SUNFUEL: Conversion of waste biomass to biofuels

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There is an increased global awareness and development toward establishing sustainable energy systems including bioenergy and a hydrogen economy. The hydrogen/bioenergy-based economy intends to replace the current fossil fuels-based energy systems with H2-based and biofuel-based systems. Hydrogen would be the carrier of energy from other resources such as hydropower, wind, solar and biomass. These resources are sustainable and they don't contribute to GHG in the atmosphere. The hydrogen economy will be a linked network of processes that produce hydrogen through fossil fuel reforming, biomass conversion, and electrolytic splitting of water. Hydrogen could be stored and used to generate electricity through fuel cells. However, the hydrogen economy suffers from several barriers. One of the major barriers is efficient hydrogen production. The development of cost-effective technologies to produce hydrogen requires intensive effort in both basic research and engineering. A similar approach concerns generation of biofuels from available biomass feedstock. This project proposes a new technology in which biomass, as a renewable energy source, is converted to hydrogen via gasification and to bio-oil via pyrolysis. These processes will be carried out in supercritical water (SCW), thus improving significantly the energy balance by eliminating the need for drying of biomass. The project's most important contribution to training of highly qualified personnel is its multidisciplinary nature.