Biofuels and catalysis

FUEL 119

Hans Heinerman, hans.heinerman@albemarle.com, Alternative Fuel Technologies, Albemarle, Barchman Wuytierslaan 10, P.O. Box 103, 3800 AC Amersfoort, Netherlands
The increasing demand for bio-fuels asks both for availability of bio-feedstocks and for efficient processes to convert these bio-feedstocks into bio-fuels. A review will be given of the presently applied processes and processes that are being developed. It appears that there are various opportunities to improve these processes by judicious application of catalysts. Examples include: pyrolysis of biomass, upgrading of pyrolysis oils, biomass gasification or pyrolysis oil gasification followed by hydrocarbon synthesis or alcohol production, and conversion of vegetable oils and animal fats into bio-diesel or green diesel. Finally, some scenarios for the future will be highlighted.