1 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

BIOENERGY TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE

Aviation Biofuels Projects Zia Haq

Lead Analyst, DPA Coordinato

FAA REDAC Subcommittee on Environment and Energy

March 26 2014
2 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

DOE Biomass Program and Hydrocarbon Fuels

• 7 integrated biorefinery 

projects are investigating hydrocarbons from biomass resources: 

Haldor-TopsoeREII SolazymeClearFuelsAmyrisSapphire UOP

• Projects are all pilot or 

demonstration scale.

For more information visit: http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/integrated_bio
3 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

Advanced Biofuels for DoD

• President Obama: DOE + USDA + Navy to collaborate with the private 

initiate “drop‐in” biofuels industry to meet the transportation needs of 

private sector

• DOE, USDA & Navy: MOU signed by Secretary Chu, Vilsack, and Mabus 

sustainable, commercial‐scale biorefineries to produce hydrocarbon je

biofuels in the near‐term

• Construct / retrofit several “Pioneer” Biorefineries:

• Drop‐in hydrocarbon biofuels meeting military specifications

• Geographically diverse locations to enable market access

• No adverse impact on food / feed supplies• Demonstrate commercial viability to encourage private‐sector investment

• Utilize Defense Production Act (DPA) for flexible joint funding and spending
4 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

DPA Title III Advanced Drop‐In Biofuels Pro

Project

Company Location Feedstock Conversion

Pathway

Annua

(M 

EmeraldBiofuels

Louisiana Fats, Oils, and

Greases

Hydroprocessed

Esters and Fatty

Acids (HEFA)

NaturesBioReserve

South Sioux

City, NE

Fats, Oils, and

Greases

Hydroprocessed

Esters and Fatty

Acids (HEFA)

FulcrumBrightonBiofuels

Western

United States

Municipal Solid

Waste

Gasification –

Fischer Tröpsch (FT)

Red Rock

Biofuels

Lakeview, OR Woody

Biomass

Gasification –

Fischer Tröpsch (FT)
5 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

Natural Gas/Biomass to Liquids Workshop• The recent development of the increased availability of lo

natural gas has increased opportunities to consider the u

natural gas as a feedstock for conversion into liquid hydro

(GTL).

• Co‐conversion of natural gas with biomass (GBTL) has the 

of increasing yield of liquid product while also having low

greenhouse gas emissions relative to petroleum.

• DOE is interested in further understanding how the use o

gas and biomass may be optimized and integrated into a process to produce liquid fuels.

– Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy– Office of Fossil Energy– ARPA‐E
6 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

GBTL Workshop Results

• Rationale for integrating biomass and natural gas resource

produce liquid transportation fuels is: greenhouse gas red

and the need for a specific C/H ratio in the fuel

• GBTL processes can produce transportation fuels with 50% 

GHG emissions if substantial amounts of lignocellulosic bi

co‐processed with natural gas

• GBTL processes have significantly higher yields than proce

converting only biomass

• Stranded biomass and stranded natural gas offer near‐ter

opportunities to utilize currently unutilized feedstocks

• Research challenges: down‐scaling GTL systems, improve

catalysts, biochemical conversion processes, feeding biom

pressurized systems, production of co‐products, and many 
7 | Bioenergy Technologies Office

Gas‐to‐Liquids Cost of Production

Source: NETL, “Analysis of Natural Gas‐to Liquid Transportation Fuels via Fischer Tropsch”, DOE/NETL‐2013/