A survey of Opportunities for Microbial Conversion of Biomass to Hydrocarbon Compatible Fuels

Jovanovic, Iva ; Jones, Susanne B. ; Santosa, Daniel M. ; Dai, Ziyu ; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K. ; Zhu, Yunhua

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (U.S.)

关键词: Ethers;    Biomass;    Esters;    Productivity;    Hydrocarbons;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1013947
RP-ID  :  PNNL-19704
RP-ID  :  AC05-76RL01830
RP-ID  :  1013947

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Biomass is uniquely able to supply renewable and sustainable liquid transportation fuels. In the near term, the Biomass program has a 2012 goal of cost competitive cellulosic ethanol. However, beyond 2012, there will be an increasing need to provide liquid transportation fuels that are more compatible with the existing infrastructure and can supply fuel into all transportation sectors, including aviation and heavy road transport. Microbial organisms are capable of producing a wide variety of fuel and fuel precursors such as higher alcohols, ethers, esters, fatty acids, alkenes and alkanes. This report surveys liquid fuels and fuel precurors that can be produced from microbial processes, but are not yet ready for commercialization using cellulosic feedstocks. Organisms, current research and commercial activities, and economics are addressed. Significant improvements to yields and process intensification are needed to make these routes economic. Specifically, high productivity, titer and efficient conversion are the key factors for success.