DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Biorefineries and Biomass:

Options for the Chemical Industry

Dr. Ricardo Gent

German Association of Biotechnology Industries
within the German Chemical Industry Association
Frankfurt am Main, Germany

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

DIB Profile
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Structure:

The German Association of Biotechnology Industries (DIB) is the

biotechnology division of the Association of the German Chemical
Industry (VCI), the VCI sector groups and the VCI sector associations.

Sectors:

DIB represents the biotechnology sector operating in Germany (Health

Care, Industrial Biotechnology, Agri-Food, Environment).

DIBs members constitute all in all over 95 % of the market of biotech-related

products in Germany.

Mission:

advocate science and risk-based national, EU and international policies

and legislation that rewards the introduction of new technologies and
practices

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Raw Materials Chemical Industry - Present Use in

Europe
8 to 10% of feedstock for the organic
chemistry production is biobased:

74,1 Mio t/p.a. fossile raw materials

At least 6,4 Mio. t renewable raw materials p.a.

Renewable raw materials used

if cheaper than fossile raw materials

If they offer technical advantages compared with fossile raw materials

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Source of Biomass for the German Chemical

Industry (2003)
About 17.5 Mio. t oil and gas
About 2.3 Mio. t renewable raw materials

About 2/3 renewable raw materials are being imported.

About 1/3 are grown in Germany.
More than 10% of the total raw material consumption is
processed in the organic chemistry production.
Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Biomass: Alternative feedstock for chemical

industry Why?

Economical reasons:

Economical advantages:

Political reasons:

Security of supply:
fossile feedstock limited,

cheaper raw materials

biomass seems unlimited

Technical advantages:

Climate change:

more simple processing,

biomass considered as

better products

CO2-neutral

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Biomass as alternative feedstock for the chemical industry Economical reasons: cheaper raw materials
Production costs of ethanol from different sources
Ethanol EU (sugar beet)
Ethanol EU (wheat)
Ethanol USA (corn)
Ethanol Thai Tapioca
Ethanol Brazil (Cane)
Gasoline (from Rotterdam)
Gasoline (NY harbour)
[US Cent/l]

10

20

30

40

50

Source: Christoph Berg, F.O.Lichts Sugar & Ethanol Brazil 2005

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Biomass as alternative feedstock for the chemical industry Economical reasons: cheaper raw materials

Price development:
5 year chart of crude oil, soja and wheat
[USD/barrell, USD/t]

soja

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

oil

wheat

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Biomass as alternative feedstock for the chemical industry Economical reasons: cheaper raw materials

Study: Raw materials cost are the most

significant cost part of production using
renewable raw materials.
Prices of some major agricultural commodities, which could
also be used as feedstock for chemical industry, follow fossile
fuel prices.
In the future there could be a price for Carbon and no
longer for the carbon source.
Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Technical Concepts for the Use of

Renewable Raw Materials in
the Chemical Industry

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Raw materials change in the chemical industry:

Three Generations of use of biomass
Yesterday
Use of naturally synthesized molecules as they are.
Main part of today use further potential: low
Today
Use of biomolecules in biotechnological processes.
Today very high dynamics potential: big
Tomorrow
Use of biomass in biorefineries to produce basic.
chemicals
Today: basic research potential: very big
Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

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DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Steps to 3rd generation: Knowledge-based BioEconomy

Life Science Know-how sustainable, eco-efficient and competitive

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

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DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Steps to 3rd generation: The Industrial Biotechnology

Production Chain
Food and Feed
Textile / Leather
Biomaterials,
etc.

Pulp and Paper

Detergents

Production and
preparation of
biofeed stocks
(vegetable oils,
sugars, etc.)

Cosmetics

Chemicals
(enzymes,
vitamins, acids,
antibiotics,
steroids, etc.)

Bioplastics

Consumer

Biosensors
Health Care

Biofuels (bioenthanol,
biodiesel)

Bioremediation
Energy
Others

Source: Enzing and Kern (2004)

Specialised and supportive products and services (consultancy,

instruments, software, recruitment, etc.)
Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

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DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Hurdles in the use of biomass in the chemical industry

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

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DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG BIOTECHNOLOGIE

Thank you.

Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie

Dr. Ricardo Gent

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