Renewable Jet Fuel Research Articles

Renewable Rubber and Jet Fuel from Biomass: Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Land Use Trade-offs in Energy and Material Markets

Biomass holds great promise for producing fuels, chemicals, and polymeric materials to address climate change and energy security. Polyisoprene, the raw material used to produce rubber, can be produced from rubber trees and synthesized from the monomer that is derived from both petrochemical feedstock and fermentable sugars in biomass. We explore select life cycle environmental impacts of an alternative pathway for producing polyisoprene from corn stover and forest residue along with dimethyl cyclooctadiene, a high density jet fuel blend. Following feedstock pretreatment and hydrolysis, the sugars generated are fermented to methyl butenol (MBE) and then dehydrated to isoprene, which is further polymerized to polyisoprene. Within the same dehydration reactor, MBE undergoes catalytic conversion to dimethyl cyclooctadiene. We use life cycle assessment to evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land requirements for producing polyisoprene produced from forest residue and corn stover and compare these ...

Renewable jet fuel supply scenarios in the European Union in 2021–2030 in the context of proposed biofuel policy and competing biomass demand

AbstractThis study presents supply scenarios of nonfood renewable jet fuel (RJF) in the European Union (EU) toward 2030, based on the anticipated regulatory context, availability of biomass and conversion technologies, and competing biomass demand from other sectors (i.e., transport, heat, power, and chemicals). A cost optimization model was used to identify preconditions for increasedRJFproduction and the associated emission reductions, costs, and impact on competing sectors. Model scenarios show nonfoodRJFsupply could increase from 1 PJin 2021 to 165–261 PJ/year (3.8–6.1 million tonne (Mt)/year) by 2030, provided advanced biofuel technologies are developed and adequate (policy) incentives are present. This supply corresponds to 6%–9% of jet fuel consumption and 28%–41% of total nonfood biofuel consumption in theEU. These results are driven by proposed policy incentives and a relatively high fossil jet fuel price compared to other fossil fuels.RJFreduces aviation‐related combustion emission by 12–19 Mt/yearCO2‐eq by 2030, offsetting 53%–84% of projected emission growth of the sector in theEUrelative to 2020. IncreasedRJFsupply mainly affects nonfood biofuel use in road transport, which remained relatively constant during 2021–2030. The cost differential ofRJFrelative to fossil jet fuel declines from 40 €/GJ(1,740 €/t) in 2021 to 7–13 €/GJ(280–540 €/t) in 2030, because of the introduction of advanced biofuel technologies, technological learning, increased fossil jet fuel prices, and reduced feedstock costs. The cumulative additional costs ofRJFequal €7.7–11 billion over 2021–2030 or €1.0–1.4 per departing passenger (intra‐EU) when allocated to the aviation sector. By 2030, 109–213 PJ/year (2.5–4.9 Mt/year)RJFis produced from lignocellulosic biomass using technologies which are currently not yet commercialized. Hence, (policy) mechanisms that expedite technology development are cardinal to the feasibility and affordability of increasingRJFproduction.

Emerging bioeconomy sectors in energy systems modeling – Integrated systems analysis of electricity, heat, road transport, aviation, and chemicals: a case study for the Netherlands

AbstractSeveral studies that have assessed the role of bioenergy in the energy system have primarily focused on electricity, heat, and road transport. However, sectors that have few alternatives to biomass, namely aviation and the chemical industry, are expected to become increasingly important. We have extended a bottom‐up energy systems model with fossil‐based and bio‐based chemicals and with renewable jet fuels to assess the deployment of biomass conversion technologies in the Netherlands until 2030. The model comprises detailed cost‐structures and mid‐term developments for the energy system with detailed cost‐supply curves for biomass, renewable energy technologies, and carbon capture and storage. The framework incorporates multi‐output processes, such as biorefineries, to address cross‐sectoral synergies. To capture the uncertainty in technical progress, technology development scenarios are used to assess cost‐optimal biomass utilization pathways over time. Slow technical progress (LowTech) leads to biomass applications for heating, first‐generation biofuels from hydrotreated oils, and bio‐based chemicals based on first‐generation fermentation systems. Enhanced technology development (HighTech) allows the production of second‐generation biofuels, large volumes of diverse bio‐based chemicals and renewable jet fuels. The required biomass may range from 230 PJ (LowTech) to 300 PJ (HighTech) in 2030, supplied primarily from imported resources. Both scenarios show that, under existing policies, CO2 emissions will only gradually be reduced to reach 1990 levels (140–145 Mt CO2). Further scenario analysis is recommended to assess model sensitivity and the necessary preconditions for future biomass conversion pathways and robust directions towards the required greenhouse‐gas mitigation pathways. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of Metal–Acid Balance on Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet Fuel Synthesis from Hydrocracking and Hydroisomerization of Biohydrogenated Diesel over Pt-Supported Catalysts

