ENK6-2002-00604 Technological Improvement for Ethanol Production from Lignocellulose - TIME

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Biological Conversion : EESD (Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development) : Liquid Biofuels and Biogas : Wood (Lignocellulose)

Proposal No:	ENK6-2002-00604
Date Prepared:	February 2004
Source:	European Bio-Energy Projects (EUR 20808)

Introduction

Development of improved fuel-ethanol production technologies from lignocellulose would enable the reduction of CO₂ emissions in the transport sector to be in the range of 90%, compared with the use of fossil fuels. The project focuses on the development of cost effective and sustainable production methods for clean biofuel, i.e. ethanol, based on lignocellulosic waste materials or dedicated crops.

The raw materials are among the potential ones in Southern, Eastern and Northern Europe, comprising of forest and agricultural residues as well as energy crops.

The key issues essential for the improvement of the process steps in the conversion of lignocellulosics to ethanol are related to the hydrolysis and fermentation technologies.

Progress

The delays of present lignocellulose-to-ethanol conversion technologies can be overcome by developing improved pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis methods, resulting in higher yields of product (fuel-ethanol) and co-product (solid fuel) and decreased energy demand in the production process.

The development and optimisation of pre-treatment technologies (steam pre-treatment and wet oxidation) of the chosen raw materials (corn fodder, salix, soft wood) as well as improved, integrated cellulose hydrolysis techniques is underway.

The superior cellulolytic enzymes required have been identified and selected yeast strains will be used for the optimisation of ethanol fermentation. The improvement will result in a new process concept with a high degree of process integration.

Impact and exploitation

The project provides solutions for improving the security of energy supply and for reducing the environmental impacts, especially on climatic change. The role of ethanol may be seen as an alternative fuel in the intermediate term, but the replacement of liquid biofuels will depend on the legislation, as well as development and commercialisation, of new technologies.

Ethanol is also especially interesting in the short to medium term because it can be used as a blend with gasoline, either directly or as ETBE, in existing vehicles and distribution systems and does not, therefore, require expensive infrastructure investments.

The extension of renewable raw materials to the energy sector, and especially for transport fuels, would also have a positive contribution to the quality of life; ethanol based fuels reduce the emission of pollutants from motor vehicles.