Mark your calendars for our next luncheon meeting of the Rocky Mountain States Section of the Air & Waste Management Association! Our guest speakers Gavin Heath and Yimin Zhang of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Technology Systems and Sustainability Analysis Group will discuss their research on air pollutant emissions from large-scale bioenergy feedstock production.
Time: 11:30 lunch (no cost); 11:50 welcome and introductions; noon presentation
Place: National Park Service, 7333 W. Jefferson, Lakewood, Conference Room 44
DIRECTIONS:
The meeting location is at Academy Place, 4th Floor conference room, which is one block south of Wadsworth and Hampden. Jefferson Street is the first light south of Hampden; go east; the office building is on the north side with a pond out front. Enter the building on the east side and go up the elevator to the 4th floor. Turn left and go about 50 feet to the conference room on the left.
Abstract
EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard program mandates the increased use of biofuels, of which little is known about air emissions. Garvin Heath and Yimin Zhang with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Technology Systems and Sustainability Analysis Group, in support of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technology Office (BETO), have been part of a multi-year project to perform analyses to estimate air emissions from the life cycle of biofuel production, including feedstock production, logistics, biorefineries, and fuel distribution.
The current focus of the project is to understand whether advanced biofuel design cases developed by DOE laboratories meet applicable federal air emission regulations and what compliance with air regulations portends for biofuel production cost and biorefinery performance. Although several hydrocarbon biofuel pathways are under development by BETO, the NREL group is focusing on two BETO-prioritized pathways: (1) the biological conversion of cellulosic sugars to hydrocarbons, and (2) the fast pyrolysis and hydrotreating bio-oil pathway. Two design cases were used to 1) estimate potential-to-emit of criteria air pollutants and hazardous air pollutants likely to be emitted from biorefineries; 2) identify federal air emission regulations potentially applicable to biorefineries; 3) evaluate whether the design cases meet applicable federal air regulations; and 4) investigate feasible emission control options. The next step will be evaluating impacts on biofuel cost (i.e., minimum fuel selling price) and biorefinery performance of incorporating emission controls into the design cases to meet regulatory requirements.
If you would like to attend, please rsvp to [email protected] by COB, Friday, July 24th. If you have questions, you may call Theresa Pella at 512-585-1511.