The development of Pt-supported catalysts for a selective hydrocracking and hydroisomerization of biohydrogenated diesel (BHD, n-C15–C18) to hydroprocessed renewable jet (HRJ) fuel (C9–C14) was investigated. The different acidic supports (i.e., HY zeolite with SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 5.5 and 100 and amorphous silica–alumina supports) loaded with 0.5 wt % Pt content were prepared and tested for the catalytic conversion of BHD to HRJ fuel. The Pt supported on HY zeolite with SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of 100 denoted as Pt/HY(100) catalyst exhibited the highest jet fuel yield with high branched isomers due to its good balance between metal and acid function. The effects of the reaction temperature, reaction pressure, and liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) on the hydrocracking and hydroisomerization performance were studied over Pt/HY(100) catalyst. The jet fuel yield was obtained at maximum value of 33 wt % at 310 °C, 450 psig, LHSV of 1.0 h–1, and H2/BHD molar ratio of 30. A stability test was also conducted over Pt/HY...

Process design, economic evaluation and life cycle assessment of jet fuel production from sugar cane residue

With the aim of diversifying energy supplies and mitigating the environmental impacts of the aviation sector, production of renewable jet fuels has recently received substantial attention. To this direction, this study deals with the techno‐economic design and life cycle assessment (LCA) of biojet fuel (farnesane) production from bagasse. Bagasse is the solid residue of sugar industries and its utilization within the biorefinery concept can positively contribute to the sustainable production of fuels. To this end, the present research proposes the production of farnesane from bagasse rather than edible feedstocks (e.g. sugarcane). Mass and energy balances were executed in SuperPro Designer software. The resultant mass yield was equal to 0.121 kg (jet fuel)/kg (dry bagasse) and an energy efficiency of 26.5% can be realized. Economic analysis suggested a gate price of 2.78 $/L. Cradle to grave GHG emissions reductions comparative to fossil jet fuel can be approximately 47%. Overall, the current sustainability analysis explores potential economics and environmental benefits for the lignocellulosic sugars pathway to biojet fuel. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 1227–1235, 2018

Techno-economic and environmental assessment of renewable jet fuel production in integrated Brazilian sugarcane biorefineries

The use of renewable jet fuel (RJF) in substitution to fossil jet fuel is one of the main initiatives towards the reduction of impacts derived from carbon emissions by airline operations. This study compares different routes for RJF production integrated with sugarcane biorefineries in Brazil. Eight scenarios with sugarcane mills annexed to three ASTM−approved RJF production technologies, i.e. Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FT), and Alcohol to Jet (ATJ), were assessed. Host mills were considered to crush four million tonnes of sugarcane/year and recover straw from the field. In the designed scenarios, HEFA routes processed palm, macauba, or soybean oils, while FT conversion was based on gasification of either sugarcane or eucalyptus lignocellulosic material, and ATJ converted isobutanol or ethanol into RJF. The biorefineries were assessed in terms of both economic and environmental performance, as well as towards their capability of substituting 5% of the consumption of jet fuel in Brazil in 2014 (equivalent to 375 million L/year). Considering the evaluated scenarios, HEFA-based biorefineries yielded the highest RJF production capacities: a single plant processing palm oil could supply 267 million L RJF/year (71% of the defined target). FT biorefineries presented the best economic performances, producing RJF at competitive cost but with a relatively low output. Finally, all conversion technologies were capable of producing RJF with low climate change impacts, with reductions of over 70% when benchmarked against fossil jet fuel. Carbon mitigation targets of the Brazilian aviation sector are further explored in this paper, showing the dimension of the effort in the coming years for fossil jet fuel replacement in commercial flights. The availability of sugarcane and other biomasses in the country makes Brazil a potentially important player for the deployment of large-scale projects with reasonable RJF market prices and reduced CO2 emissions for both internal and external markets.

