Review of Biomass Resources and Conversion Technologies for Alternative Jet Fuel Production in Hawai’i and Tropical Regions

Abstract

There is increasing interest in developing biobased alternative jet fuels to meet rising aviation demand and address environmental concerns. Uncertainty of oil prices, issues of energy security, and rising greenhouse gas concentrations have spurred the development and acceptance of alternative, economically viable, environmentally sustainable production pathways. The objectives of this study were to review alternative jet fuel feedstock candidates and relevant conversion data to provide a baseline of information to be accessed and built upon in developing production scenarios in Hawai’i and other tropical regions bounded by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. Seventeen plants that produce oil, fiber, and sugar feedstocks were identified, and information on cultural practices, yield ranges, invasiveness, and mechanization status was assembled. Available data on pretreatment requirements and conversion processes for the 17 feedstocks, including mass and energy balances, product and byproduct yield and quality, and scale requirements/unit sizes, were reviewed. This effort seeks to inform the development and design of alternative jet fuel production along regional supply chains in Hawai’i and other locations in the tropics.

Carbon flow through energycane agroecosystems established post‐intensive agriculture

“…Energycane is a high yielding bioenergy crop with potential for adoption as a biofuel feedstock in Hawaii (Morgan et al., 2019) that we found to also draw down substantial atmospheric C into stable mineral‐associated organic matter pools when in no‐till management. Crop canopies in ratoon systems typically develop earlier and faster than canopies of plant crop systems (Matsuoka, Kennedy, dos Santos, Tomazela, & Rubio, 2014; Matsuoka & Stolf, 2012), but the stalk portion left after each ratoon harvest results in a much greater number of buds to support future growth than the plant crop.…”

“…However, over the last 40 years, low market prices and high labor costs drove a sharp decline in production and subsequent increase in abandoned prime agricultural lands (Agricultural Land Use, 2015). Future integrated food, energy, and climate systems in Hawaii, as in many other tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, will require the restoration of degraded landscapes previously under intensive cultivation (Dallimer & Stringer, 2018; Morgan, Youkhana, Turn, Ogoshi, & Garcia‐Pérez, 2019). Therefore, it is important to understand and accurately project the potential climate benefits of tropical C 4 perennial grass agroecosystems cultivated on degraded lands.…”

“…High‐yielding tropical perennial grasses such as sugarcane, energycane and napiergrass use C 4 photosynthesis to produce large amounts of aboveground and root biomass (Morgan et al., 2019). Aboveground biomass typically correlates with roots (Bolinder, Angers, Bélanger, Michaud, & Laverdière, 2002).…”

Results of the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Round Robin on the Analysis of Heteroatoms in Biomass Liquefaction Oils

“…Solids in FPBO have been observed to flocculate, segregate and settle out of FPBO samples over time. 3,4 Depending on the concentration difference of the solids between sample F and I and the concentration of heteroatoms (S,N, and Cl) in those solids, this could be an explanation for the measured differences between samples F and I. Other than the suspended solids, samples F and I were visually similar by microscopic imaging.…”

Recent Catalytic Approaches for the Production of Cycloalkane Intermediates from Lignin‐Based Aromatic Compounds: A Review

“…Lignocelluloses and triglycerides are primary sources of bioenergy [1] . Utilization of bio‐based fuels and materials leads to decrease in environmental emissions and also helps in improving the indigenous economy [2,3] . Lignin obtained from biomass has less commercial applications to‐date; at present, globally various researchers are working on its value‐addition [4] .…”