The potential of lignin as a maritime biofuel
Häggblom, Patrick (2021)
Häggblom, Patrick
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2021053132445
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2021053132445
Tiivistelmä
In the 1940s, efforts towards lignin valorisation were triggered by high oil prices, but today, the motives are much more varied. The movement towards a greener future to combat climate change and the expected introduction of an emission-based fee have all surged interest towards renewable fuels – a topic that has been at the core of this entire study.
This research project delves into different pathways that currently exist of utilising lignin as a maritime biofuel. In particular, lignin extracted from the Kraft pulping process, with a gross heating value measured at 27 MJ kg-1 and a potential worldwide production capacity estimated at 78 million tonnes per year, is considered to be the source that could make the biggest difference on the fuel market as of now. The challenge lies in both the isolation of the lignin from its feedstock and producing a viable fuel from it – one that can be cost-competitive with the marine fossil fuels currently in use.
Several experiments (e.g., bomb calorimetry and elemental analysis) were carried out at a laboratory of Åbo Akademi University, and various approaches to create a lignin fuel were trialed in accordance with the equipment available. The results provided a ground for parameters used in a sensitivity analysis, where variables such as production costs and raw material prices were evaluated against a possible introduction of the EU emissions trading system, or an equivalent, also in the marine sector. While the production methods found need to be further assessed to provide a deeper understanding of the chemistry and the techno-economics behind them, the results obtained indicate that the cost of an emissions allowance unit would have to be 160 to 190 euros per CO2 equivalent for a lignin-methanol fuel produced to be directly competitive with the widely used marine fuel IFO 380.
This research project delves into different pathways that currently exist of utilising lignin as a maritime biofuel. In particular, lignin extracted from the Kraft pulping process, with a gross heating value measured at 27 MJ kg-1 and a potential worldwide production capacity estimated at 78 million tonnes per year, is considered to be the source that could make the biggest difference on the fuel market as of now. The challenge lies in both the isolation of the lignin from its feedstock and producing a viable fuel from it – one that can be cost-competitive with the marine fossil fuels currently in use.
Several experiments (e.g., bomb calorimetry and elemental analysis) were carried out at a laboratory of Åbo Akademi University, and various approaches to create a lignin fuel were trialed in accordance with the equipment available. The results provided a ground for parameters used in a sensitivity analysis, where variables such as production costs and raw material prices were evaluated against a possible introduction of the EU emissions trading system, or an equivalent, also in the marine sector. While the production methods found need to be further assessed to provide a deeper understanding of the chemistry and the techno-economics behind them, the results obtained indicate that the cost of an emissions allowance unit would have to be 160 to 190 euros per CO2 equivalent for a lignin-methanol fuel produced to be directly competitive with the widely used marine fuel IFO 380.