The role of bioenergy and biochemicals in CO2 mitigation through the energy system – a scenario analysis for the Netherlands

AbstractBioenergy as well as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage are key options to embark on cost‐efficient trajectories that realize climate targets. Most studies have not yet assessed the influence on these trajectories of emerging bioeconomy sectors such as biochemicals and renewable jet fuels (RJFs). To support a systems transition, there is also need to demonstrate the impact on the energy system of technology development, biomass and fossil fuel prices. We aim to close this gap by assessing least‐cost pathways to 2030 for a number of scenarios applied to the energy system of the Netherlands, using a cost‐minimization model. The type and magnitude of biomass deployment are highly influenced by technology development, fossil fuel prices and ambitions to mitigate climate change. Across all scenarios, biomass consumption ranges between 180 and 760 PJ and national emissions between 82 and 178 Mt CO2. High technology development leads to additional 100–270 PJ of biomass consumption and 8–20 Mt CO2 emission reduction compared to low technology development counterparts. In high technology development scenarios, additional emission reduction is primarily achieved by bioenergy and carbon capture and storage. Traditional sectors, namely industrial biomass heat and biofuels, supply 61–87% of bioenergy, while wind turbines are the main supplier of renewable electricity. Low technology pathways show lower biochemical output by 50–75%, do not supply RJFs and do not utilize additional biomass compared to high technology development. In most scenarios the emission reduction targets for the Netherlands are not met, as additional reduction of 10–45 Mt CO2 is needed. Stronger climate policy is required, especially in view of fluctuating fossil fuel prices, which are shown to be a key determinant of bioeconomy development. Nonetheless, high technology development is a no‐regrets option to realize deep emission reduction as it also ensures stable growth for the bioeconomy even under unfavourable conditions.

Life-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from renewable jet fuel production

BackgroundThe introduction of renewable jet fuel (RJF) is considered an important emission mitigation measure for the aviation industry. This study compares the well-to-wake (WtWa) greenhouse gas (GHG) emission performance of multiple RJF conversion pathways and explores the impact of different co-product allocation methods. The insights obtained in this study are of particular importance if RJF is included as an emission mitigation instrument in the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).ResultsFischer–Tropsch pathways yield the highest GHG emission reduction compared to fossil jet fuel (86–104%) of the pathways in scope, followed by Hydrothermal Liquefaction (77–80%) and sugarcane- (71–75%) and corn stover-based Alcohol-to-Jet (60–75%). Feedstock cultivation, hydrogen and conversion inputs were shown to be major contributors to the overall WtWa GHG emission performance. The choice of allocation method mainly affects pathways yielding high shares of co-products or producing co-products which effectively displace carbon intensive products (e.g., electricity).ConclusionsRenewable jet fuel can contribute to significant reduction of aviation-related GHG emissions, provided the right feedstock and conversion technology are used. The GHG emission performance of RJF may be further improved by using sustainable hydrogen sources or applying carbon capture and storage. Based on the character and impact of different co-product allocation methods, we recommend using energy and economic allocation (for non-energy co-products) at a global level, as it leverages the universal character of energy allocation while adequately valuing non-energy co-products.

ChemInform Abstract: Essential Scientific Mapping of the Value Chain of Thermochemically Converted Second‐Generation Bio‐Fuels

AbstractReview: 243 refs.

