Biomass as Renewable Metallurgical Coke Don Hewson Managing - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CCRA Working Meeting Biomass as Renewable Metallurgical Coke Don Hewson Managing Director, Industrial Liaison 12 to 13 June 2012 Toronto CCRAPresentation13June2012.ppt

Contents • Objectives of this Presentation • The Bowman Centre for Technology Commercialization • Cennatek Bioanalytical Services at The Research Park • Staffed by Industrialists • Recent Biomass Studies • The UWO Research Park -- London and Sarnia-Lambton • Facilities at The Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton • The University of Western Ontario -- Western Facts • Follow Up • Last Page

Objectives of this Presentation • Review the capabilities of Western’s Research Park • Describe recent work related to biomass composition and energy • Learn more about the development of renewable metallurgical carbon • Determine how to create joint projects with CCRA • Begin to develop a project proposal for CCRA

The Bowman Centre for Technology Commercialization • The Bowman Centre for Technology Commercialization • Established at The Research Park in 2010 • Focussed on commercially driven applied research in energy opportunities and environmental issues • Industrial funding is matched 1:1, or better, by granting agencies • Approximately 80 000 ft 2 containing renovated and modernized laboratories, low- and high-bay pilot plant, offices, meeting rooms, and library. • Situated in a park setting on the eastern edge of Sarnia-Lambton’s petrochemical industries and emerging bio-based industries.

The Bowman Centre for Technology Commercialization • High-bay and low-bay pilot plant • Laboratory space • Room for large equipment

Shared Service Laboratory Managed by Cennatek Bioanalytical Services • The Shared Services Laboratory focuses on biomass characterization, especially related to energy content, composition, and ash, and liquid fuels. • See http://cennatek.ca/

Staffed by Industrialists • Don Hewson, Ph.D. • 7 yr applied commercial research at The Park, 28 yr applied research Imperial Oil, ExxonMobil • Aung Oo, Ph.D. • 4 yr applied commercial research and business at The Park, and 6 yr Imperial Oil • Katherine Albion, Ph.D. • 4 yr applied commercial research at The Park, research experience at Syncrude • John Kabel, M.A.Sc. • 4 yr applied commercial research at The Park, 20 yr food and biotech process industries

Recent Biomass Studies • Ontario Power Generation • Report on Energy Crop Options • Assessment of Agricultural Residuals as Biomass Fuel • Biomass Residuals for OPG Repowering • Ontario Federation of Agriculture • Business Case for Purpose-Grown Biomass in Ontario • Alternative Technologies for Biomass to Energy (in Progress) • Regional Farm Biomass Availability in Ontario (in Progress) • Canadian Academy of Engineering • Bio-Conversion Workshop • Energy Pathways Task Force, Final Report • Energy Pathways Workshop • Canada: Winning as a Sustainable Energy Superpower

The UWO Research Park -- London and Sarnia-Lambton Quick Facts • The Research Park is a major initiative of the University of Western Ontario • The London campus of The Research Park has been in business for over 15 years • 50 companies and 2000 employees on both campuses • 500,000 sq.ft. of space • 300 acres of a natural campus-like park balanced for innovation, business, and well-being • Two major buildings with the latest in innovation infrastructure completed • Access to research, knowledge, people and resources through Univ. Western Ontario • Research Park partners are: the University of Western Ontario, The County of Lambton, The City of Sarnia, Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership

Follow Up • Industrial funding is matched 1:1, or better, by granting agencies • $15M NCE Bioindustrial Innovation Centre (operating grant) • $10M Ontario (infrastructure grant) • $5M (OCE, NRC, Trillium, CAE, Alberta Innovates, etc.) • Learn more about the development of renewable metallurgical carbon • Determine how to create joint projects with CCRA • Begin to develop a project proposal for CCRA • Visit us soon

Last Page There really were only 66 years between the Wright Brothers first flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903, and Neil Armstrong Landing on the moon in 1969. END

