Evaluating synthesis gas based biomass to plastics (BTP) technologies

Report, 2005

Current efforts to mitigate climate change use renewable resources and reduce waste, drive the development of new processes. In this study we examine the technologies for conversion of biomass to conventional polymers such as polyolefins. Such process routes, based on gasification and syngas production, are potentially technically feasible, since all process units are currently either commercially available or in the pilot plant phase. In the study their economic and environmental feasibility are evaluated. We evaluate the environmental attractiveness of this emerging technology using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Economic evaluation is performed by combining and adapting existing financial data which could be further on being coupled with the LCA model. The expected out-comes of the study are the environmental and economic assessments as such, but also a contribution to the on-going efforts to integrate LCA with economic tools. We also expect to contribute to methodology development through the collection and documentation of experience from environmental assessments of new, emerging technologies. Keywords: methanol-to-olefins; synthesis gas; biomass gasification; life cycle assessment; biopolymer