Synthesis of Renewable Jet Fuel Precursors from C-C Bond Condensation of Furfural and Ethyl Levulinate in Water

Biomass derived jet fuel is proven as a potential alternative for the currently used fossil oriented energy. The efficient production of jet fuel precursor with special molecular structure is prerequisite in producing biomass derived jet fuel. We synthesized a new jet fuel precursor containing branched C 15 framework by aldol condensation of furfural (FA) and ethyl levulinate (EL), where the latter of two could be easily produced from lignocellulose by acid cat- alyzed processes. The highest yield of 56% for target jet fuel precursor could be obtained at the optimal reaction con- dition (molar ratio of FA/EL of 2, 323 K, 50 min) by using KOH as catalyst. The chemical structure of C 15 precursor was specified as (3E, 5E)-6-(furan-2-yl)-3-(furan-2-ylmethylene)-4-oxohex-5-enoic acid (F 2 E). For stabilization, this yellowish solid precursor was hydrogenated at low temperature to obtain C=C bonds saturated product, and the chem- ical structure was proposed as 4-oxo-6-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-3-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-methyl hexanoic acid (H-F 2 E). The successful synthesis of the new jet fuel precursors showed the significance that branched jet fuel could be poten- tially produced from biomass derived FA and EL via fewer steps.

Production pathways for renewable jet fuel: a review of commercialization status and future prospects

AbstractAviation is responsible for an increasing share of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Decarbonization to 2050 is expected to rely on renewable jet fuel (RJF) derived from biomass, but this represents a radical departure from the existing regime of petroleum‐based fuels. Increased market deployment will require significant cost reductions, alongside adaptation of existing supply chains and infrastructure. This paper maps development and manufacturing efforts for six RJF production pathways expected to reach commercialization in the next 5–10 years. A Rapid Evidence Assessment was conducted to evaluate the technological and commercial maturity of each pathway and progress toward international certification, using the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative's Fuel Readiness Level (FRL) framework. Planned and operational facilities have been cataloged alongside partnerships with the aviation industry. Policy and economic factors likely to affect future development and deployment are considered. Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (FRL 9) is the most developed pathway. It is ASTM certified, has fuelled the majority of RJF flights to date, and is produced at three commercial‐scale facilities. Fischer‐Tropsch derived fuels are moving toward the start‐up of first commercial facilities (FRL 7 and 8), although widespread deployment seems unlikely under current market conditions. The Direct Sugars to Hydrocarbons conversion pathway (FRL 5–7) is being championed by Amyris and Total in Brazil, but has yet to be demonstrated at scale. Other pathways are in the demonstration and pilot phases (FRL 4–6). Despite growing interest in RJF, demand and production volumes remain negligible. Development of supportive policy is likely to be critical to future deployment. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Effects of cold press operating conditions on vegetable oil fatty acid profiles

ABSTRACTAlthough most of jet fuels are currently made from petroleum, nonfood oilseeds such as flax and canola seeds may be an alternative for renewable jet fuel production in the near future. Vegetable oils produced from those oilseeds can be upgraded to liquid hydrocarbons to produce renewable jet fuels. The production efficiency and cost are heavily relied on the vegetable oil fatty acid profile (FAP). Previous research indicated that vegetable oil FAP is affected by oilseed species and oil extraction conditions. Cold press oil extractions from flax and canola seeds were conducted. The effect of the frequency controlling the screw rotating speed on the oil extraction efficiency and quality was discussed. Characterization of the vegetable oils produced, including density, pH value, viscosity, moisture, element component, heating value and FAP, was carried out. The residual oil contents left in the cold press meals were also determined. The results show that the oil extraction efficiency of oilseeds increased when the frequency decreased. For flax and canola seeds, their highest oil extraction efficiency was the same (81.0%), which was both obtained at 15 Hz. The cold press frequency had a minor influence on the FAPs of flax oils. However, the FAPs of canola oils produced at 15 Hz were different from those produced at 20 Hz and 25 Hz to some extent. The main fatty acid in flax and canola oils was linolenic acid and erucic acid, respectively.

