Biorefineries as an approach of
techno-ecological cycles driven by
renewable energy sources
Jens Born
Funded by Interreg IVA (LSBEL)
Biomass
Anaerobic digestion
Technology development
- Pre-treatment
- Fermenter Technology
- Products Upgrading
- Control
Renewable Energy Systems
Integration
- Methanation
- Methanol Synthesis
- Power to Chemicals
Who we are
Jens Born
[email protected]
http://www. znes-flensburg.de
http://cats.fh-flensburg.de
Closing nutrient loops
- Algae as nutrients
collectors are digested
- Biogas in artificial food
cycles (Hydroponics,
Aquaculture, etc.)
Process integration in
Biorefineries
- Waste valorization in
Food Industries
- Efficiency studies
Contents
• Bioenergy dilemma
• Biorefineries as solutions with bright future
• Case Studies
Bioenergy in history
• Hunters and gatherers
Food dominates as energy source
http://collapseofindustrialcivilization.com/2013/10/22/history-has-gone-vertical/
• Agricultural revolution
Food, fodder and fuel wood as
energy source
• Industrial revolution
Switch to fossil fuels due to limited
biomass availability
• Sustainability revolution
Switch to 100% renewables due to environmental
constraints and limited fossil resources
Bioenergy may perhaps be able to play the
role of the wind mills in the medieval and
early modern age
J. McNeely; 2008
The bioenergy dilemma
• The Power density of
biomass based energy is low
• It costs money to produce
fuels from biomass, but wind
and sunlight are for free
Biofuels as singular products
will never be compatible
without subsidies !!!
Bossel, 2006
Born, 2006
Biogas plants in Germany
Reason for steep increase
subsidized energy crops
Source: http://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/167671/umfrage/anzahl-der-biogasanlagen-in-deutschland-seit-1992/
Rethinking Biomass utilisation and
bioenergy
Common practise in
many countries but
the past in Germany
Present practise in
Germany
Bright future for
Biogas
What is a biorefinery?
A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment
to produce fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass. The biorefinery concept is analogous
to today's petroleum refineries, which produce multiple fuels and products from petroleum.
What is about
food
production???
Biorefineries are utilisation cascades
Biorefineries as utilisation
cascades
Wood
the value first - the residues
for energy
Chips
Fibers
Fibrilles
Cellulose
Sugars
furniture
Wood
composites
Paper
Regenerate
fibers
Cellulose
derivatives
Feed
Fermented
Products
Based on: Gruber: Macromolecular Chemistry of Renewable Resources, 2001
R
e
s
i
d
u
e
s
Energy
… plus ashes and digestate as fertilisers
Nature as a biorefinery
• in conventional
biorefinery systems
cradle to grave chains
• in nature as a
biorefinery system:
Cradle to cradle cycles
… which allows us to integrate food production
cycles into biorefineries
Case Studies
• Biogas as Biorefinery
• Algae
– Recycling of nutrients – Algae on Lolland
– Upgrading of biogas with algae
• Food processing
– Straw as intermediate between chemical industry and
agriculture
– Food wastes and energy efficiency – PV on the roof
– Integrated agriculture – Dollerup, Trinidad
– Aquaponics and Hydroponics
• Woody biomass
– Sawmills and sawdust combustion
– Forest residues combustion in Smaland
Roots of biogas technology
But many more examples
in Danmark just across the
Border!!!
Recycling of nutrients in agriculture
Problem
• Baltic sea maritime region with
worldwide highest photosynthesis
rate
• Reason: overfertilisation
• Dikes drop the groundwater level and
discharge fertilisers into the sea
Successfull proof of
concept in Lolland
Solution
• Collection of discharged water in
lagoons
• Initiating artificial algae blooms
• Harvesting by PV driven harvester
• digesting algae in a biogas plant
• Digestate use for fertilisation
Result
• The farmer wins and the
Further research under
environment wins
preparation in Ostholstein
Upgrading of biogas with algae
• Algae are often used to
concentrate digestate
nutrients
• Algae also transfer CO2 into O2
and algae biomass
• A combination of biogas
fermenters and
Photobioreactors produce and
upgrade biogas
• Result is a mixture of Methane
and Oxygen with high heating
value
Straw as intermediate between
chemical industry and agriculture
Food waste and energy efficiency
the food biorefinery project in Schleswig-Holstein
Action
•
2008 -2012 : 43 visited companies of food
industries in Schleswig-Holstein
•
Amount and properties of wastes and wastewater
•
energy efficiency and possibilites renewable energy
installations
Motivation of the companies
•
Cost reduction
•
Reduction of efforts for waste disposals
Results
•
Most companies have potentials for energy
efficiency and enough roof area for PV and solar
thermal installations
•
Generation of value added products only possible in
case of husks (2 companies)
•
Individual waste and wastewater treatment with
common digesters for natural gas subsitution
mostly subcritical
•
Collective solutions or smaller digesters as
alternative
Integrated agriculture – Dollerup (DE)
Animals fed with high
quality silage
Biogas plant fed with
manure and low quality
silage
We will
see it
tomorrow
Integrated agriculture – Longdenville (TT)
Aquaponics and hydroponics
Producers
Technoecological
cycles
Destruents
Highly productive
Only one producer . i.e. one
certificate
Short ways to the consumers
(local food) TechnoBig chanse for Schleswignutrient chain
Consumers
Holstein
Forest residues as fuel in Småland
Radius:
70 km around
Växjö
Spruce residues
50% of the whole tree
100 MW(FV)
Conclusions
• If waste has value it is not waste
• Cradle to cradle is a good option for biorefinery
strategies
• Waste and wastewater treatment demands small
scale solutions
• Biogas is a technical destruent
• Small scale biogas plants are already available
(but not in Europe)
• Intermittent renewable energy sources fit well
into natural biorefinery processes