Life Cycle Assessment of Integrated Hydropyrolysis Hydroconversion (IH2) Process for Diverse Biomass Feedstocks

Life Cycle Assessment of Integrated Hydropyrolysis Hydroconversion (IH²) Process for Diverse Biomass Feedstocks

David Shonnard¹, PhD: 906-487-3468, fax: 906-487-3213 email: drshonna@mtu.edu

Edwin Maleche², Graduate Student: email: eamalech@mtu.edu

Terry Marker Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL

1 Department of Chemical Engineering and Sustainable Futures Institute

2 Department of Chemical Engineering

Michigan Technological University

1400 Townsend drive

Houghton, MI 49931 USA

Abstract

The IH² process is a new technology for converting renewable biomass feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbon transportation fuels, and  the environmental impacts of this new process are currently being analyzed. This poster will present greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of transportation fuels from diverse biomass feedstocks converted to biofuel using the IH² process. Biomass feedstock supply chains were analyzed from various feed stocks including algae, corn stover, bagasse, and woody biomass (logging residues).  The feedstock inputs were provided by biomass producers for different locations in the USA and the world.  In addition to primary inventory data from these feedstock suppliers, additional inventory data was obtained from the Ecoinvent database for generic inputs of materials, chemicals, and energy resources. The life cycle assessment was accomplished by using SimaPro 7.2 and using the 2007 IPCC GWP 100a method, where global warming potentials for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O are 1, 25, and 298, respectively. Other greenhouse gases such as certain solvents and refrigerants were also included in the analysis.  The (LCA) results obtained from this study thus far focus on the biomass feedstock production stage only, and had a high variance which ranged from a low value of 32 kg CO₂ eqivalents (for wood feedstock)  to a high value of 963 kg CO₂ equivalents per short ton basis( for algae feedstock). The high variance is due to the use of different energy sources, and having different input rates of fertilizers.  At the conclusion of this project we will have (LCA) results for the entire biofuel life cycle and these results will be presented in this poster.