Co-Processing Biomass

Co-processing biomass with fossil carbon feeds and/or wastes? The adoption of renewable chemicals and fuels is a necessity for the future.  However, our current fossil carbon-based economy has created a highly efficient infrastructure for processing and distributing fuels.  The vision of those desiring to reduce fossil carbon was to slowly transition by leveraging this infrastructure.    Unfortunately, this vision has been slow in becoming a reality.  This is because the risk/benefit calculations for the owners of the infrastructure show only a small payback.   However, increasing societal pressure and government support and mandates are beginning to make coprocessing more attractive.

The current infrastructure is a very complex network and refineries, blending facilities, specialty chemical firms, formulators, etc. Economies of scale have led to the consolidation of these facilities that are often not compatible with the scale of the emerging biomass processing technologies.

Nevertheless, there are attractive methods for coprocessing development.  This involves co-location to reduce infrastructure course, shared separation and blending facilities, the introduction of partially converted and upgraded biomass materials.   Some of the more promising options for conversion are hydroprocessing of plant-derived oils, fluidized catalytic cracking with fossil fuels, pyrolysis, hydroliquefaction,  gasification,  combined separation processes.  While co-conversion can work at low levels, co-located modular units can reduce the risks at similar costs.

Deciding which of these options is the best choice for given biomass to product pathway requires experience with both new processes and traditional processes.   There is a group of providers pushing technology at various levels of technology readiness.   Experts with years of experience in both areas are necessary.  Often multiple types of expertise are needed.  This includes logistics, process, construction, regulatory, and formulation experts.

With over 150 experts worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has experts in many specific clean and renewable areas, including anaerobic digestion, fermentation, biomass, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid-state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag-biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrefied biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.   This is a multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants that is a virtual “one-stop-shop” for any client need and handles projects of all types and sizes.

Look at our experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full-service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  See a video about LEC here.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.

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