BioFuels and BioChemicals

Robert Wilson

Laboratory DirectorSRI InternationalMenlo Park, CA 94025

Nordic Green II

April 28, 2010

Robert Wilson

Laboratory DirectorSRI InternationalMenlo Park, CA 94025

Nordic Green II

April 28, 2010

How big is the opportunity?

A Cubic Mile of Oil - CMOUnderstandable unit: mental image

CMO is a unit of energy coined by SRI’s Hew Crane while waiting in the

1970s gas lines. His realization: annual global oil consumption was

then approaching one cubic mile!

2

Statue of Liberty

Projected Energy Demand by 2050We will need at least one additional CMO/yr by 2020

Recent energy growth rate: 2.5%/yrAnnual GDP growth rate:Recent energy growth rate: 2.5%/yrAnnual GDP growth rate:

World: 5.5%China: 11%India: 9%

2.6%

1.8%

0.8%

270 CMO

214 CMO

163 CMO

179 CMO

Σ

From 3.0 CMO/yr we are moving to 9.0 CMO/yrFrom 3.0 CMO/yr we are moving to 9.0 CMO/yr

Variable profile, IPCCVariable profile, IPCC

Inherited

Annual Global Energy Consumption We are living off our inheritance – how long will it last?

*2006 Data

Income

Oil

1.06

Coal

0.81

Natural Gas

0.61

Hydroelectric

0.17

Biomass

0.19

Wind + Photovoltaic + Solar

Thermal <0.03

Geothermal <0.01

Nuclear

0.15

Oil

1.06

Coal

0.81

Natural Gas

0.61

Hydroelectric

0.17

Biomass

0.19 Geothermal <0.01

Nuclear

0.15

Total 3.0 CMO/yrTotal 3.0 CMO/yr

Biomass Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals

How big is the opportunity?

BiomassThe only renewable that produces storable fuel

• Lots of hope and hype

• Global potential: 0.5 to 2 CMO

• May not reduce greenhouse gases

– Some options release more greenhouse

gases than direct use of fossil fuels

• Can disrupt food supply and result in

undesirable land-use practices

1 CMO = 85 times current world production of soybeans

Mandates

• CA Low Carbon Transportation Fuel

– 10% reduction in GHG by 2020 (from the 10% ethanol level)

– Large market ~ 20 B gallon in 2010

– CARB estimates that 20% of the market will be biofuel to achieve

10% GHG reduction (or ~4B gallon by 2020)

– Mid-west corn ethanol will not meet the standard

• US – RFS2

– 30B gallon by 2020

– 15B gallon from Conventional corn ethanol (plus grandfathered?)

– 15B gallon from advanced biofuel (requires 50% GHG reduction)

• Europe

• 10% of fuel (~10B gallons)

• Phase in of biofuel GHG reductions of 25%, 50%, and then 60% 7

Biomass Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals

How big is the opportunity?

Biomass Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals

What problem are we trying to solve?

SRI’s Biofuels Portfolio

•SRI’s green biofuels projects include:

– Fuel analysis and qualification

– Thermochemical conversion of biomass

– Catalytic process development for conversion of bioproducts to green fuels

– Novel separation process development

–Integration of processes for biorefineries

–Economic analysis of biofuel production processes

–Pathway logic to develop novel genetic pathways for biofuel processes

Current or Recent Projects

•Enhancing the economics of algae to fuels

•Catalytic thermochemical conversion of biomass to bio-crude

Impact and Opportunities

•Sustainable, secure & scalable energy sources

•Carbon-neutral and eco-friendly processes

SRI’s Biochemical Portfolio

Some examples of current and recent work

includes:

• The development of a new production

method for PVA from bio-ethanol

• Hydrolytic Polyolefin Technology

• Fermentation to chemical

intermediates - olefins

• New production methods for the

aromatic monomers

• Use of proteins and/or protein

derivatives for the synthesis of new

materials

• Integration for cost reduction

Current or Recent Projects

•Fermentation process to chemical intermediates

•Catalytic conversion of biomass to bio-chemicals

•Polymerization of bio-derived monomers

Impact and Opportunities

•Sustainable, secure & scalable chemical processes

•Carbon-neutral and eco-friendly processes

H

O

H

OH

K = 2x10-5

Thank you!