Systems perspectives on combined production of advanced biojet fuel and biofuels in existing industrial infrastructure in Sweden

Abstract

This paper assesses the opportunities for resource- and energy-efficient biojet fuel production from forest-based biomass utilising existing industrial infrastructure in Sweden. Two categories of production pathways are considered: one including technologies that are certified for the production of biojet fuel, and the other uncertified technologies under development. Aspects included are production potential, regional balance between biomass feedstock and eligible host industries, potential demand and supply of biogas-based hydrogen for upgrading, economic incentives for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and future markets for the co-products generated. The overall conclusion is that energy integration through the use of combined heat and power plants, sawmills and pulp mills to produce biofuel intermediates leads to a lower net demand for biomass feedstock, which can be met by the long-term sustainable potential of forestry residues and sawdust. The regional balance between the long-term, sustainable availability of forestry residues and sawdust, and the demand at eligible host industries is good where over 80% of this demand can be met by regionally produced biomass feedstock. The biofuel intermediates can then be upgraded to biojet fuel in centralised refineries connected to the gas grid in the southwest of Sweden, and with current Swedish policy tools it is economically motivated to use biogas-based hydrogen. Co-product demand will not limit commercial development since the future markets are predicted to grow when replacing fossil counterparts. Thus, current policy tools that promote biojet fuel with low life-cycle GHG emissions provide important incentives for the commercial development of resource- and energy-efficient combined biojet fuel and biofuel production systems based on biomass residues and existing industrial infrastructure.

Keywords

• Biojet fuel
• Forest biomass
• Biomass industries
• Integrated production
• Biogas-based hydrogen
• Co-products