항공분야 온실가스 감축을 위한 바이오항공유 제조기술

Thie study presents the biomass-derived jet (bio-jet) fuel production technologies for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in aviation sector. The aviation sector is responsible for the 2% of the world anthropogenic <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> emissions and the 10% of the fuel consumption: airlines' costs for fuel reach 30% of operating costs. In addition, the aviation traffic is expected to double within 15 years from 2012, while fuel consumption and <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> emissions should double in 25 years. Biojet fuels have been claimed to be one of the most promising and strategic solutions to mitigate aviation emissions. This jet fuel, additionally, must meet ASTM International specifications and potentially be a100% drop-in replacement for current petroleum jet fuel. In this study, the current technologies for producing renewable jet fuels, categorized by alcohols-to-jet, oil-to-jet, syngas-to-jet, and sugar-to-jet pathways are reviewed for process, economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) on conversion pathways to bio-jet fuel.

The feasibility of short‐term production strategies for renewable jet fuels – a comprehensive techno‐economic comparison

AbstractThis study compares the short‐term economic feasibility of six conversion pathways for renewable jet fuel (RJF) production. The assessment combines (i) a harmonized techno‐economic analysis of conversion pathways expected to be certified for use in commercial aviation by 2020, (ii) a pioneer plant analysis taking into account technological immaturity, and (iii) a quantified assessment of the merits of co‐producing RJF alongside existing European supply chains in the pulp, wheat ethanol, and beet sugar industries. None of the pathways assessed are able to reach price parity with petroleum‐derived jet fuel in the short term. The pioneer plant analysis suggests that the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) pathway is currently the best option; the technology achieves the lowest minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of 29.3 € GJ−1 (1289 € t−1) and the technology is deployed on commercial scale already. In the short term, nth plant analysis shows hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and pyrolysis emerging as promising alternatives, yielding MFSPs of 21.4 € GJ−1 (939 € t−1) and 30.2 € GJ−1 (1326 € t−1), respectively. The pioneer plant analysis shows considerable MFSP increases for producing drop‐in fuels using HTL and pyrolysis as both technologies are relatively immature. Hence, further RD&amp;D efforts into these pathways are recommended. Co‐production strategies decrease the MFSP by 4–8% compared to greenfield production. Integration of process units and material and energy flows is expected to lead to further cost reductions. As such, co‐production can be a particularly useful strategy to progress emerging technologies to commercial scale. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd

Conventional and Bio-Derived Jet Fuel Surrogate Modeling in Low Temperature and Lean Combustion

Recently published chemical kinetic mechanisms are used to evaluate autoignition characteristics for conventional and alternative hydrotreated renewable jet (HRJ) fuels at low temperature and under...

High-Density Renewable Diesel and Jet Fuels Prepared from Multicyclic Sesquiterpanes and a 1-Hexene-Derived Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene

High-density renewable diesel and jet fuels have been generated by blending multicyclic sesquiterpanes with a synthetic paraffinic kerosene (5-methylundecane). The sesquiterpanes impart high density and volumetric net heat of combustion (NHOC) to the blends, while inclusion of the modestly branched paraffin decreases the viscosity and increases the cetane number of the blends. A surrogate diesel fuel comprising 65% sesquiterpanes and 35% 5-methylundecane had a cetane number of 45.7, a density of 0.853 g/mL, and a volumetric NHOC of 134.0 thousand British thermal units (kBtu)/gallon. By increasing the amount of paraffin to 60% by volume, a jet fuel surrogate was prepared with a cetane number of 57.0, a density of 0.806 g/mL, a −20 °C kinematic viscosity of 8.3 mm2/s, and a NHOC of 124.6 kBtu/gallon. The results show that full-performance and even ultraperformance fuels can be generated by combining bioderived sesquiterpanes and paraffins. The components of the fuel blends studied in this work can be genera...

