Cellulosic biofuels and Shell

CINF 95

Jean-Paul Lange, jean-paul.lange@shell.com, Shell Global Solutions International B.V, Badhuisweg 3, 1031 CM Amsterdam, Netherlands
Climate change, energy security and agricultural support are pushing governments around the world to stimulate renewable energies and biofuels. While in full development, ethanol and fatty methyl esters are revealing severe shortcomings e.g. on food price, limited CO2 savings and land degradation. Mankind is therefore turning to lignocellulosic residues as feedstock for a 2nd generation biofuels.

Lignocellulose is difficult to convert and requires, therefore, new and complex manufacturing technologies. Shell is developing several of these technologies in partnerships with industries and universities.

Ethanol and fatty methyl esters might not be the biofuels of the future because of sub-optimal properties. Shell is exploring advanced 2nd generation biofuels that are fully compatible with present fuels and cars and, ideally, offer advantageous performance properties.

To be successful in the long run, the large-scale deployment of 2nd generation biofuels requires rapid improvements in production costs, strong government support to early movers and large investments in plants and infrastructure.

 

Engineering the Transition to the Bioeconomy
8:25 AM-12:15 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Marriott Convention Center -- Blaine Kern D, Oral

Division of Chemical Information

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008