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82 Biofuels for a More Sustainable Future

Paraffins Olefines
diesel gasoline

MTBE
Fischer-Tropsch Acetic acid
Mixture of
alcohols Formaldehyde Ag
Fe CH 3 OH + CO
Cu Co, Rh, Ni
Ru
Ag
ThO 2
Syngas Methanol Olefines
or Cu/ZnO Zeolites
i-C 4 CH 3 OH gasoline
CO + H 2
ZrO 2
H 2 O Co
WGS H 2 O Rh Al 2 MTO
WGS O 3 MTG
Ethanol
H 2 M100
Aldehydes DME M85
N 2 on Fe, FeO DMFC
NH 3 alcohols
Fig. 4.4 Possibilities and applications of syngas (CGEE, 2010).

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis enables the exploitation of biomass by conver-
ting syngas into carbonic chains, finally resulting in liquid and solid hydro-
carbons. Such process could represent an alternative to the use of crude oil,
as the manufactured products are similar to those produced by petrochemical
industries. Commercially consolidated production plants based on the
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process are already distributed worldwide, but
present high production costs. These would become more economically
feasible as oil prices rise. Additionally, the majority of these plants use
fossil-based raw materials such as coal and natural gas. This process can be
an opportunity for countries that do not have oil reserves, to manufacture
products for the petrochemical industry chain without depending on market
price fluctuations and demands (Vliet et al., 2009; Takeshita and Yamaji,
2008). However, depending on the location and the available energy util-
ities, it is interesting to carry out economic analyses and consider purpose-
grown biomass and transportation. Peat fuel—a biomass energy source—is
abundant in Northern Ontario, and in this case, the biomass procurement
cost would be much reduced as the resource is close to, or on-site
(Carvalho and Millar, 2012).
It is important to consider that the energy value of biomass differs accord-
ing to the type, and that the ash content is also different, which determine