Prof. Richard Gustafson (Univ.Washington) luennoi 14.1. Puunjalostustekniikan laitoksella
Prof. Richard Gustafson, Univ. Washington, luennoi Puunjalostustekniikan laitoksella 14.1.2016
Professor Rick Gustafson, University of Washington, USA
January 14, at 2.00 –3.00 pm.
Lecture hall 1
Vuorimiehentie 1
Coffee at 3.00 pm.
Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHB) – supporting commercialization of a biorefinery in the Pacific Northwest.
Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest is a 5 year, $40 million USDA funded program that lays the foundation for establishment of a renewable chemicals and biofuels industry in the Pacific Northwest using poplar feedstock. The project has five major program areas: Feedstock Development, Conversion Processes, Sustainability and System Optimization, Extension and Social Impact, and Education. Results of this program show that poplar grown on a coppice rotation cycle is viable feedstock. There is plenty of land in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to grow poplar, it can be produced at a reasonable price, and poplar tree farms are environmentally sound. Techno/economic analyses make evident that production of hydrocarbons from poplar feedstock is challenging given current technology and petroleum pricing. Production of higher value chemicals like acetic acid, however, looks more promising and offers a route to constructing commercial biorefineries. Commercialization, nevertheless, requires a comprehensive approach that includes elements such as outreach (especially to landowners), an educated workforce, social acceptability, and assessment of all the environmental services that the enterprise can provide; all of which are addressed in our project. This talk will provide an overview of the research done to date in the AHB program and highlights how it is supporting construction of a commercial scale biorefinery in the PNW.