The document discusses technologies for converting lignocellulosic biomass into sugar for ethanol production. It describes various feedstocks and outlines two main technology pathways: acid hydrolysis and enzymatic processes. For acid hydrolysis it details different acid types and company approaches, while for enzymatic processes it outlines pretreatment options and key industry players. The document also reviews biomass synthesis gas technologies for producing ethanol from syngas.

1. ‚Lignocellulosic Ethanol:
Competitors in the Market and Technologies to
Convert Biomass into Sugar‘
Dipl.-Bw. Dirk Volkmann
17th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition
Hamburg, July 2, 2009, Session OD8.1
Volkmann Consult – Corporate Advisors, Joachimstrasse 24, D-40545 Duesseldorf, dirk@volkmann-consult.de

2. Lignocellulosic feedstock
 Wood
 primary (native)
 plantation
 primary forest waste
 secondary processing waste
 Agricultural residues
 straws (wheat, barley, rice)
 bagasse (sugarcane, sweet sorghum)
 stover (corn, milo)
 Municipal waste
 Waste paper
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

3. - complexity of the raw material -
composition:
target:
cellulose
(35 – 50%) to separate the lignin
and the hemicellulose
hemicellulose from the cellulose and to
(20 - 35%) break up the protective
skin of the cellulose to
lignin make it predisposed for
(10 – 25 %) enzymes
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

4. cellulosic technologies
acid hydrolysis enzymatic
concentrated acid
processes
hydrolysis
dilute acid hydrolysis lignocellusic removal (pretreatment)
ethanol of the lignin present in
new acid hydrolysis
lignocellulosic
feedstocks
biomass
synthesis gas
production of ethanol from
biomass synthesis gas
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

5. acid hydrolysis: technologies
 Sulfuric
 concentrated: one stage
 dilute: one stage
 dilute/concentrated: two stage
 dilute/dilute: two stage
 Hydrochloric
 concentrated: liquid phase
 concentrated: vapor phase
 dilute
 Organic (autohydrolysis)
 steam pressure
 steam and mechanical pressure
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

6. acid hydrolysis: market players
 Agresti Biofuels, US
 Arkenol, US
 Blue Fire, US
 Chempolis OY, FIN
 Green Star Energy, US
 Green Sugar, Germany
 Lignol Energy, CAN
 Pure Energy Corporation, US
 St. Petersburg State Forest-Technical Academy, RUS
 TNO, NL
 …..
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

7. concentrated acid hydrolysis
sulfuric acid :
Arkenol Technology (USA)
source: www.arkenol.com
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

8. concentrated acid hydrolysis
hydrochloric acid :
biomass
Green Sugar Technology (GER)
Pre-sugar solution ( salts, amino acids, sugar [xyl, glc, ara, gal])
module 1
module 2 Main sugar solution (glc)
biomass
Hydrolysis wash water (glc)
pretreatment
HCl 32%ig
HCl 41%ig
Water
L ign in
HCl
module 3
module 4b module 4a
acid/sugar- water
acid recovery Acid absorbtion
Separation
w at er,
acet ic acid
sugar syrup sugar syrup
C5-rich C6-rich
(mainly xylose) (mainly Glucose)
source: www.green-sugar.eu
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

9. dilute hydrolysis:
Pure Energy Corp. (USA)
technology used for Green Star Products projects
www.greenstarusa.com
source: www.pure-energy.com
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

10. enzymatic processes: technologies
 pretreatment options
 autohydrolysis
 steam pressure
 steam and mechanical pressure
 steam explosion
 acid pre-hydrolysis
 dilute sulfuric acid
 dilute hydrochloric acid
 acetic acid
 concentrated sulfuric acid (cold)
 concentrated hydrochloric acid (cold)
 Alkali (Sodium hydroxide, Ammonia)
 Organolsolv (Methanol, Ethanol, Butanol, Phenol etc.)
 Mechanical
 attrition mill, roller mill, vibratory rod mill, extruder
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

11. enzymatic processes: market players
 Abengoa, ES/US
 AE Biofuels, US
 BioGasol, DK
 Citrus Energy, US
 Dupont Danisco, US
 Ecofin, US
 Gevo, US
 IOGEN, CAN
 Mascoma, US
 Old Town Fuel and Fibre, US
 Pacific Ethanol, US
 Qteros, US
 Sekab, SWE
 ST1, FIN
 SunOpta, US
 Verenium, US …..........
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

12. enzymatic hydrolysis:
Abengoa Bioenergy (ES/USA)
source: www.abengoabioenergy.com
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

13. biomass synthesis gas: technologies
 production of synthesis gas
 steam reforming
 partial oxidation
 conversion processes
 methanol synthesis and homologation
 fermentation
 distillation
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

14. biomass synthesis gas: market players
 BRI Energy, US
 Coskata, US
 Enerkem, CAN
 Flambeau River, US
 Guld Coast Energy, US
 IneosBIO, US
 Liberty Industries, US
 New Planet Energy, US
 Nova Fuels, US
 Range Fuels, US
 ......
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

15. biomass synthesis gas:
Coskata Technology
source: www.coskata.com
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

16. biomass synthesis gas:
Range Fuels Technology
Biofuels Storage
Syngas
Cleaning Alcohols
Devolatilization Separation
Gas Production
biomass feedstock Catalytic
Steam Reforming
handling Conversion
Syngas Production
Alcohols
Production
source: www.rangefuels.com
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

17. References and Links:
 The Cellulosic Ethanol Race,
 http://www.investincellulosicethanol.com/
 http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/tag/cellulosic-ethanol/
 http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/cellulosic/
 http://www.thecesite.com/index.html
 and the websites of all mentioned companies
your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de

18. your contact: Dirk Volkmann – dirk@volkmann-consult.de