B IOMASS R ESOURCES IN O NTARIO CCRA Bio-Carbon Working Meeting June 12-13, 2012 Ontario Investment and Trade Centre, Toronto Katherine Albion, Aung Oo, Don Hewson The Western University Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus

Outline 1. Introduction 2. Summary of Studies on Biomass Resources i. Energy Crops ii. Agricultural Residuals iii. Business Case for Purpose-Grown Biomass iv. Biomass Residuals 3. Concluding Remarks 4. Discussion

Introduction  Major drivers of the studies: The Ontario Government has legislated that coal cannot be burned • for power generation beyond 2014 Diversification of agricultural products and markets • Opportunity for Ontario’s agricultural sector to participate in the • energy market  The studies were executed by the Western University Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton, for Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), and others  These techno-economic studies provide useful information to stakeholders on resource estimates, supply chain issues, fuel quality and economics of agricultural biomass resources in Ontario

Energy Crops Study

Energy Crops Study  Commissioned by Ontario Power Generation (OPG)  Study period: November 2008 – April 2009  Objectives of the study include: • To identify energy crops suitable for Ontario To estimate biomass production from energy crops • • To determine the feasibility of developing an energy crop industry in Ontario to provide biomass pellets for OPG’s generating stations  The energy crop study was the first major techno-economic study to determine the feasibility of utilizing agricultural biomass for large-scale power generation in Ontario

Benefits of Perennial Crops All perennial crops result in:  Soil improvement  Reduced soil erosion  Greater carbon sequestration  Less chemical applications  Productive for 15-20 years once established

Mixed Energy Crops Scheme Identified  Miscanthus, Switchgrass, and Willow SRC have the greatest potential for commercialization: Most extensively studied and widely grown energy crops globally • • No serious disease/pest issues reported to date Perennial crops, non-invasive • • Mixed energy crops scheme would minimize the risk of unsteady biomass supply • Other native perennial grasses, such as tallgrass prairie, can also be included in the fuel mix

Land Availability and Biomass Potential  Conversion of hay land to energy crops was considered: • Ontario has 5.4 Mha of agricultural land, of which about 1 Mha is used for hay production • Cattle industry in Ontario is declining (>18% drop from 2003 to 2009) • Ontario is currently exporting hay to the US and other parts of Canada About 32%, provincial average, of hay land can be converted to energy • crops  Conversion of less productive land to energy crops was considered: • About 15%, provincial average, of cropland is considered less productive land  Total land availability and potential biomass production: 783,000 ha, or 15% of total agricultural land in Ontario, for energy crops • • Potential biomass production of 8.75 Mt/yr from yields on class 3 – 4 land

Estimated Biomass Production 4,500 Converting major field cropland Potential Biomass Production ('000 DM t/yr) 4,000 Converting tame hay land Converting tame or seeded pasture 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Southern Western Central Eastern Northern Province Ontario Ontario Ontario Ontario Ontario Ontario Regions

Major Findings of Energy Crops Study  Miscanthus, switchgrass and willow SRC are perennial energy crops with the greatest potential for commercialization  Energy crops, using ~ 15% total agricultural land in Ontario, can produce 8.75 Mt of biomass annually  Supply chain components that require development are the production of biomass (it takes 2-3 years to establish the crops) and biomass processing facilities  Fuel quality of agricultural biomass could be an issue for combustion in existing power plants  Ontario farmers are interested in growing energy crops as a diversification of their agricultural products

Agricultural Residuals Study

Agricultural Residuals Study  Awarded by Ontario Power Generation  Study period: April – November 2010  Study objectives to: • Determine the quantity of agricultural biomass residuals that are achievable each year • Evaluate ability to supply high quality fuel in various forms • Examine the sustainable removal of agricultural residuals from Ontario farms for use as a fuel alternative to coal  First study to quantify the available agricultural residuals that can be sustainably harvested in Ontario