Overview of Thermochemical Liquefaction activities in New Zealand and The Netherlands

This report provides an overview of research activities, demonstration activities and commercial applications of Direct Thermochemical Liquefaction of biomass in New Zealand and The Netherlands.

Country Reports 2022 – Direct Thermochemical Liquefaction – New Zealand & The Netherlands

Overview of stakeholders:

New Zealand:

• Scion’s liquid biofuels R&D programme is currently focussed on catalytic fast pyrolysis of wood.
• The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Canterbury (NZ) has several projects around liquefaction, including pyrolysis of biomass and waste plastic for liquid fuels production, catalytic pyrolysis for high value products and catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil.
• Blended Fuel Solutions NZ has a development programme under way targeting the blending of less refined biofuels with fossil fuels to give fit-for-purpose drop-in fuels for use in selected internal combustion engines.
• Nufuels (subsidiary of BFSNZ) has a programme addressing disposal of difficult wastes that consist of multi-layered products, which include biomass as one component. It is experimenting co-pyrolysis of some plastic products with biomass to improve fuel products.
• Cetogenix is developing a processing technology based on a combination of hydrothermal oxidation and fermentation.

The Netherlands:

• ABATO motoren: Development modified diesel engine for fast pyrolysis oil
• BTG: Fast pyrolysis, further development of technology, development of oil applications (energy, Advanced biofuels, chemicals & materials)
• BTG Bioliquids: Fast pyrolysis, implementation/commercialization of technology
• BTG-neXt: Upgrading fast pyrolysis oil, implementation & commercialization
• Empyro/Twence: Owner/operator of the Empyro fast pyrolysis plant
• Foreco: Wood modification using (fractions of) pyrolysis oil
• FrieslandCampina: Owner/operator pyrolysis oil steam boiler
• Goodfuels Marine: Upgrading pyrolysis oil to drop-in marine fuel
• OPRA Turbines: Use of fast pyrolysis oil in a modified turbine
• SkyNRG: Jetfuel/SAF from pyrolysis oil
• Technical University Delft: Gasification/reforming of fast pyrolysis oil ; Jetfuel/SAF from pyrolysis oil
• Technical University Eindhoven: Engine testing, combustion properties of crude & upgraded pyrolysis oil
• TechnipEnergies: Implementation of fast pyrolysis technology / FCC application
• TNO: Fast pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis, fractional condensation
• University of Groningen: Catalytic pyrolysis, hydrogenation, pyrolysis in molten salts, chemicals from pyrolytic lignin & pyrolytic sugars, co-fcc
• University Twente: Catalytic pyrolysis, turbine application; Electrochemical conversion of pyrolysis oil
• Utrecht University: Catalyst development FCC; LCA/LCC of pyrolysis oil chains