Paper details

Title:

Decarbonising the Fertiliser Industry: The Potential Role of Biomass Gasification

Author(s):

Gilbert, P., Thornley, P.

Document(s):

Abstract:

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with fertiliser production are increasing as global food demand increases. This study uses life cycle assessment to assess the production of nitrogen (N)­fertiliser from biomass gasification, compared to natural gas steam reforming. Steam reforming is very energy intensive and fertiliser production accounts for approximately 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. To replace this, biomass feedstock is gasified to produce a H2 rich syngas, which is then combined with N2 to produce ammonia and finally N­fertiliser. The biomass systems are: 1) large­scale N­fertiliser production using entrained flow gasification and wood chip and 2) small­scale ammonia production using the fast internal circulating fluidised bed and SRC willow, for use within existing plants at a 15% ratio. Compared to conventional N­fertiliser production, the global warming potential decreases from 2.97 to 1.42kg CO2e/kg N for system 1, resulting in a greenhouse gas saving of 52%. The largest contributing factors are N2O emissions from nitric acid production and CO2 from electricity generation and biomass transportation. A complete switch from natural gas to biomass would require approximately 0.38Gt of oven dried biomass per annum to maintain the same current production rate, resulting in global emissions from fertiliser production reducing to 0.5%.

Keywords:

ammonia, biofertilisers, climate change, gasification, life cycle assessment (LCA)

Topic:

Technology Deployment and Industrial Demonstration

Subtopic:

Bio-processes and bio-based systems

Event:

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

OB12.1

Pages:

2227 - 2231

ISBN-13:

978-88-89407-55-4

ISBN-10:

88-89407-55-7

Paper DOI:

10.5071/19thEUBCE2011-OB12.1

Price:

FREE