Flexible and resilient integrated biofuel processes for competitive production of green renewable jet and shipping fuels

The goal of the EU-funded FLEXI-GREEN FUELS project is to advance the production of next-generation biofuels for aviation and shipping, by developing improved technologies for converting lignocellulosic biomass residues and the organic fraction of municipal waste.

The project plans to develop and optimise three methods of converting sugars into lipids. These lipids will be further converted towards aviation fuels (C8-C17) and/or bunker type shipping fuels (>C18). Techno-economic and life-cycle assessment analyses are conducted to benchmark the new biofuels against conventional aviation and shipping fuels to quantify their capabilities.

Objective

The FLEXI-GREEN FUEL project will advance the production of next generation biofuels for shipping and aviation by developing and improving integrated technologies for a complete conversion of #1 lignocellulosic residue biomass (LIGN) and #2 the organic fraction of municipal waste (OFMSW).

Project targets are to significantly reduce the cost by improving the performance of the produced biofuels regarding the efficiency, the environment and society. Semi-continuous organosolv pretreatment is used for the separation of cellulose and hemicellulose fractions from lignin, aiming at optimal conversion of each stream. As lipids are far superior bio-crudes towards hydrocarbon fuels, this project we will develop and optimize three efficient methods to convert sugars to lipids (fungal fermentation, algae dark fermentation and lipid rich larva production), which will be further converted via advanced hydrotreatment (HDO/isomerization) to diesel range (C16-C18) alkanes.

We will combine this with the utilization of furans (from pentose/hexose sugars) via condensation (C-C coupling) and hydrodeoxygenation routes to allow production of drop-in aviation fuels. And with utilization of lignin fast pyrolysis via selective fractionation, hydrodeoxygenation and alkylation towards aviation fuels (C8-C17) and/or bunker type fuels (>C18). Whole system analysis assess economic (TEA) and environmental (LCA) performance indicators and benchmark against conventional aviation and shipping fuels.

More information about the project can be found at the project website.