Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 3:00 PM
S99

Advanced strategies for biomass ethanol production

Jonathan R. Mielenz, Bioconversion Science and Technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Bethel Valley Rd, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Ethanol production worldwide is expanding rapidly. The United States produces about 5.6 billion annual gallons (February 2007) primarily from conversion of corn starch, overtaking Brazil which produces about 4.4 billion gallons from sugarcane. This approximately 10 billion gallons of ethanol comes from depolymerization of corn starch, or simple extraction of sucrose, both followed by yeast fermentation to ethanol. Ethanol is a direct replacement for gasoline, but the US ethanol production can only replace about 4% of current gasoline use. Even with tripling the production of corn ethanol, additional ethanol must come from biomass to improve the gasoline displacement situation. Initial production of biomass ethanol will come from both co-conversion of the cellulosic portion of corn ethanol fermentation residues, and dedicated production facilities converting agricultural residues. Both conversions will use well developed processes of thermochemical pretreatment, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. However, two different technologies have progressed to the point of receiving commercial interest. Conversion of biomass into synthesis gas (syngas) containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide is known technology. Research has been underway quietly at pilot plant scale using thermophilic anaerobes to ferment the syngas to ethanol. A second approach that is gaining interest uses thermophilic anaerobes that provide their own carbohydrase enzymes required for fermentation of biomass carbohydrates to ethanol. These developing processes for production of biomass ethanol each have benefits which will be discussed.

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