![Lignin extracts with (L) and without (R) formaldehyde. © Alain Herzog/J. Luterbacher/EPFL](https://innovationtoronto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ba6c07cd.jpg)
Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels means turning to plant-derived biofuels and chemicals. But producing them cost-effectively from plants and other organic matter – collectively referred to as biomass – is a major engineering challenge.
Most biomass comes in the form of non-edible plants like trees, grass, and algae, which contain sugars that can be fermented to produce fuel. But biomass also contains lignin, a bulky, complex organic polymer that fills wood, bark, and generally gives plants rigidity. Because it is difficult to process, lignin is usually discarded during biofuel processing. EPFL scientists have now turned lignin from a nuisance to an important source of biofuel by simply adding a common chemical, converting up to 80% of it into valuable molecules for biofuel and plastics. The patent-pending method, which can be scaled up to industrial levels, is published in Science.
Complex, but energy-dense
Lignin is an enormously complex biopolymer, filling the hard wall that surrounds each plant cell. In fact, lignin makes up almost a third of plant biomass, and its molecular structure gives it an energy density 30% greater than that of the sugars that are traditionally processed into biofuel. The problem is that lignin is difficult to extract and transform. Due to its instability, lignin usually rapidly gets destroyed during its extraction and most researchers have failed to efficiently break it apart for upgrade into fuels or chemicals.
Now, an international team of researchers led by Jeremy Luterbacher at EPFL, has shown that they can easily break lignin apart simply by adding the chemical formaldehyde to the process. Formaldehyde is one of the most widely used chemicals in industry, and it is simple and cheap to produce. The researchers found that formaldehyde stabilizes lignin and prevents it from degrading, leading to high yields of building blocks that can be used to make substitutes for petrochemicals. These yields were 3-7 times higher than those obtained from lignin without formaldehyde.
Scaling up
“Depending on the wood used we get between 50 and 80%,” says Jeremy Luterbacher, who became known in 2014 for developing a method for extracting sugars from plants safely and cheaply (also published in Science). “The chemistry is relatively straightforward; the real challenge is actually finding investors for a pilot facility to demonstrate this.” The market, he says, is difficult for sustainable energy largely because of inconsistent political support and widely varying energy prices. Investors for such innovative platforms are hard to come by in an uncertain market, especially considering the competition of well-established fossil fuels.
“The technology looks really good,” says Luterbacher. “If the global political establishment sent a consistent message about moving away from fossil fuels, then investors would take notice. But I think Switzerland is a great place to get started. The Swiss have been unwavering supporters of clean energy and could help demonstrate new technologies, and so I’m quite optimistic about the future.”
Learn more: Turning biofuel waste into wealth in a single step
The Latest on: Biofuel waste
[google_news title=”” keyword=”biofuel waste” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Biofuel waste
- Don calls for production of biodiesel in Nigeriaon May 24, 2024 at 2:31 pm
A Professor of Chemical Engineering in the Edo State University, Uzaire, Segun Kevin Otoikhian has asserted that biodiesel has gained more attention than biogas, bioethanol and other alternative fuel ...
- Charting a pathway to next-gen biofuelson May 23, 2024 at 10:41 am
second-generation biofuels are derived from agricultural waste or non-food crops grown on low productivity or recently abandoned land. Yet as a still-nascent technology, these next-generation fuels ...
- Researchers provide a supply chain model to chart a pathway to next-gen biofuelson May 23, 2024 at 7:56 am
second-generation biofuels are derived from agricultural waste or non-food crops grown on low productivity or recently abandoned land. Yet, as a still-nascent technology, these next-generation fuels ...
- Panel to map out growth of biodiesel sector in Omanon May 22, 2024 at 9:00 am
Key players in Oman’s biodiesel production sector have welcomed a decision by Omani authorities to constitute a committee to look ...
- HVO biofuel now available at Mayo filling stationon May 22, 2024 at 7:59 am
Certa has launched HVO pumps at three more of its forecourts in Ireland, bringing the total of HVO-ready Certa outlets to six. The leading fuel supplier’s new HVO-ready forecourts are located in ...
- China biofuel makers bet on sustainable aviation fuelon May 17, 2024 at 8:53 am
Biofuel firms are pouring more than $1 billion into building China's first plants to turn waste cooking oil into aviation fuel for export and meet domestic demand, once Beijing mandates the fuel's use ...
- Chinese biofuel firms invest in 'green' jet fuel, eye new blending ruleon May 16, 2024 at 8:13 pm
The world's second-largest aviation market, with about 11 per cent of global jet fuel use, China is expected to unveil this year its policy on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use for 2030 ...
- US appeals court upholds biofuel blending mandates for 2020-2022on May 14, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Meanwhile, producers of so-called cellulosic biofuels, derived from wood waste and other feedstocks, also challenged the rule, saying the standards for cellulosic biofuels were too low.
- Soy biodiesel byproduct could enhance 3D printing industryon May 14, 2024 at 1:32 pm
In a development that could advance the 3D printing industry, researchers at the University of Louisville have discovered a way to transform a significant waste output from soy biodiesel plants into a ...
via Bing News