South African Workshop Presentations

Presenter: 

Emile Van Zyl

University of Stellenbosch

Bioenergy, particularly biofuels, have played a pivotal role in Africa in the past and could help address the need for energy expansion in the future, especially when considering up to 80% of African countries rely on this traditional system to meet their energy needs and realizing Africa has the largest potential for bioenergy production in the world.  Lignocellulose is globally recognised as the preferred biomass for the production of a variety of fuels and chemicals that may result in the creation of a sustainable chemicals and fuels industry, with significant benefits in agricultural development, also avoiding the food versus fuel debate that is of particular importance in the African context.     

The Chair of Energy Research (CoER): Biofuels focuses on the technological interventions required to develop commercially-viable 2nd generation lignocellulose conversion technologies to biofuels in Southern Africa.  The CoER: Biofuels research programme undertakes to develop both biochemical and thermo-chemical technologies for complete conversion of plant biomass to biofuels.  These technologies will be discussed briefly, as well as innovative methods of process integration, in order to minimize the capital investment, maximize energy efficiency and improve overall economics.  Various scenarios regarding technical options for energy integration between lignocellulosic conversion processes and adjacent industrial processes (including existing bio-based industries) to achieve more attractive financial returns will be discussed. Finally the potential of lignocellulose conversion to bioenergy will be illustrated by showing how South Africa can provide a significant portion of its transportation fuels and energy demands through such integrated processes.

Bio-refineries in a Sustainable Future
Biorefining is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bioenergy (biofuels, power and/or heat). A biorefinery is thus a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to simultaneously produce bio-based products and bioenergy from biomass, - analogous to today's petroleum refinery, which produce multiple fuels and products from fossil fuels (crude oil, coal or natural gas).  By producing multiple products, a biorefinery takes advantage of the various components in biomass and their intermediates, therefore maximizing the value derived from the biomass feedstock. A biorefinery could, for example, produce one or several low-volume, but high-value, chemical or nutraceutical products and a low-value, but high-volume liquid transportation fuel such as biodiesel, bioethanol or synthetic biofuels (products from chemically or thermochemically modifying sugars). At the same time it can generating electricity and process heat, through combined heat and power (CHP) technology, for its own use and perhaps enough for sale of electricity to the local utility. The high-value products increase profitability, the high-volume fuel helps meeting energy needs, and the power production helps to lower energy costs and reduce GHG emissions from traditional power plant facilities.
Although some facilities exist that can be called rudimentary biorefineries, true biorefineries yet have to be fully realized. Future biorefineries may play a major role in producing chemicals and materials that are traditionally produced from fossil fuels.

Challenges of establish Bio-refineries

• Biorefineries tend to source majority of primary feedstocks from the region (local purchases)
• Biorefineries often face significant permitting processes
• Biorefineries typically more difficult to fund than single product manufacturing
• Biofuels and bioenergy still dependent upon public sector support
• Markets mean everything: Off-take and Input contracts are Key!
• Cost of Capital Increases with Complexity of Project
• Compete with low cost of fossil-based energy
• Technology issues (Limited long term pilot demonstrations, R&D needs to improve performance/efficiency, Lack of widely available engineering design firms, technical assistance, tech transfer, etc.)
• Lack of a level-playing field (compared to petroleum and coal-electricity)
• Poorly informed investors and consumers
• Lack of qualified workforce
• Feedstock availability and cost (seasonal, quality, consistency)
• Transportation costs

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Science and Technology Programme 
Grant Contract: FED/2009/217066