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Biorefinery: Concepts, Current Status, and Development Trends
Biorefinery: Concepts, Current Status, and Development Trends
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Nhu Quynh Diep1, Kinya Sakanishi2*, Nobukazu Nakagoshi1, Shinji Fujimoto3, Tomoaki Minowa3, Xuan Dang Tran1
1Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
2*National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology - AIST Tsukuba Headquarters, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan.
3Biomass Refinery Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-11-32 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima.
Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan
Abstract
Biorefineries are expected to effectively utilise abundant biomass resources in a sustainable manner in order to ensure energy security,
mitigate climate change, and meet the endless demand for chemicals and materials. This paper reviews the current global status and devel-
opmental trends in the field of biorefinery. To date, the biorefinery industry is mainly in the pilot and demonstration stages. Considerable
developmental work is underway, and new biorefinery concepts are expected to be commercially deployed by 2020. The deployment of
biorefineries, based largely on lignocellulosic feedstock, depends on the technical maturity of a range of production processes. The combina-
tion of market formation and governmental support for biomass-derived products is one of the important factors in determining the type
and rate of biorefinery deployment.
1. Introduction
Biorefinery is similar to petroleum refinery except that it utilises Department of Energy Report on Integrated Biorefineries.
biomass instead of crude oil to produce transportation fuels, heat, Furthermore, the review introduces ideas regarding how to
power, chemicals, and materials. Because biomass is renewable and promote the deployment of commercial-scale biorefineries. Parts of
carbon-neutral, at the World Economic Forum in 2008 and 2009, the the texts, tables and figures in this study were directly copied from
use of industrial biorefineries was identified as one potential previously published papers and reports.
solution that may help to mitigate the threat of climate change and
meet the seemingly boundless demand for energy, fuels, chemicals
and materials [1].
The purpose of this review paper is to introduce new biorefinery 2. Definition and Classification System of
concepts and classifications, to summarise the current status and Biorefinery
developmental trends of biorefineries based on the published
reports of IEA Bioenergy Task 42, Bioenergy Euroview, and the U.S.
*Corresponding author. Tel: +81 82 420 8250; Fax: +81 82 420 8250. Page 1
E-mail address : kinya-sakanishi@aist.go.jp (K. Sakanishi).
2.1. Definition [3, 4] - Sustainable: maximising economics, minimising environmental
aspects, replacing fossil fuels, taking socioeconomic aspects into
Depending on the type of activity and stakeholders involved, many account
different definitions for biorefinery are currently being used. Some - Processing: upstream processing, transformation, fractionation,
examples are as follows : thermochemical and/or biochemical conversion, extraction,
• A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion separation, downstream processing
processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and - Biomass: crops, organic residues, agro-residues, forest residues,
value-added chemicals from biomass (NREL, 2007). wood, aquatic biomass
• A biorefinery is a cluster of bio-based industries producing - Spectrum: more than one
chemicals, fuels, power, products, and materials. - Marketable: a market (acceptable volumes & prices) already
• A biorefinery is a refining facility where biomass is converted into exists or is expected to become available in the near future
fuel, chemicals, materials and other uses, all at the same plant - Products: both intermediates and final products, i.e., food, feed,
(Bio-fuels for Transport, Worldwatch Institute, 2006). chemicals, and materials
• A biorefinery is an overall concept of a promising plant where - Energy: fuels, power, heat
biomass feedstocks are converted and extracted into a spectrum
of valuable products (DOE, 2007).
• Biorefinery is the separation of biomass into distinct components 2.2. Biorefinery Classification System
that can be individually brought to the market either directly after
separation or after further (biological, thermochemical, chemical) To date, a clear system to classify the different biorefinery concepts
treatment(s) (Elbersen et al., 2003). is still lacking. The followings are biorefinery classification systems
• Biorefining is the transfer of the efficiency and logic of the developed by different organisations.
fossil-based chemistry and the substantial converting industries,
as well as the production of energy, to the biomass industry
(Kamm et al., 2006). 2.2.1. Biorefinery classification system used in
• Biorefinery is the concept of converting plant-based biomass to Status Report Biorefinery 2007
chemicals, energy and materials that may run out in our
civilisation, replacing the needs for petroleum, coal, natural gas Biorefinery concepts are being classified based on feedstock, type
and other non-renewable energy and chemical sources (Liu S, et of technology, status of technology (first- and second-generation
al., 2011). biorefinery), and intermediate (syngas platform, sugar platform,
• Biorefineries are integrated bio-based industries, using a variety of etc.) [3].
