Green H₂ for Sustainable Biomass Conversion
CIRCULAIR investigates the coupling of advanced biomass conversion via HTL with green H₂ generation from renewable electricity via water electrolysis. Thereby, nearly-complete biomass utilisation is enabled and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.
CIRCULAIR envisages methanol production from green H₂ and CO₂ streams resulting from HTL conversion and wet oxidation. Thereby, O₂ from water electrolysis may be employed for the wet oxidation step. Methanol can be used as a marine fuel, commodity chemical, or for additional jet fuel synthesis via methanol-to-jet processes.
The research and development effort is focussed on the recovery and purification of CO₂ streams from the CIRCULAIR process, as water electrolysis and methanol synthesis have already reached a high level of technological maturity.
Furthermore, green H₂ can reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from conventional H₂ generation for HTL biocrude upgrading.