Some $170 billion in new technology development projects, infrastructure equipment and construction, and biofuel refineries will result from the ethanol production standards contained the new U.S. Energy Bill, says BIO, the global Biotechnology Industry Organization. According to Brent Erickson, BIO's executive vice president "Such a new energy infrastructure has not occurred in more than 100 years. We are at the point where we were in the 1850s when kerosene was first distilled and began to replace whale oil. This technology will be coming so fast that what we say today won't be true in two years."
Oxford Catalysts and Novus Energy in strategic alliance to develop biogas-to-liquids
In a highly interesting development, Oxford Catalysts Group PLC, a catalyst innovator for clean fuels, announces that it has signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement with Novus Energy, LLC, a Minneapolis-based renewable fuels company, to develop technology for the production of fuel-grade alcohols from biogas. Biopact has earlier called advanced anaerobic digestion a 'second generation' biofuel technology, because it efficiently converts a wide range of non-woody types of biomass, including cellulosic substrates, organic waste, manure and dedicated non-food energy crops (such as grass).
By converting the biogas to liquids, decentralised production and wide-scale distribution of an efficient and renewable second-generation biofuel becomes possible. Remote communities with large biomass and/or organic waste resources could produce biogas and have it distributed without the need for gas pipelines, as a liquid. In fact, a large part of the subtropics and the tropics could be viewed as one vast zone containing 'stranded biogas' that is currently not exploited.
Such a decentralised production system would be highly practical in several remote locations that currently produce first-generation ethanol from, for example, sugarcane. These ethanol plants convert only the easily extractable sugars but are left with a large mass of bagasse (fibrous waste). This resource can be used as a fuel in cogeneration facilities, with excess electricity transferred to the grid. But obviously this requires a grid in the first place. In many highly productive agricultural areas of the developing world such a grid is absent. For these situations, the biogas-to-liquids process would be a solution: all biomass from the plantation would be converted directly into methane instead of ethanol, yielding a considerably higher amount of net energy (up to 130% more than conversion of sugars into ethanol and bagasse into power) and then synthesised into liquids ready for shipment.
Oxford Catalysts and Novus Energy will pool their expertise and proprietary technologies to design and deploy exactly such on-site units for the processing of organic wastes into fuel-grade alcohols. Both companies are currently working together under contract to design and build a pilot plant unit which will demonstrate the operation of the combined technologies during the first half of 2008.
Novus Energy's core product, fuel-grade ethanol, can be efficiently produced from the organic waste generated by a variety of food and agricultural processors, landfills and municipal wastewater treatment plants. Novel, patented, anaerobic bio-digester technology applied to the processing of the waste at such sites will produce large volumes of methane-rich biogas, which will then be converted into feedstock for Novus Energy’s novel, patented alcohol production technology. The heart of Novus Energy's 'Renewable Gas-to-Liquid' (RGL) process is based on allowing syngas to flow under specific temperatures and pressures through a catalyst-filled alcohol reactor. After exiting the reactor, gaseous alcohols are removed by condensation, while un-reacted syngas is cycled back to the reactor inlet for reprocessing.
Oxford Catalysts’ technology will provide and improve key links between the biogas generation and the alcohol synthesis steps. The key platform technology to be used in the process is Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPOx) of methane, based on a novel class of catalysts made from metal carbides which, for certain reactions, can match or exceed the benefits of traditional precious metal catalysts at a lower cost. Applications of these metal-carbide catalysts include the removal of sulphur from crude oil fractions (known as hydro-desulphurisation or HDS), the conversion of natural gas or coal into virtually sulphur-free liquid fuels via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction (known as the GTL and CTL processes respectively), and the transformation of biogas (waste methane) into syngas - the building block of liquid fuels:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: ethanol :: biogas :: biomethane :: gas-to-liquids ::
The strategic alliance provides funding for Oxford Catalysts to further develop key steps of the process, and to design subsequent large-scale facilities. Once these plants come on stream, Oxford Catalysts will earn a royalty income based on sales revenue of fuel-grade alcohols from each unit.
Novus Energy has announced plans to roll out dozens of on site facilities in the US over a period of five years or so, designed to deliver clean, locally produced and supplied renewable fuels. Novus Energy is also planning to introduce the technology into Europe, where a similar number of facilities are also planned. According to the Strategic Alliance Agreement, Oxford Catalysts’ role in these plans is projected to generate revenues of up to £100,000 in 2008, rising to an average of up to $750,000 p.a. royalty income per facility (depending on the market price for fuel-grade alcohols at the time) once the full-scale on site units come on stream, with the first such unit expected in 2009-2010.
Fuel-grade alcohols can be made from specially grown crops, such as sugar cane and corn, but these first-generation bio-fuels consume significant amounts of water, land and energy in their production. Not only do they result in a limit reduction of carbon footprint, they also compete with food production leading to unfortunate consequences for food prices worldwide. In contrast, second-generation biofuels, such as those which will be produced by the Strategic Alliance, use organic waste instead, converting it on site into fuel-grade alcohols that are clean, green and truly sustainable.
