A Purdue economic analysis shows that the cost of the thermo-chemical H2Bioil method is competitive with crude oil at $100 per barrel when using certain energy methods are used to create hydrogen needed for the process.
For biofuels to be competitive, crude prices would need to be at about $120 per barrel. This process looks like it could be competitive when crude is even a little cheaper than that. The team is confident the process is ready to go commercial.
H2Bioil has significant advantages over traditional standalone methods used to create fuels from biomass.
The process is quite fast and converts entire biomass to liquid fuel; as a result, the yields are substantially higher. Once the process is fully developed, due to the use of external hydrogen, the yield is expected to be two to three times that of the current competing technologies, says the team.
The energy source used to create hydrogen for the process makes all the difference when determining whether the biofuel is cost-effective. Hydrogen processed using natural gas or coal makes the H2Bioil cost-effective when crude oil is just over $100 per barrel. But hydrogen derived from other, more expensive, energy sources -- nuclear, wind or solar -- drive up the break-even point.
However the bigger question still remains whether biofuels can be any more than supplements to the liquid transport fuels. Can it go on to produce power at large scales? Would the ensuing scenario affect foodgrain production? These will remain questions to be addressed.H2Bioil is created when biomass, such as switchgrass or corn stover, is heated rapidly to about 500 degrees Celcius in the presence of pressurized hydrogen. Resulting gases are passed over catalysts, causing reactions that separate oxygen from carbon molecules, making the carbon molecules high in energy content, similar to gasoline molecules.
For biofuels to be competitive, crude prices would need to be at about $120 per barrel. This process looks like it could be competitive when crude is even a little cheaper than that. The team is confident the process is ready to go commercial.
H2Bioil has significant advantages over traditional standalone methods used to create fuels from biomass.
The process is quite fast and converts entire biomass to liquid fuel; as a result, the yields are substantially higher. Once the process is fully developed, due to the use of external hydrogen, the yield is expected to be two to three times that of the current competing technologies, says the team.
The energy source used to create hydrogen for the process makes all the difference when determining whether the biofuel is cost-effective. Hydrogen processed using natural gas or coal makes the H2Bioil cost-effective when crude oil is just over $100 per barrel. But hydrogen derived from other, more expensive, energy sources -- nuclear, wind or solar -- drive up the break-even point.
However the bigger question still remains whether biofuels can be any more than supplements to the liquid transport fuels. Can it go on to produce power at large scales? Would the ensuing scenario affect foodgrain production? These will remain questions to be addressed.H2Bioil is created when biomass, such as switchgrass or corn stover, is heated rapidly to about 500 degrees Celcius in the presence of pressurized hydrogen. Resulting gases are passed over catalysts, causing reactions that separate oxygen from carbon molecules, making the carbon molecules high in energy content, similar to gasoline molecules.
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