IBUS System

A novel and cost-effective system has been developed for the sustainable co-production of biofuel and power. IBUS uses biological material with a high lignocellulose content to produce bioethanol, while generating a surplus of electricity.

In the future, IBUS will provide the main basis for refineries producing bioluels. The 'Co-production biofuels' project developed the system to produce bioethanol through the integrated conversion of conventional sugar and starch with straw or whole crop grain feedstocks. The by-products of this process comprise animal feed for cattle and fish and a solid biofuel low in alkali chlorides.

The project integrated the production of biofuel with a combined heat and power plant (CHP). This enabled the exploitation of large amounts of low-temperature thermal energy resulting from the production of electricity. It also allowed maximum generation of power from the solid biofuel by co-firing in the power plant's boiler. The benefits of the IBUS system are considerable, including the ability to produce bioethanol without the use of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide emissions are negative overall because the greenhouse gas is condensed following fermentation and the liquid CO2 used for enhanced oil recovery.

The process was fully sustainable. It returned plant nutrients to the soil through animal feed and produced bioethanol without generating waste water or volatile organic compounds such as dioxins.

IBUS also used household waste in a very efficient manner The recyclable material was first removed before the biodegradable fraction was converted to bioethanol.

In the framework of the IBUS project, TMO Renewables Ltd in the United Kingdom has discovered tiny organisms that could be the key to unlocking the full potential of bioethanol in Europe and beyond.

Biofuels may not be the panacea once thought, but if sustainable production methods can be achieved then petrol's days could be numbered. For instance, ethanol, a popular fuel traditionally produced from sugar cane and other food-related crops, can also be produced by fermenting lignocellulosic biomass sourced from wood residue and other waste products.

Unfortunately, until now, ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass has not been competitive in terms of costs. The ‘Co-production biofuels' consortium aimed to overcome this obstacle by optimising fermentation technology.

TMO sought to maximise rates of ethanol production and focused on the potential of high temperature ethanologenic micro-organisms. They discovered that lactate dehydrogenase deficient (LDH) strains, which are unable to generate lactate, performed best. Surprisingly, TMO found that the micro-orgamsms could be cultured for extended periods (up to six months) without requiring antibiotic intervention.

The LDH micro-organism was put to the test during the project, using wheat straw hydrolysate as a feedstock. The trial was successful for both batch and continuous modes of fermentation. The full results of the research are available from TMO.

Future work will focus on ethanologenesis from simple sugars, such as glucose and xylose. Thanks to TMO and its partners, the outlook for bioethanol looks brighter than ever.

(Source ResearchEU)

.