Session: 16-01: Poster Presentations

Paper Number: 130200

130200 - Sustainable Biorefinery Technologies for Nationwide Carbon-Negative Energy Strategies 

Abstract: 

The scientific community recognizes the need for low- to negative-carbon emission technologies that produce energy and fuels while removing carbon from the atmosphere. Many technologies are under consideration, including biomass energy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS), pyrolysis-based biochar, solar fuels with CCS and others. Regional considerations for carbon resources and renewable energy availability impact the economic competivenes of different technologies. Thus, coordinated nationwide strategies could help identify optimal strategies for delivering clean energy with carbon removal.

In this presentation, we discuss efforts to model a US nationwide strategy for carbon removal that helps meet US goals for clean energy and industry decarbonization. We develop a comprehensive model with over 32 feedstock, 20 biorefineries, and 20 products. The feedstock includes agricultures residues, dedicated energy crops, and municipal solid wastes. Biorefinery technologies range from thermochemical gasification and pyrolysis to fermentation and construction. Products consists of fuels such as sustainable aviation fuels, and solids like bioasphalt, bioplastics, and construction wood.  

For the analysis, we considered optimal strategies that maximize carbon removal based on different scenarios and constraints including: high bioenergy blending mandates, high product market prices/incentives, high resource use, high technology improvement and others. The objective is to quantify the range of carbon abatement prices required for different nationwide carbon removal strategies to economically competitive. 

Preliminary results indicate that a diversity of technologies would be needed to fully utilize biorefineries' potential for carbon removal. Specifically, technology selection is highly dependent on access to carbon sequestration sites, local biomass resources, and infrastructure availability. An interesting insight is that small-scale, low-cost technologies could play a significant role in carbon removal by being able to maximize the use of stranded resources and expand access to biorefinery technologies across the country. This work highlights the need for continued development of many carbon removal technologies and comprehensive techno-economic and lifecycle assessment to understand the implications of technology advances and breakthroughs.

Presenting Author: Mark Mba Wright Iowa State University

Presenting Author Biography: Mark Mba Wright is associate professor in Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University. His research interests are in sustainable energy system assessments including techno-economic and lifecycle analysis. He has authored over 70 papers on the assessment of biorefinery technologies for biofuel, biochemical and bioproducts. His research has been supported by several US Federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, ARPA-e, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, state agencies such as the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and other public and private institutions.

Authors:

Mark Mba Wright Iowa State University
Pallavi Dubey Iowa State University