2 O → ½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- Eo = -1.229 V

7. NREL | 7 +NH3 -2H2 O Acrylonitrile

8. NREL | 8 Ester Nitrilation: • Inspired by earlier reports

   on acid1 and ester2 conversion to nitriles • 3-HP ( ) selected as initial substrate given facile dehydration to acrylate product • Esterification ( ) is often used as a separations technique for bio-derived acids Karp et al., Science 358, 1307–1310 (2017) OVERALL NITRILATION REACTION +203 kJ/mol + NH3 TiO2 + 2H2 O ΔH 0 rxn + dehydration aminolysis amide dehydration 1. G.D. van Epps et al., JACS (1916) 2. B.V. Suvorov et al., J. Appl. Chem. USSR (1987)

9. NREL | 9 Lactic Acid Platform 15 billion gallons ethanol

   converted to 14 billion gallons hydrocarbon of which 8.5 billion gallons would be jet fuel

10. NREL | 10 Feedstock Cost to Product 1,3 Propanediol from

    Ethanol and CO2 Feedstock Cost $385/MT Market Cost $1810/MT Lactic Acid from Ethanol and CO2 Feedstock Cost $281/MT Market Cost $2170/MT Cost Basis Ethanol Price $1.50 /gallon CO2 $50/MT H2 $2000/MT NH3 $400/MT Acrylonitrile from Ethanol, CO2, NH3 Feedstock Cost $604/MT Market Cost $1420/MT

11. NREL | 11 CO2 Free Fermentation

12. NREL | 12 Spoke and Wheel Approach

13. www.nrel.gov NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department

    of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. Thank you Randy D. Cortright, Ph.D. Strategic Lead for Electrons to Molecules Senior Research Advisor