Performance and Emissions Characteristics of Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet Fuel Blends in a Single-Cylinder Compression Ignition Engine with Electronically Controlled Fuel Injection

To offset the usage of petroleum-based jet-propellant, alternative jet fuels made from sustainable sources are being researched. Due to the Single Fuel Forward Policy, these jet propellant fuels are being used in compression ignition (CI) engines designed to burn ultra-low-sulfur-diesel (ULSD). In the current study, a single-cylinder CI engine with electronic injection timing burns ULSD, jet propellant (Jet-A), and blends of Jet-A with hydrotreated renewable aviation fuel (R-8). Results for Jet-A and R-8 indicate that injection modulation provides performance that is similar or improved compared to ULSD, particularly when considering fuel consumption. Nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon emissions are all lower than ULSD for both aviation fuels while yielding similar particulate matter emissions. Results show that re-calibration of engine injection timing in order to account for differing aviation fuels could prove advantageous for military logistics through improved fuel consumption.

Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of sugar cane renewable jet fuel.

This study evaluated the life cycle GHG emissions of a renewable jet fuel produced from sugar cane in Brazil under a consequential approach. The analysis included the direct and indirect emissions associated with sugar cane production and fuel processing, distribution, and use for a projected 2020 scenario. The CA-GREET model was used as the basic analytical tool, while Land Use Change (LUC) emissions were estimated employing the GTAP-BIO-ADV and AEZ-EF models. Feedstock production and LUC impacts were evaluated as the main sources of emissions, respectively estimated as 14.6 and 12 g CO2eq/MJ of biofuel in the base case. However, the renewable jet fuel would strongly benefit from bagasse and trash-based cogeneration, which would enable a net life cycle emission of 8.5 g CO2eq/MJ of biofuel in the base case, whereas Monte Carlo results indicate 21 ± 11 g CO2eq/MJ. Besides the major influence of the electricity surplus, the sensitivity analysis showed that the cropland-pasture yield elasticity and the choice of the land use factor employed to sugar cane are relevant parameters for the biofuel life cycle performance. Uncertainties about these estimations exist, especially because the study relies on projected performances, and further studies about LUC are also needed to improve the knowledge about their contribution to the renewable jet fuel life cycle.

Production of Renewable Jet Fuel Range Branched Alkanes with Xylose and Methyl Isobutyl Ketone

A new strategy for the synthesis of jet fuel range branched alkanes with the xylose and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) from lignocellulose was introduced. C10 and C11 branched alkanes with low freezing points were synthesized by three steps: (1) the dehydration of xylose to furfural over solid acid catalysts in MIBK/water biphasic solvent systems; (2) solid base catalyzed aldol condensation of furfural with MIBK which was also the most effective extracting solvent in the first step; (3) solvent-free hydrodeoxygenation of aldol condensation product to jet fuel range branched alkanes over Ru/H-ZSM-5 catalyst. Alternatively, oxygenated fuel can also be obtained by the low temperature hydrogenation of aldol condensation product over Ru/C catalyst.

Sensitivity of Technical Choices on the GHG Emissions and Expended Energy of Hydrotreated Renewable Jet Fuel from Microalgae

Taking into account the environmental impacts of biofuel production is essential to develop new and innovative low-emission processes. The assessment of life cycle GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions of biofuel is mandatory for the countries of the European Union. New biomass resources that hardly compete with food crops are been developed increasingly. Microalgae are an interesting alternative to terrestrial biomass thanks to their high photosynthetic efficiency and their ability to accumulate lipids. This article provides an analysis of potential environmental impacts of the production of algal biofuel for aviation using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Evaluated impacts are GHG emissions and the primary energy consumption, from extraction of raw materials to final waste treatment. This study compared two management choices for oilcakes generated after oil extraction from microalgae. In the first system, these cakes are treated by energetic allocation and in the second by anaerobic digestion. In both cases, the steps of cultivation and harvesting have the highest impact on the results. Sensitivity analyzes are performed on technical choices of operating systems (choice of the type of nutrients, mode of harvesting, drying and oil extraction) as well as a Monte-Carlo analysis on key parameter values for GHG emissions (concentration of microalgae in ponds, productivity and oil content). The results highlight the impact of the use of chemical fertilizers and the importance of the concentration of algae on GHG emissions and energy consumption.