PNNL

Abstract

This chapter describes the use and potential use of biomass resources for chemical production as a means to displace petroleum use. Therefore, the scope of the discussion is limited to large scale, commodity chemical products that can have an impact on the energy market by displacing petroleum conversion to chemical products. This article does not address in detail specialty chemical products whose limited market would have minimal impact on energy markets; nor does it describe in detail the use of biomass for material products such as cellulosic fiber for paper or lignocellulosic material for construction materials. The use of biomass for production of a vast array of specialty chemicals based on unique biochemical structures is another part of the overall concept of a sustainable economy, but is outside the scope of this article. Chemical production from biomass is an energy issue in that biomass-derived chemicals can result in a significant impact on the petroleum requirement for petrochemicals used in modern society. Petroleum thus displaced is available for use in the energy market. Petroleum utilization for chemicals production is reported at 14% of the petroleum market in the United States. Displacement of a significant fraction of this chemical synthesis from petroleum can provide an important impact on the overall market. In 1998 the U.S. Department of Energy stated as its goal the production of at least 10% of the basic chemical building blocks from plant-derived renewables by the year 2020 (a five-fold increase) and 50% by 2050 (another five-fold increase). In the long run, utilization of renewable carbon sources for the chemical requirements of society is the only option as fossil sources become more scarce.