Utilization of Pipeline for Simultaneous Transportation and Processing of Biomass

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Biomass utilization, a component of international effort on greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, is in its very early stages. Biomass facilities are a mix of demonstration and "real" projects, and are typically on smaller scale, using truck transportation to deliver the feedstock. Depending on the distance traveled, transport costs could be as high as 50% of the cost of raw material. It is becoming evident that the economies of scale require the future biorefineries to be of a size approaching petrochemical facilities; the drive for larger scale has emerged strongly in the last few years, including critical work in Europe and the United States. Large biorefineries could require as much as 20,000 tonnes of biomass per day; transporting and processing bulk volumes of biomass using pipeline is becoming an attractive option to reduce cost and road congestion.