technologies to produce chemicals, biofuels, food and feed
ingredients, biomaterials (including fibres) and power from raw Seven different biorefinery concepts are presented as follows :
biomass materials (EU Biorefinery Euroview, 2007). • Conventional Biorefineries (CBR)
• Biorefinery is the efficient use of the entire potential of raw materials • Green Biorefineries (GBR)
and by-streams of the forest-based sector towards a broad range • Whole Crop Biorefineries (WCBR)
of high value-added products (by cooperation in between chains) • Lignocellulosic Feedstock Biorefineries (LCFBR)
(Biorefinery Taskforce FTP, 2007). • Two Platform Concept Biorefineries (TPCBR)
• A biorefinery is an integrated cluster of bio-industries, using a • Thermo Chemical Biorefineries (TCBR)
variety of different technologies to produce chemicals, biofuels, • Marine Biorefineries (MBR)
food ingredients, and power from raw biomass materials
(Europabio, 2007). Conventional Biorefineries (CBR): Many existing industries fall under
• Definition of biorefinery within the framework of IEA Bioenergy the category of conventional biorefineries: the sugar industry (beet,
Task 42 : cane), the starch industry (wheat, cassava, potato), the vegetable
“Biorefinery is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of oils industry (soy, rape seed), the feed industry, the food industry,
marketable products and energy” - This definition had been used as the pulp and paper (forest) industry, the (petro) chemical industry,
the framework for the BIOPOL final report and Status Report and the conventional biofuel industry (biodiesel, bioethanol,
Biorefinery 2007 [2, 3]. With this definition, biorefineries are biogas). However, these industries concentrate on producing their
expected to supply a wide range of bio-based products and energy main products, and no great efforts have yet been made to produce
in a socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable manner. a broad spectrum of other value-added products such as
The mentioned definitions include the following key words : biochemicals or biofuels. Thus, this type of biorefinery does not
- Biorefinery: concepts, facilities, processes, cluster of industries meet the definition of the new biorefinery concept. In many cases,
an extension of a conventional biorefinery will form the basis for the
IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s approach to biorefinery classification Fig. 2. Overview of the biorefinery classification system
considers four main features, which are able to identify, classify and
describe the different biorefinery systems: platforms, products,
feedstocks, and conversion processes [4], (Fig. 2).
3. Current Status and Developmental Trends
The platforms (e.g., C5/C6 sugars, syngas, biogas) are intermediates of Biorefineries
that are able to connect different biorefinery systems to their
processes. The number of involved platforms is an indication of the According to the literature, the current status of biorefineries in
system complexity. The two biorefinery product groups are energy Europe and the United States (USA) is used as the global standard.
products (e.g., bioethanol, biodiesel, and synthetic bio-fuels) and This part provides an overview of both existing and planned
material products (e.g., chemicals, materials, food and feed). biorefinery facilities and a description of pilot and demonstration
Feedstocks can be grouped as either energy crops from agriculture biorefinery projects in Europe and the USA, as biorefinery is still a
(e.g., starch crops, short rotation forestry) or biomass residues from novel concept for the rest of the world.
agriculture, forestry, trade and industry (e.g., straw, bark, used
cooking oils, waste streams from biomass processing). Concerning
conversion processes, the classification system identifies four main 3.1. In Europe
groups, including biochemical (e.g., fermentation, enzymatic
conversion) [indicated in Fig. 2 as orange squares], thermochemical Information from the BIOPOL and BIOREFINERY EUROVIEW projects
(e.g., gasification, pyrolysis) [yellow squares], chemical (e.g., acid [6], which was obtained through a survey based on a joint
hydrolysis, synthesis, esterification) [blue squares] and mechanical questionnaire that was developed in cooperation by the
processes (e.g., fractionation, pressing, size reduction) [white BIOREFINERY EUROVIEW (WP1 “State of the art of existing
squares]. The biorefinery systems are classified by quoting the biorefineries” and WP2 “State of the art of socioeconomic impacting
The sites with more than one colour relate to multiple feed / Fig. 4. Location of Integrated Biorefinery Projects
integrated biorefineries, according to the EUROVIEW definition. The Receiving DOE Funds [7]
mapping of the availability of specific feedstocks in the EU27+
The commercial challenges facing the industrialisation of Biorefineries are facilities that sustainably convert biomass into
bio-products fall into three main categories: issues with integration energy, chemicals, and materials. The main driving force for the
into existing value chains, funding difficulties and other challenges establishment of biorefineries is the call for sustainable
related to the uncertainty associated with a novel, unconventional development to ensure energy security, mitigate climate change,
field. There are bio-based products that are novel or that cannot and meet the endless demand of chemicals and materials.
easily be integrated into existing value chains; for example, Mandates and policies in each country also push to promote the
bioethanol can only be mixed into conventional fuel up to a volume implementation of biorefineries. To date, the biorefinery industry is
share of approximately 15 % without modification of a standard mainly in the pilot and demonstration stages. Considerable
engine. Other commercial hurdles include the inability to obtain a developmental work is underway, and new biorefinery concepts
price premium for bio-based products when compared to are expected to be commercially deployed by 2020. The
conventional petroleum-based products and insufficient, uncertain deployment of new biorefinery concepts based largely on
public incentives. lignocellulosic feedstock will need to rely on the technical maturity
of a range of processes to produce materials, chemicals, and energy.
The mix of market and governmental support for green materials
5.3. The sustainability challenge and chemicals and for bioenergy will be an important factor in
determining the type and rate of deployment of biorefineries. To
The motivations for switching to the production of bio-based promote the implement of new biorefinery concepts, the
products include the conservation of resources and environment important roles of various stakeholders, nongovernmental
protection; therefore, the implementation of biorefineries must not organisations, and governments in the industrialisation process of
jeopardise the environment. The following issues are of the most biorefineries are indispensable.
concern: land-use change and its effect on GHG emissions and food
security.
- Direct land-use change (DLUC) occurs if feedstock for biorefinery References
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