Renewable Syngas Methanation
Pilot-scale testing of a gasification process designed to convert forest-biomass to clean renewable gas
Taylor Energy
Recipient
Riverside, CA
Recipient Location
31st
Senate District
60th
Assembly District
$1,799,551
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
The project team is in the process of testing its pulse-detonation burner prototypes, which are the critical components to successfully convert the biomass feedstock into hydrogen-rich syngas. In addition, the project team is testing the direct injection of liquid-propane and liquid water, with the objective of selecting an optimum mixing-head for oxygen-propane-water systems.
The Issue
Currently, 90-percent of the natural gas consumed in California is imported via pipeline from out-of-state. A large portion of readily available forest biomass could be economically converted into energy in the form of ultra-clean pipeline-quality renewable natural gas (RNG) via thermo-chemical gasification. The process of syngas methanation is well known and is efficient, but the cost of renewable gas is higher than fossil fuel derived natural gas (NG). In order to generate renewable pipeline-quality natural gas from California's abundant forest residues, technology breakthroughs are needed that enable techno-economic advancements.
Project Innovation
Taylor Energy is developing entrained-flow gasification technology for community-scale fuels and biopower generation, using pulse-detonation-burners to intensify the gasification process. The project advances the pilot-scale development of autothermal-gasification with reforming of bio-tar-vapors to form crude syngas, followed by a sour-gas shift and cryogenic deep-cleaning, then methanation to make pipeline-quality renewable gas. Forest biomass will be converted into syngas at 5-ton/day scale.
Project Benefits
The project team is developing gasification technology for community-scale fuels and biopower generation that can utilize available forest biomass, helping reduce out-of-state fossil natural gas use and cut greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector.
Economic Development
The project will contribute to fuel cost savings for ratepayers as well as economic development in rural areas. High market penetration of the technology could potentially convert about 13 million BDT/yr of forest residues to useful energy amounting to at least $206 million/year in ratepayers benefits.
Environmental Sustainability
The project will process 5 ton/day of forest residues, specifically dead trees, that will reduce fire risk through the sustainable utilization of forest biomass while producing high quality renewable gas that will offset greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 69.9 kg CO2eq/mmBtu of fuel compared to fossil based sources.
Reliability
The project is demonstrating the production of high quality renewable gas suitable for injection into natural gas pipelines, increasing supplies of renewable natural gas.
Key Project Members
Donald Taylor
Subrecipients
The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Riverside campus
Tech Fab
Tower Industrial
Match Partners
Taylor Energy
Tech Fab
Tower Industrial
