Low-carbon "drop-in replacement" transportation fuels from non-food biomass and natural gas. (1st December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hailey, Anna K.; Meerman, Johannes C.; Larson, Eric D.; Loo, Yueh-Lin
• Is Part Of: Applied energy. Volume 183(2016)
• Page Start: 1722
• Page End: 1730
• Publication Date: 2016-12-01
• Subjects: Biofuels -- Natural gas -- Carbon capture -- Shale CO2 storage -- Process design -- Economics; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy conservation -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.09.068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-2619

Abstract

Highlights: Biomass conversion with CO2 capture gives negative-carbon transportation fuels. Novel strategy for CO2 storage in spent shale-gas wells avoids well drilling costs. Economics are favorable when carbon mitigation policies are sufficiently strong. Co-processing natural gas improves economics in the absence of any carbon policy. Co-processing provides a stepping stone to commercializing biomass-only plants. Abstract: We assessed the technical and economic viability of small-scale plants producing "drop-in replacement" transportation fuels from non-food biomass and capturing and storing byproduct CO2 in spent shale-gas wells. Additional designs considered co-processing of natural gas — the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel — to increase liquid-fuel yields and plant efficiency, with some penalty in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprint. For fuels from first-of-a-kind facilities to be cost-competitive with petroleum-derived fuels when crude oil costs $100/bbl, an effective GHG emissions price in excess of $250/tCO2, eq would be required. If lower production costs are achieved in successive facilities via innovation and experience, fuels from future plants may become cost-competitive at crude oil prices as low as $85/bbl in the absence of any GHG emissions price, and at $50/bbl with a GHG emissions price of $135/tCO2, eq, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests is an emissions price level needed before 2050 to induce the emissions reductions needed to limit global warming to 2 °C.