WP1: Optimisation of oil crops agronomy and oil yield and utilisation of by products

1. FORTH/ICE-HT WP1: Optimisation of oil crops agronomy and oil yield and utilisation of by products Leading partner: FORTH 24 April 2009, Foggia, Italy

2. Optimisation of oil crops agronomy and oil yield and utilisation of by products • Objectives • how to increase the yield of appropriate crops and the added value of the by products • what novel technologies have been developed to harvest/pre-treat/fractionate oil-rich crops • what products can be derived from harvesting byproducts and biorefinery schemes • input to WP4 and WP5-6 • Partners: CETIOM, FERA, CJ Co , UYork, FORTH, DTU, INPT, Biorefinery.de

3. Tasks • Task1: how to improve yields of vegetable oil and total biomass (FERA and CETIOM) • Task2: Cost and impact of harvesting (CETIOM) • Task3: What is the pelletisation impact on the cost and processing (CJ & Co ) • Task 4: Extraction of high value chemicals (UYork) • Task 5: Biomethane from oil-rich crops straws (FORTH) • Task 6: Ethanol and biogas production (DTU) • Task 7: Biomaterials production (INPT) • Task 8: Levulinic acid production (Biorefinery.de)

4. Speakers • F. Flénet, A. Quinsac– CETIOM: “Identification of most promising strategies to increase oil and biomass yield of sunflower in European Union” • David Turley, Ruth Laybourn - FERA: “Improving the production and yield of oilseed rape” • Ray Marriott – Green Chemistry (Centre of Excellence), UYork: “Extraction of High Value Chemicals” • K. Stamatelatou, G. Antonopoulou, G. Lyberatos –FORTH “Anaerobic digestion of residues from oil-rich crops” • J. Woodley – DTU: “Methods of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation of lignocellulosic fraction for ethanol production and subsequent biological treatment of the remaining biomass for methane production” • A. Rouilly, C. Vaca-Garcia - INPT : “Biomaterials production” • B. Kamm - Biorefinery.de : “Levulinic acid production”

5. Identification of most promising strategies to increase oil and biomass yield of sunflower in European Union F. Flénet, A. Quinsac 24 April 2009, Foggia

6. Introduction • Sunflower is the second most important oilseed crop in UE, but the area has decreased • Sunflower is mainly cultivated in Southern Europe : Romania (900 000 ha in 2007), Spain (613 000 ha), Bulgaria (540 000 ha), France (537 000 ha), Hungary (470 000 ha) and Italy (130 000 ha) • The strategies to increase seed yield were investigated : • To increase the seed yield potential • To decrease the effect of water stress, diseases and other limiting factors • Little information was available about oil content, and very little information about biomass yield • In this presentation, the main strategies are discussed

7. Strategy 1 : to increase the potential seed yield (1) • Potential seed yield increased by 40 % from 1970 to 2000, due to : • An increase in harvest index • A greater efficiency to intercept solar radiation per unit of leaf area • No obvious increase in seed oil content was observed (Results from Debaeke et al., 2004)

8. Strategy 1 : to increase the potential seed yield (2) • Further improvements in seed yield potential are possible • The main physiological processes explaining seed yield potential are, in order of importance : 1st biomass allocation and light interception through the canopy architecture; 3rd phenology • No cultivars optimize all the physiological processes, hence improvement are still possible • Quantitative genetic methods such as QTL can be used to evaluate the variability of these physiological processes, and to increase the efficiency of breeding programs

9. Strategy 2 : to decrease the effect of water stress (1) • Water stress is a major limiting factor • Under water stress, sunflower is able to produce greater seed yields than most other crops • However, plant available water is the most limiting factor of dryland agriculture in semiarid regions • Sunflower is mainly cultivated without irrigation (96 % of the area in France…), or with a limited amount of irrigated water

10. Strategy 2 : to decrease the effect of water stress (2) • Strategies to decrease the effect of water stress • To increase the drought tolerance of varieties Crop models can be useful to test varieties and to identify the best physiological characteristics • To better adapt crop management to water availability To optimize the choice of variety, date of sowing, planting density and N fertilizer, depending on climate and soil water holding capacity • To increase the irrigation of sunflower If less water is available for agriculture, this crop with a low water requirement could replace current irrigated crops • To convince farmers to follow recommendations, because better cultural practices would improve yields For instance, in South-West of France there is a tendency to reduce the cost of inputs, resulting in plant population densities below the recommendations in half of the area…