Novus Energy, [brings] complementary technology and expertise to this exciting and innovative waste-to-energy alliance. Together we will address the rapidly growing need for truly renewable, clean, sustainable transport fuels, and share in the significant revenue potential which this opportunity presents. - Roy Lipski, Chief Executive of Oxford Catalysts
Oxford Catalysts Group PLC designs and develops specialty catalysts for the generation of clean fuels from both conventional fossil fuels and certain renewable sources such as biomass. Its patent-pending technology is the result of almost 20 years of research at the University of Oxford's prestigious Wolfson Catalysis Centre, headed by Professor Malcolm Green, one of the world's most respected inorganic chemists. Oxford Catalysts was founded by Professor Green and Dr Xiao in October 2004 and was admitted to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange on 26th April 2006, having raised £15m before expenses from a solid base of institutional investors.
Oxford Catalysts' strategy is to license its catalysts for commercial application by entering into co-development partnerships with leading manufacturers, producers and suppliers in the petroleum, petrochemicals, fuel cells, biogas, steam applications and catalysis markets.
Besides metal carbides, the company has a second platform technology which relates to chemical reactions involving a liquid containing a renewable fuel, such as methanol, ethanol or glycerol, and dilute hydrogen peroxide. The company's novel catalyst can be used to release hydrogen gas from this liquid, instantaneously starting from room temperature. This groundbreaking Instant Hydrogen technology has the potential to significantly accelerate the commercial adoption of fuel cells in the portable and other mobile markets, by providing the much needed source of cheap, safe, transportable hydrogen.
Another of the company's catalysts can be used to produce steam at temperatures between 100ºC and 800ºC+ instantaneously starting from room temperature, from a liquid fuel containing dilute hydrogen peroxide and either an alcohol, sugar, glycerol, starch or formic acid. Such Instant Steam could have important applications in a broad range of markets, from cleaning and disinfecting, to green energy in the form of motive power or electricity.
Novus Energy, LLC, a Minnesota (U.S.A.) renewable fuels development company, was organized in 2004 to design, fabricate and rollout high-yield fuel-grade alcohol facilities, using organic waste materials as the fuel feedstock. The Company’s proprietary process generates methane-rich biogas from advanced anaerobic digestion methods, and converts the biogas to ethanol and higher alcohols using a novel renewable gas-to-liquid (RGLTM) process. The company currently has contracts to build refineries at a North Dakota sugar beet processor, a Minneapolis landfill, at an Idaho potato plant, and at an Iowa site converting farm corn stover and hog waste. The first full-scale facility is expected to be operational in 2009-2010.
References:
Oxford Catalysts: Waste-to-Energy Strategic Alliance to Deliver Royalty Income - January 7, 2008.
Biopact: Salzburg AG opens biomethane gas stations in Austria: driving on pure grass - November 24, 2007
Colen, F., Pasqual, A., "Sugar cane (Saccharum sp.) juice energetic potential as substrate in UASB reactor", Energia na Agricultura, 2003, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 58-71
By converting the biogas to liquids, decentralised production and wide-scale distribution of an efficient and renewable second-generation biofuel becomes possible. Remote communities with large biomass and/or organic waste resources could produce biogas and have it distributed without the need for gas pipelines, as a liquid. In fact, a large part of the subtropics and the tropics could be viewed as one vast zone containing 'stranded biogas' that is currently not exploited.
Such a decentralised production system would be highly practical in several remote locations that currently produce first-generation ethanol from, for example, sugarcane. These ethanol plants convert only the easily extractable sugars but are left with a large mass of bagasse (fibrous waste). This resource can be used as a fuel in cogeneration facilities, with excess electricity transferred to the grid. But obviously this requires a grid in the first place. In many highly productive agricultural areas of the developing world such a grid is absent. For these situations, the biogas-to-liquids process would be a solution: all biomass from the plantation would be converted directly into methane instead of ethanol, yielding a considerably higher amount of net energy (up to 130% more than conversion of sugars into ethanol and bagasse into power) and then synthesised into liquids ready for shipment.
Oxford Catalysts and Novus Energy will pool their expertise and proprietary technologies to design and deploy exactly such on-site units for the processing of organic wastes into fuel-grade alcohols. Both companies are currently working together under contract to design and build a pilot plant unit which will demonstrate the operation of the combined technologies during the first half of 2008.
Novus Energy's core product, fuel-grade ethanol, can be efficiently produced from the organic waste generated by a variety of food and agricultural processors, landfills and municipal wastewater treatment plants. Novel, patented, anaerobic bio-digester technology applied to the processing of the waste at such sites will produce large volumes of methane-rich biogas, which will then be converted into feedstock for Novus Energy’s novel, patented alcohol production technology. The heart of Novus Energy's 'Renewable Gas-to-Liquid' (RGL) process is based on allowing syngas to flow under specific temperatures and pressures through a catalyst-filled alcohol reactor. After exiting the reactor, gaseous alcohols are removed by condensation, while un-reacted syngas is cycled back to the reactor inlet for reprocessing.
