SUNFUEL: Conversion of waste biomass to biofuels

在建立包括生物能源和氢经济在内的可持续能源系统方面，全球的意识和发展都在增强。以氢/生物能源为基础的经济打算用以氢为基础的和以生物燃料为基础的系统来取代目前基于化石燃料的能源系统。氢将是来自其他资源的能源的载体，如水电、风能、太阳能和生物质。这些资源是可持续的，它们不会对大气中的温室气体做出贡献。氢经济将是一个相互联系的过程网络，这些过程通过化石燃料重整、生物质转化和电解分解水来生产氢气。氢可以被储存起来，并通过燃料电池发电。然而，氢经济面临着几个障碍。主要障碍之一是高效的氢气生产。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进行密集的努力。一种类似的方法涉及从现有的生物质原料中生产生物燃料。该项目提出了一种新技术，即生物质作为一种可再生能源，通过气化转化为氢气，通过热解转化为生物油。这些过程将在超临界水(SCW)中进行，从而通过消除生物质干燥的需要显著改善能量平衡。该项目对培训高素质人才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.