Development of a new lignocellulosic sugar production technology (Cellulose-To-Sugar) as a pathway for producing novel liquid low-carbon bioethanol

C56-10c-272355 The transportation sector has historically relied heavily on petroleum, supporting over 90 percent of the sector’s energy needs. This sector has surpassed electricity generation to become the largest source of CO2 emissions in the United States. Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels is one of the primary ways to decarbonize the transportation sector and decrease global dependence on fossil fuels. At present, ethanol is one of the main biofuels produced worldwide. Ethanol is produced from the fermentation of sugars, primarily from corn starch. It can also be made from cellulosic feedstocks, such as crop residues and wood. The most significant potential for bioethanol production lies in using cellulosic feedstocks, a readily available, natural, abundant, and cheap resource. However, the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol is still in its infancy. It is hampered by the high cost of research and production and will require tremendous efforts to make its production more widespread and profitable. Blue Biofuels has developed and patented a new lignocellulosic sugar production technology (Cellulose- To-Sugar, CTS) as a pathway for producing novel liquid low-carbon bioethanol. CTS technology can transform virtually any plant material into bioethanol, which can be further converted into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The CTS process produces 100% renewable and sustainable energy. CTS uses an inexpensive and recyclable catalyst that releases no toxic chemicals into the atmosphere or water supply. The process is carbon friendly as all carbon dioxide released during biofuel use is absorbed into plant material during growth. Blue Biofuels has demonstrated the ability to convert material in feedstocks such as king grass and sugarcane bagasse into soluble sugars. Our current custom-built, small-scale reactor system operates in a semi-continuous batch mode for the cellulose-to-sugar reaction and has a production capacity of 500 g sugars/hr. The proposed SBIR Phase I project will redesign, develop, and establish the technical feasibility of a new continuous reactor with an improved cellulose-to-sugar conversion rate. Further, we will investigate ways to recycle our non-toxic catalyst, a critical part of establishing the commercial feasibility of our novel reactor. The new reactor and the upstream and downstream process build-out will allow us to prove this reaction and process at a relevant scale in an easily further scalable system. Reducing the dependence on fossil fuels in transportation will have a substantial impact on the environment, with reduced GHG emissions from biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower; in energy security, with increased domestic production of fuels and renewable chemicals; and economic benefits through the development of biorefinery conversion facilities and markets for rural crops, residues, and wastes. Bioproducts offer substantial economic opportunities and could enable the development of the nascent advanced biofuel industry.