Chapter 9 - Production of Synthetic Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass

Abstract

Syngas, a mixture of H2 and CO, is an important product of gasification. It is a fuel as well as a basic building block for many hydrocarbons. Transport fuel and a large number of chemicals are produced from different syntheses of CO and H2. These products can be divided into three broad groups—energy feedstock, transportation fuels, and chemical feedstock. Presently, syngas is produced primarily from natural gas, but it can also be produced from biomass, solid fossil fuels, and liquid fuels. Interest in biomass as a chemical feedstock is rising given that it is renewable and carbon-neutral. There is a growing shift toward “green chemicals” and “green fuels,” which are derived from carbon-neutral biomass. Gasification and pyrolysis are effective and powerful ways to convert the biomass (or another fuel) into energy, chemicals, and transport fuels. This chapter discusses different ways to convert biomass-derived syngas into such useful products.