(GTI-tcbiomass) Life-Cycle Assessment of the BTO®-Process (Biomass-to-Oil) with Combined Heat and Power Generation

A life cycle assessment study of the biomass-to-oil (BTO (R)) process based on the fast ablative pyrolysis of wood chips from forest residues has been performed. The planned system consists of eight pyrolyzers with a throughput of 6 tpd each. The bio-oil will be burnt in eight modified diesel engines with a capacity of 315 kWhel each. The results were compared with a reference system (fossil diesel-fueled CHP). The comparison is made for the production of 1 kWh of electrical oleo; (kWhel) and shows significant differences for global warming potential (GWP(100): -87.7%), eutrophication potential (ER +23.2%), acidification potential (AP: -44.6%), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP -63.6%), and ozone depletion potential (ODP: -92.4%). The results of the BTO-CHP-system show lower environmental impact values in all environmental impact categories except for the EP-value, which exceeds the reference clue to the application of bio-oil additives derived from agricultural production. (C) 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 29: 193-202, 2010