(780c) Piloting a Multiproduct Biorefinery

For some biorefineries, a single product is the goal of the project.   Sometimes it is ethanol or an oil or perhaps a chemical compound, but it is focused on one product that will make or break the project.  While it is good to be focused, it can lead to tunnel vision that can prematurely crash a project. 

We believe a better method is run the biorefinery as having a number of co-products which allow a number of different outlets for the conversion of biomass.  In our current biomass project, partially funded by the Department of Energy, we can produce ethanol, butyl acrylate, fiber and lignin.  Butyl acrylate can be used as a drop in replacement for current petroleum based acrylates, fibers can be used for further conversions, and the lignin can be used as fuel source for power or steam generation while the fibers can be used as a feedstock for further conversation or sold as animal feed.

As part of the presentation we will list some of the challenges with the start-up of the pilot plant and the concerns of building a full scale plant including the technical issues and regulatory issues.