Biomass Technology Updatemydocs.epri.com/docs/PublicMeetingMaterials/1006/6... · Direct Firing in...

Biomass Technology Update

Dave O’ConnorManager, Biomass Projects

Renewable Energy CouncilJune 30, 2010

2© 2010 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Agenda

• Introducing Biomass into the Generation Portfolio

• Costs and Implications of Biomass Options

• Research Issues

• EPRI R&D Program

• Questions and Discussion


MW from Biomass

• Liquid fuels

– ethanol: no, biodiesel: yes, others: sure

• Methane from landfill, digesters: important GHG contribution, small electric sector penetration

• Cofiring

• Direct Firing

• Thermal Treatment

– Gasification

– Pyrolysis

– Upgrading (Drying/Pelletizing and Torrefaction)


Biomass Resources

• High moisture

• Geographically disseminated

• Can have undesirable and favorable constituents and components

• Typically fibrous

• Cost varies considerably

• Amenable to upgrading

• Energy density is low


Combustion Based Electric Power

• Direct Combustion– Fluid Bed

– Stoker

– Pneumatic Injection

– Repowered units

• Co-Combustion (Cofiring)– Typically in coal-fired units

– Some investigation into co-firing with gas• Liquid fuels in CT

• Solid fuels in boiler

Awirs, Belgium

Gadsden, Alabama


Co-Firing with Coal

• Commonly mixed with fuel or directly injected into boiler– Probably 20 different cofiring approaches

• Operations issues

– Handling, storage, delivery

• Technical issues– Catalyst life– Corrosion– Combustion

• Environmental impacts

• Commercial application– Not commonly economical in the US without externalities

Direct Injection

Studstrup, Demark


Large Scale Deployment Options Abound for Direct Combustion

Approach Industry Example

Greenfield New Boiler Oglethorpe Power Cooperative announcements

Modify Existing Boiler to Stoker or Fluid Bed

Georgia Power Plant Mitchell

Direct Firing in Existing Boiler FirstEnergy R. E. Burger or Ontario Power coal fleet

Externally Gasify Biomass Xcel Energy Bay Front

Replace Boiler with Turbine-Sized FBC/Stoker

Northern Wood Power Plant Schiller

Modify Gas Steam Unit Mississippi Power Plant Sweatt

Many other options, combinations, and permutations are possible


Biomass Gasification / Pyrolysis

• Gasification – produces low to medium quality gas

• Multiple utility-scale atmospheric technologies

– Fixed Bed Updraft– Fixed Bed Downdraft– Fixed Bed Co-current– Fluid Bed

• Gas used in CT/IC, repowering, upgrading, or cofiring

• Not quite ready for prime time?

• Pyrolysis typically focuses on liquid products

• Similar to No. 2/6 oil or diesel, only highly acidic

• Not widely deployed, even at pilot scale, for electricity

• Potential for carbon recycling--biochar


Biomass Upgrading--Torrefaction

Source: ECN


Cost and Strategic Implications of Biomass Power Options

+ - $Cofiring Flexible, fast Equipment

consequences, operational complexity

Low capital, modest operating

Direct Combustion: New

Capacity gain, new equipment

Site development issues

Relatively high capital cost

Direct Combustion: Repowering

Use of existing assets, relatively fast

Capacity loss Medium capital cost

Gasification Fuel flexibility, environmental performance, heat as a product?

Largely unproven Relatively high for power only, attractive for CHP

Upgrading Minimize power plant investments, capacity loss

Unproven costs, carbon footprint

High(?)


Biomass R&D Needs/OpportunitiesProgress needed for repowering and co-firing

• Resource availability / fuel cycle

• Fuel processing & handling

• O&M

• Combustion and environmental control

• Environmental impact

• Performance and demonstration


Biomass Resource Availability / Fuel Cycle

• Supply Security– ‘Trees to transport’– Initial studies show electric route offers

efficiency, GHG advantages over cellulosic ethanol

• Energy supply chain– Promote/encourage energy crops– Harvesting issues– Seasonal issues / storage– Plant delivery systems– Forestry management

• Economics of competing feedstocks– RPS– Exports


Biomass Fuel Processing / Handling

• Torrefied fuel

– Various feedstocks

• Wood, grasses, reeds

– Performance in utility service

– Economics

• Fuel drying to improve efficiency

• Ag waste or seasonal storage

• Best practices


Biomass Operations & Maintenance

• Supply-side optimization

• Varying co-firing fractions and feedstock

– Operating strategies

– Reliability centered maintenance

– Slagging and fouling

• Predictive tools for minimizingimpact of biomass

• Emission control equipment


Biomass Combustion & Environmental Control

• Impact on SCR systems

– Catalyst de-activation

– Catalyst poisoning

• Feasibility of biomass with CCS

• Impact of various biomass feedstocks

– Corrosion

– Deposition

– Ash characterization

– Emissions


Biomass Environmental Impact

• Life-cycle assessment -- Is biomass carbon neutral?• Sustainability concerns

– Soil quality/stand productivity– Water quality– Biological diversity/habitat

• Changes in forestry management– Maintain water quality – Reduce environmental impact