11. Strategy 3 : to decrease the effect of diseases (1) • Some diseases are major liming factors

12. Strategy 3 : to decrease the effect of diseases (2) • Strategies to decrease the effect of diseases

13. Strategy 4 : to decrease the effect of other factors • The main other limiting factors • Some weeds are not controlled by pre-plant or pre-emergence herbicides The recent introduction of herbicide-tolerant sunflowers (CLEARFIELD and EXPRESS) make possible a post-emergent weed control option • Insect damages are mainly a problem in eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania) The use of chemical insecticides is a primary tool, but alternative pest management strategies are possible (rotating crops, altering planting dates, increasing natural ennemies, sex pheromones…) • Slugs, birds and game animals : in France, the yield loss (0.3 to 0.4 t/ha in some areas) is greater than that attributed to insects The strategy should focus on seed treatments and sowing practices to obtain a better seedling emergence, while a better understanding of the biology of animals would be helpful

14. Conclusion • A global strategy is needed to increase seed yield • The best combination of decisions must be taken in order to obtain high yields, at low costs and with little impact on environment : Decisions to be taken are : the distribution of crops in the landscape, machinery movements along the growing areas, crop rotation, the choice of variety, cultural practices and chemical applications The risks of drought, diseases and other limiting factors must be taken into account • Studied are needed to design and to test these combinations of decisions, but the conformation of farmers to adopt the recommended practices is also a challenge • Breeding will help to obtain better results (increased yield, lower costs and lower impacts on environment) Breeding should focus on seed yield potential, but also on drought tolerance, and on resistance to diseases and insects

15. Improving the production and yield of oilseed rape David Turley, Ruth Laybourn 24 April 2009, Foggia, Italy

16. Oilseed rape • EU largest producer (18m tonnes) • 70% of all oilseeds • Ave EU yield 3-3.3 t/ha China & Canada = 1.8 t/ha India = 0.8 t/ha

17. Increasing Production • 1) Increase area of land cropped • 2) Increase yield of OSR/ha

18. EU average yields 0.8 m tonnes

19. EU OSR average yield improvement

20. Potential yield • Realistic potential = 6.5 t/ha • (Berry & Spink 2006) • 9.2 t/ha where water not restricting • Doubling yield in countries currently above EU average = extra 12.4 m tonnes

21. Way forward • Address Sulphur deficiency • Maintaining rotational gaps (> 1 in 3) • Develop improved cultivars

22. Way forward • Increase seed number by optimising resource capture • Bring flowering forward • Reduce light interception by flowering canopy • Increase leaf area (photosynthetic area)

23. Way forward • Field yields of up to 5t/ha have been achieved – 6.5 t/ha is not unrealistic ! • Increase in yield is not at the expense of oil content

24. Extraction of High Value Chemicals Ray Marriott 24th April 2009, Foggia, Italy

25. Extraction Strategy • Capture high value molecules before conversion of biomass to biofuel • Use benign technologies where possible • Use by-products of biofuel production to provide resources • Add value to biorefinery and provide renewable and economic source of valuable molecules

26. Extraction Strategy Fermentation CO2 Densification Extraction Digestion Functional extracts

27. Integrated Corn Processing Reproduced from WO2008/020865

28. Extraction Economic Factors • Overall extract yield (kg/kg raw material) • Typically 1-3% for straw/husk/leaf • Extraction column loading (bulk density kg/m3) • 650kg/m3 should be achievable by pelleting • Extraction time (kg CO2/kg raw material) • Typical extraction time 2-3 hours • Rapid load/unload mechanisms essential • Plant capacity

29. Effect of Bulk Density

30. Effect of Plant Scale Brunner,G., Supercritical fluids: technology and application to food processing. Journal of Food Engineering, 2005, 67, 21–33 Typical breakdown of operating costs for CO2 extraction

31. Potential Products

32. Summary • Utilizes proven technologies • Selective extraction of valuable chemicals is possible but yields will be low • Densification of raw material is essential • Economy of scale demonstrated with other raw materials • Continuous extraction would provide a quantum shift in costs

