The Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) is developing techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) tools to model biochemical and thermochemical pathways to enable the evaluation of intermediate streams and quantify the impact of feedback variability at unit-operation and system levels.
Life Cycle Assessment
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) developed the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) 2016 model to evaluate energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels. GREET allows researchers to analyze the fuel cycle from wells to wheels and the vehicle cycle through material recovery and vehicle disposal.
GREET provides the user with an easy-to-use and fully graphical toolbox to perform life cycle analysis simulations of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies. The interface allows faster development using graphical representation of each element in the model.
Learn more about ANL’s GREET Life Cycle Assessment tool.
Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics
The Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics (IBSAL) model is a dynamic, discrete-event framework developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for simulating biomass supply chains for a variety of feedstocks.
IBSAL simulations of harvest, in-field collection, transport, and storage operations are used to identify system bottlenecks, estimate costs, labor, and machinery requirements, and track quality changes through the supply chain. IBSAL simulations are effective, economical tools to evaluate system design and performance before system implementation to avoid costly trial-and-error solutions.
Learn more about ORNL’s Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics Model (PDF).
Steady-State Process Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biochemical Conversion to Fuels and Chemicals
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) biochemical conversion analysis program performs detailed TEA modeling of biochemical pathways across a variety of target products including ethanol, other alcohols, hydrocarbon fuels, and chemical products.
NREL’s TEA modeling currently considers both biological and catalytic integrated biochemical conversion pathways. Biological analysis is focused on fermentative upgrading of sugars and other components to fuel precursor intermediates and/or bioproducts. Catalytic analysis is focused on catalytic upgrading of sugars, sugar derivatives, or other soluble carbon species to hydrocarbon fuels or chemical coproducts.
Learn more about NREL’s Biochemical Conversion Techno-Economic Analysis.
Steady-State Process Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis of Uncatalyzed Fast Pyrolysis to Hydrocarbons
Through the FCIC, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and NREL provide steady-state process simulation and TEA of uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis to hydrocarbons and other related conversion technologies. These TEAs provide information related to the effects of feedstock variations (ash and moisture content, for example) that the lab researchers leverage for FCIC.
PNNL researchers have prepared TEA studies for various fuels and chemicals from biomass, coal, and natural gas using scales from bench to commercial sizes. NREL researchers have worked on the TEA of biomass catalytic fast pyrolysis processes for fuels and chemicals production.
Contact
For more information, contact the FCIC.
Other FCIC Research and Capabilities
Learn about all of FCIC’s research areas and capabilities/facilities.