Biomass Program Thermochemical R&D

Pyrolysis Oil Upgrading Benefits • Potential to replace up to 60% of Biomass-derived pyrolysis oil is scenarios for fuels and chemical transportation fuels rich in carbon and can be refined products from bio-oil. • Economically attractive when crude oil prices are high or if pyrolysis oil in ways similar to crude prices can be reduced petroleum. Coupled with its ease To better understand the linkages of transport and storage as between the biomass feedstocks, Applications compared to solid biomass pyrolysis oil, upgraded products, and material, pyrolysis oil (bio-oil) the conversion processes, researchers This project will help develop a market for pyrolysis-derived bio-oils and could lead to can serve as a potential feedstock will produce pyrolysis oil from refining of bio-oils in petroleum refineries. for the production of fuels and several biomass feedstocks (mixed chemicals in petroleum Vermont hardwood/softwood, corn Project Participants refineries. Pyrolysis can stover, and dried distillers’ grain). UOP LLC effectively utilize a vast majority Both the feedstocks and the bio-oil National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the projected one billion tons will be characterized and material (NREL) of biomass available in the balance data collected from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory United States. pyrolysis process. (PNNL) DynaMotive Energy Systems This project is evaluating the The bio-oil will be used in additional Ensyn Group, Inc. feasibility of upgrading bio-oil in experiments in the batch and Project Period a petroleum refinery setting. continuous flow reactors to evaluate product quality as a function of FY 2004 – FY 2009 R&D Pathway processing conditions, catalysts, and bio-oil properties, and their impact For more information contact: Initial bench-scale tests of bio-oil on process costs. The bio-oil and Richard Bain in a batch reactor and a upgraded products will be analyzed National Renewable Energy continuous flow reactor allowed for their chemical composition and Laboratory researchers to identify target physical characteristics. [email protected] products and better understand Doug Elliott the reaction pathways. Proof-of- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory principle studies demonstrated [email protected] that bio-oil could be converted to EERE Information Center gasoline with reasonable 1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463) hydrogen consumption using www.eere.energy.gov mild hydrotreating followed by hydrocracking. Visit the Web site for the Office of the Biomass Program (OBP) at A process model was developed www.eere.energy.gov/biomass for use in performing economic assessments of the processing April 2006

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