Techno-economic and life cycle assessment review of sustainable aviation fuel produced via biomass gasification

Michaga, Maria Fernanda Rojas; Michailos, Stavros; Hughes, Kevin J.; Ingham, Derek; Pourkashanian, Mohamed

Abstract

The aviation sector is responsible for at least 2% of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The production and use of new sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) appear as the most relevant strategy to achieve significant GHG emissions reductions in aviation industry. Gasification technology has the potential of converting carbonaceous feedstock, as lignocellulosic biomass, in an atmosphere of low oxygen and high temperature into syngas, which can be used for energy production or synthesis of chemical compounds. Well-known technologies, such as Fischer–Tropsch (FT), or developing processes, such as alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel, are being studied for the conversion of gasification syngas into SAF. The term sustainability transcends carbon footprint. This definition should be analyzed considering its three fundamental pillars (environmental, economic, and social). Therefore evaluation tools, such as techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), determine whether or not the SAF produced is sustainable. The economic and environmental performance indicators of these assessments allow the comparison of different technologies and feedstocks. Generally, the minimum jet fuel selling price and the global warming are the indicators determined in existing TEA and LCA studies for the SAF from the FT process, and similarly but with less studies for the SAF produced through the ATJ pathway.

Citation

Michaga, M. F. R., Michailos, S., Hughes, K. J., Ingham, D., & Pourkashanian, M. (2021). Techno-economic and life cycle assessment review of sustainable aviation fuel produced via biomass gasification. In R. C. Ray (Ed.), Sustainable Biofuels: Opportunities and challenges (269-303). Duxford: Woodhead Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820297-5.00012-8

• Online Publication Date: Apr 16, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Dec 5, 2022
• Pages: 269-303
• Series Title: Applied Biotechnology Reviews
• Book Title: Sustainable Biofuels: Opportunities and challenges
• Chapter Number: 10
• ISBN: 9780128202975
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820297-5.00012-8
• Keywords: Biomass gasification; Alcohol-to-jet fuel; Fischer–Tropsch; Techno-economic analysis; Life cycle assessment
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4131073