• Fugitive emissions air quality studies– Increase in dust at site boundary– Emissions from truck unloading

mechanisms• Emissions benefits (credits, etc) – a

moving target


Biomass Performance / Demonstration

• Evaluate co-firing technologies

– Co-milling

– Direct injection

– Multi-waste

• Design tools

– Modular design/construction

– Optimum size

– Co-location study of torrefaction facility

• Permitting guidance and data

• Small (2-10 MW) distributed generation

• Large-scale demonstration


2010 Research Activities—EPRI Base Funded

• Test Burns of Torrefied Pellets

• Sustainability Investigations

• Supply Chain Guidelines

• Biomass Properties Database

• Torrefied Biomass Initiatives (TI)

• Repowering Screening Analysis (Internal funds)


2010 Research Activities--Supplemental

• Pressurized Biomass Gasification

– Transport Reactor

• Pressurized Biomass Gasification

– GTI Gasifier

• Assessment of Brownfield Biomass Unit Costs

• Repowering Using Direct Injection

• Cofiring Direct Injection System Design

• Best Practices Biomass Handling

• Environmental Permitting for Biomass Plants

• Biomass Impacts on Environmental Control Equipment

• Biofuels Crop Research

• …and others yet to start


Technical HighlightsBiomass – Torrefaction TI Project 2009-2010

• Develop technology for torrefaction of various biomass feedstocks to facilitate direct co-firing with coal– Woody biomass

– Herbaceous

– Energy crops

• Bench top testing of feed stocks potential

• Torrefaction/pelletization process optimization

• Chips/pellet characterization

• Pilot scale feasibility

• Biomass pre-washing/leaching


Technical HighlightsBiomass – Torrefaction

Torrefaction technology application to co-firing

(#1018661 3/2009)

• Evaluated seven species (3 woody /4 herbaceous)

– Torrefied material

– Pellets/pucks

• Initial Aspen-Plus modeling of torrefaction process

– Optimize process parameters

– Function of biomass species

• Proposed Specs. for torrefied chips and

pellets issued (# 1020506 12/2009)

• Small Scale Production test report issued

(# 1020508 4/2010) Torrefied Southern Yellow Pine Chips


Pilot-Scale Torrefaction Facility

Summary

• Develop 5 ton/hour ‘movable’ facility to demonstrate feasibility

• Torrefaction and pelleting of local feedstock

• Test burns

• Emissions testing

• Scope, budgetTBD

Contact

• Luis Cerezo,704-595-2687,[email protected]

Feed

E‐House

Cooling

Torrefac

tion

Unit

Exit

Connect

ing conv

eyors

& misc.

items

Wire Tray

In‐Feed

Conveyor


Biomass to Electricity Conference

• November 9 - 11, New Orleans

– Hosted by Entergy

• Day 1: P84B Funders meeting

• Day 2, 3: Open to all

• Sessions on: – Cofiring

– Direct Firing

– Sustainability

– Ash Issues

– Handling

– Supply Chain

– Environmental Controls


P84B Biomass Scope – Thrust for 2011

• P84.004 Biomass Supply Management– Biomass Sustainability Issues

• Add supply estimation scope– Detailed Life-Cycle for Biomass to Power

• P84.005 Power Generation from Biomass– High Percentage Cofiring Update– Waste to Energy Technology Summary– Biomass Properties Update– Engineered Fuels Test Burn– Biomass Ash, Co-fired Ash Utilization

PlanExternal Issues• Resolution of Industrial Boiler MACT?• Intelligent Discussion of Biomass GHG Impact?• Beginning of EGU MACT re: cofiring


Importance of Biomass Supply Sustainability For Power Generators

• Social importance

• Public perception/political position

• Impact on GHG picture

• Operating cost management

– Short supplies increase costs

• Capital cost recovery

– See California, late 80s


Manomet Center’s Biomass to Electricity Carbon Picture

• Only MA supply picture—very, very, very specific– Slow growth, unique

forests– Little outside

considerations– Small landholders,

all private harvests• 30 year+ break-even• Unusual approach to

supply analysis• Only considers tree

harvesting• Don’t consider end-

of-life for plant


Another View of Carbon Footprint…


And Other Views Are Not Only Possible, They’re Likely…“The truth is out there…” X-Files

Perennial Energy PlantationManomet Study

Make a Parking Lot Arboreal Energy Plantation Cofiring

Waste Material

GH

G Im

pact

GH

G Im

pact

35 years

5 years?

7 years?

never

0 years?

10 years?


Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity

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