Biomass Technology Updatemydocs.epri.com/docs/PublicMeetingMaterials/1006/6... · Direct Firing in...
Transcript of 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
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Biomass Upgrading--Torrefaction
Source: ECN
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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(?)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Another View of Carbon Footprint…
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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?
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Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity