Features Research & Innovation
Gasoline And Diesel Produced From Lignocellulose Biomass

VANCOUVER -Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation reports the successful production of “significant amounts” of renewable gasoline and diesel from biomass at its research facility in Waterloo, Ont., through a novel two-stage upgrading process of BioOil.

The process developed by Dr. Desmond Radlein and his research team involves pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass to produce a primary liquid fuel, BioOil, which is then hydro-reformed to a Stage 1 gas-oil equivalent liquid fuel. This liquid fuel can either be directly utilized in blends with hydrocarbon fuels for industrial stationary power and heating applications or be further upgraded to transportation grade liquid hydrocarbon fuels (gasoline/diesel) in a Stage 2 hydrotreating process.

The major by-product from lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis is Biochar which has emerging value for soil productivity enhancement and carbon sequestration.

Based on initial test and analysis, the company currently estimates that it can deliver advanced (second generation) fuels from biomass at a cost of less than $2 per gallon of ethanol-equivalent fuel in facilities processing about 70,000 tonnes of biomass per annum.