33. FORTH/ICE-HT Anaerobic digestion of residues from oil-rich crops K. Stamatelatou, G. Antonopoulou and G. Lyberatos 24 April 2009, Foggia, Italy

34. FORTH/ICE-HT Anaerobic digestion • … is the breakdown of the organic matter by micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen. methanogenesis acidogenesis acetogenesis hydrolysis acetic acid volatile fatty acids alcohols CH4 CO2 biowaste monomers H2 CO2

35. FORTH/ICE-HT AD of Solid Waste

36. FORTH/ICE-HT Biogas utilization Biogas Desulphurisation Desulphurisation Gas treatment Gas treatment Reforming Compression Boiler CHP Fuel Cell Pressure Tank Heat Electricity Heat Electricity Heat Fuel

37. FORTH/ICE-HT Anaerobic digesters • dry (>15% dw) – wet (<15% dw) • mesophilic (35 C) – thermophilic (55 C) • batches – continuous • One stage – two stages

38. FORTH/ICE-HT AD of energy crops

39. FORTH/ICE-HT AD of energy crops Nüstedt, Germany Dranco –farm continuous, thermophilic Biogas Use DRANCO-FARM 3 CHP (250 kW each) Intensive fermentation post fermentation Active digestate (6 parts) Feedstock (1 part) <10 mm Mixer pump Inactive digestate Digestate storage pump

40. FORTH/ICE-HT Residues - Characteristics

41. FORTH/ICE-HT BMP tests Biogas measurement Methane content • No pretreatment • Thermal pretreatment (1 h) • Acid (H2SO4, 2% w/v) addition with or without thermal treatment • Alkali (NaOH, 2% w/v) addition with or without thermal treatment

42. FORTH/ICE-HT Performance of AD on residues

43. FORTH/ICE-HT Cost evaluation • 1 m3 biogas yields: • 5-7.5 kWh (total) energy • 1.5-3 kWh (electrical) energy • Investment: 2,000-5,000 €/kWel • Operating: 2-4.5 € ct/kWhel • Maintenance CHP (10-40; 32)% • Maintenance and repair of biogas unit (10-15; 15) % • Labour costs (14-40; 30)% • Insurance 8% • Other utilities (10-15; 15)%

44. FORTH/ICE-HT Profit evaluation • Electricity production value • 14.5 € ct/kWhel (Austrial tariff for CHP up to 500kWel) • Thermal energy value • 4 € ct/kWhheat • Fertilizer value

45. FORTH/ICE-HT Cost benefit analysis (on annual basis)

46. Methods of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation of the lignocellulosic fraction for ethanol production and subsequent biological treatment of the remaining biomass for methane production. by Merlin Alvarado Morales (DTU)

47. Pretreatment Methods (I) • The selection of a pretreatment technology heavily influences cost and performance in subsequent hydrolysis and fermentation. • The ideal pretreatment process must meet the following requirements: • (1) improve the formation of sugars or the ability to subsequently form sugars by hydrolysis, • (2) avoid the degradation or loss of carbohydrates, • (3) avoid the formation of byproducts that are inhibitory to the subsequent hydrolysis and fermentation processes, and • (4) be cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

48. Pretreatment Methods (II) • Of the promising pretreatment technologies, dilute acid is the most developing. • Xylose yields are 75-90 % which is much higher than when using steam explosion (45-65%). • Dilute acid pretreatment also produces fewer fermentation inhibitors, and significantly increases the later cellulose hydrolysis. • However, acid consumption is an expensive part of the method, the method produces a gypsum waste disposal problem and it requires the use of expensive corrosion materials.

49. Pretreatment Methods (III) • One of the promising pretreatment technologies is the LHW. • However, the LHW process is still at the earliest laboratory stage and could come commercially available within 10 years, with yields projected around 88-98%, higher than for dilute acid or steam explosion. • But the associated costs are uncertain (e.g. costs of the considerable water recycling)

50. Pretreatment Methods (IV) • Greater fundamental understanding of the chemical and physical mechanisms that occur during the pretreatment, along with an improved understanding of the relationship between the chemical composition and physicochemical structure of lignocellulosics and the enzymatic digestibility of cellulose and hemicellulose are required for the generation of effective pretreatment models. • Predictive pretreatment models will enable the selection, design, optimization, and process control for pretreatment technologies that match the biomass feedstock composition with the appropriate method and process configuration.