Oxford Catalysts’ technology will provide and improve key links between the biogas generation and the alcohol synthesis steps. The key platform technology to be used in the process is Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPOx) of methane, based on a novel class of catalysts made from metal carbides which, for certain reactions, can match or exceed the benefits of traditional precious metal catalysts at a lower cost. Applications of these metal-carbide catalysts include the removal of sulphur from crude oil fractions (known as hydro-desulphurisation or HDS), the conversion of natural gas or coal into virtually sulphur-free liquid fuels via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction (known as the GTL and CTL processes respectively), and the transformation of biogas (waste methane) into syngas - the building block of liquid fuels:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: ethanol :: biogas :: biomethane :: gas-to-liquids :: The strategic alliance provides funding for Oxford Catalysts to further develop key steps of the process, and to design subsequent large-scale facilities. Once these plants come on stream, Oxford Catalysts will earn a royalty income based on sales revenue of fuel-grade alcohols from each unit.
Novus Energy has announced plans to roll out dozens of on site facilities in the US over a period of five years or so, designed to deliver clean, locally produced and supplied renewable fuels. Novus Energy is also planning to introduce the technology into Europe, where a similar number of facilities are also planned. According to the Strategic Alliance Agreement, Oxford Catalysts’ role in these plans is projected to generate revenues of up to £100,000 in 2008, rising to an average of up to $750,000 p.a. royalty income per facility (depending on the market price for fuel-grade alcohols at the time) once the full-scale on site units come on stream, with the first such unit expected in 2009-2010.
Fuel-grade alcohols can be made from specially grown crops, such as sugar cane and corn, but these first-generation bio-fuels consume significant amounts of water, land and energy in their production. Not only do they result in a limit reduction of carbon footprint, they also compete with food production leading to unfortunate consequences for food prices worldwide. In contrast, second-generation biofuels, such as those which will be produced by the Strategic Alliance, use organic waste instead, converting it on site into fuel-grade alcohols that are clean, green and truly sustainable.
Novus Energy, [brings] complementary technology and expertise to this exciting and innovative waste-to-energy alliance. Together we will address the rapidly growing need for truly renewable, clean, sustainable transport fuels, and share in the significant revenue potential which this opportunity presents. - Roy Lipski, Chief Executive of Oxford Catalysts
Oxford Catalysts Group PLC designs and develops specialty catalysts for the generation of clean fuels from both conventional fossil fuels and certain renewable sources such as biomass. Its patent-pending technology is the result of almost 20 years of research at the University of Oxford's prestigious Wolfson Catalysis Centre, headed by Professor Malcolm Green, one of the world's most respected inorganic chemists. Oxford Catalysts was founded by Professor Green and Dr Xiao in October 2004 and was admitted to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange on 26th April 2006, having raised £15m before expenses from a solid base of institutional investors.
Oxford Catalysts' strategy is to license its catalysts for commercial application by entering into co-development partnerships with leading manufacturers, producers and suppliers in the petroleum, petrochemicals, fuel cells, biogas, steam applications and catalysis markets.
Besides metal carbides, the company has a second platform technology which relates to chemical reactions involving a liquid containing a renewable fuel, such as methanol, ethanol or glycerol, and dilute hydrogen peroxide. The company's novel catalyst can be used to release hydrogen gas from this liquid, instantaneously starting from room temperature. This groundbreaking Instant Hydrogen technology has the potential to significantly accelerate the commercial adoption of fuel cells in the portable and other mobile markets, by providing the much needed source of cheap, safe, transportable hydrogen.
Another of the company's catalysts can be used to produce steam at temperatures between 100ºC and 800ºC+ instantaneously starting from room temperature, from a liquid fuel containing dilute hydrogen peroxide and either an alcohol, sugar, glycerol, starch or formic acid. Such Instant Steam could have important applications in a broad range of markets, from cleaning and disinfecting, to green energy in the form of motive power or electricity.
Novus Energy, LLC, a Minnesota (U.S.A.) renewable fuels development company, was organized in 2004 to design, fabricate and rollout high-yield fuel-grade alcohol facilities, using organic waste materials as the fuel feedstock. The Company’s proprietary process generates methane-rich biogas from advanced anaerobic digestion methods, and converts the biogas to ethanol and higher alcohols using a novel renewable gas-to-liquid (RGLTM) process. The company currently has contracts to build refineries at a North Dakota sugar beet processor, a Minneapolis landfill, at an Idaho potato plant, and at an Iowa site converting farm corn stover and hog waste. The first full-scale facility is expected to be operational in 2009-2010.
References:
Oxford Catalysts: Waste-to-Energy Strategic Alliance to Deliver Royalty Income - January 7, 2008.
Biopact: Salzburg AG opens biomethane gas stations in Austria: driving on pure grass - November 24, 2007
Colen, F., Pasqual, A., "Sugar cane (Saccharum sp.) juice energetic potential as substrate in UASB reactor", Energia na Agricultura, 2003, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 58-71
posted by Biopact team at 1:21 PM
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