Black Liquor Gasification Company Chemrec Forms US Subsidiary
11 February 2009
Chemrec, a Swedish company providing technology for black liquor gasification, has formed a US subsidiary, Chemrec USA. This wholly-owned subsidiary will enable Chemrec to do business in those states where biorefinery and booster projects are being developed.
Chemrec’s black liquor gasification (BLG) technology converts the black liquor waste stream from the paper pulping process into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas can then be processed into a variety of fuels—likely dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol (MeOH), although fuels such as Fischer-Tropsch diesel (FTD), Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), or hydrogen are also possible.
The global potential of this pathway is equivalent to more than 45 billion liters (12 billion gallons) a year of gasoline, according to Chemrec—some 2% of global fuel demand.
Chemrec’s corporate offices, development efforts and engineering will remain in Sweden.
It appears that with all this growth in the energy sector that the global economies are in pretty good shape. For paper makers this is a beneficial new revenue stream. Good work.
Posted by: sulleny | 11 February 2009 at 11:58 AM
Just love that Fischer Tropsch process.
The Naaaazis did do some things right.
Posted by: Mannstein | 11 February 2009 at 06:17 PM
We need to pursue ALL forms of energy that will reduce imported oil and/or reduce GHG.
Of course it's not that simple.
We need to be careful to put the most effort/money where it will do the most good.
Each partial solution must be effective, fast, cheap, politically correct (at least minimally so), etc.
This black wood liquor process seems promising. Every reasonable improvement helps.
For instance, in 1978 U.S. petroleum (not energy) consumption entered a period of rapid decline from 18.8 to 15.2 million b/d in 1983. Consumption did not return to the 1978 level until 1998.
The price spike and reduced consumption was induced by the Iranian revolution and the Iraq-Iran War combined with two back-to-back recessions. But the recessions spanned January to July, 1980 and July, 1981 to November, 1982. Yet consumption did not return to 18.9 mb/d until 16 more years (1998).
This was due primarily to fuel switching (non petroleum energy) and increased efficiency (less energy) assisted by a lingering weak economy.
http://www.energyeconomist.com/a6257783p/archives/ee090210ep.html
Posted by: ToppaTom | 12 February 2009 at 04:03 PM