SUNFUEL: Conversion of waste biomass to biofuels

全球对建立包括生物能源和氢经济在内的可持续能源系统的认识和发展日益增强。氢/生物能源经济旨在用氢和生物燃料系统取代目前以化石燃料为基础的能源系统。氢气将成为其他能源的载体，如水电、风能、太阳能和生物质能。这些资源是可持续的，它们不会向大气中排放温室气体。氢经济将是通过化石燃料重整、生物质转化和水的电解分解生产氢的过程的一个相互联系的网络。氢可以储存起来，并通过燃料电池用于发电。然而，氢经济面临着几个障碍。其中一个主要障碍是高效的氢气生产。开发具有成本效益的氢气生产技术需要在基础研究和工程方面付出巨大努力。类似的方法涉及从可用的生物质原料生产生物燃料。该项目提出了一种新技术，将生物质作为一种可再生能源，通过气化转化为氢，通过热解转化为生物油。这些过程将在超临界水（SCW）中进行，从而通过消除对生物质干燥的需要显着改善能量平衡。该项目对培训高素质人员的最重要贡献是其多学科性质。

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.