Abstract: A process is provided for forming a fuel or a fuel intermediate from two fermentations that includes feeding an aqueous solution comprising a fermentation product from a first bioreactor to a second bioreactor and/or a stage upstream of the second bioreactor, which also produces the fermentation product. The aqueous solution may be added at any stage of the second fermentation and/or processing steps upstream from the second bioreactor that would otherwise require the addition of water. Accordingly, the product yield is increased while fresh/treated water usage is decreased.

Abstract: A method for providing a fuel includes providing biogas from a plurality of biogas sources, the biogas from each biogas source produced in a process comprising filling a vessel with raw biogas or partially purified biogas to a pressure of at least 1500 psig and transporting the filled vessel to a centralized processing facility by vehicle. A fuel is produced in a fuel production process that includes feeding the biogas transported to the centralized processing facility to a biogas upgrading system that is configured to provide a carbon dioxide removed from the biogas. The removed carbon dioxide is provided for transport by vehicle and/or pipeline and/or sequestered to offset greenhouse gas emissions attributed to compressing the biogas for transport.

Abstract: Provided herein is a process for producing a fermentation product from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process comprises soaking a lignocellulosic feedstock in an aqueous solution to produce a soaked feedstock. The soaked feedstock is at least partially dewatered and the at least partially dewatered feedstock is subjected to pretreating. The pretreatment chemical is sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid or a combination thereof and can be added to the process at any stage prior to and/or during pretreatment. The pretreated feedstock composition is fed to an enzymatic hydrolysis conducted at a temperature that is higher than 58° C. The cellulose in the pretreated feedstock composition is hydrolyzed with cellulase enzymes in the presence of the dissolved solids to produce glucose. The glucose is fermented to produce the fermentation product.

Abstract: A process for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass includes adding at least one of sulfur dioxide and sulfurous acid to the lignocellulosic biomass to provide an equivalent sulfur dioxide loading of at least 10 wt % sulfur dioxide to dry lignocellulosic biomass. The acidified lignocellulosic biomass is pretreated at a temperature above about 185° C. and for a pretreatment time less than about 10 minutes, to provide a pretreated biomass composition wherein the biomass is readily hydrolyzed by enzymes. Advantageously, sulfur dioxide from at least one of the flash stream and a stream derived from the flash is recovered and recycled back into the process.

Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen or alternatively, the renewable hydrogen can be added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate the hydrocarbons. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.

Abstract: A process for forming a fuel or a fuel intermediate using three fermentations includes treating a feedstock to obtain a fermentable carbohydrate, conducting a first fermentation to ferment the fermentable carbohydrate to fermentation product, obtaining biogas produced from a second fermentation that includes anaerobic digestion, and conducting a third fermentation to ferment a gas to produce fermentation product, where the gas contains one or more components obtained or derived from the biogas. An aqueous stream containing fermentation product produced in the third fermentation is used within the process.

Abstract: A process for converting lignocellulosic biomass to glucose or ethanol includes subjecting the lignocellulosic biomass to a lignosulfonic acid pretreatment, wherein the lignosulfonic acid has a concentration of sulfonate groups in acid form that is greater than 0.02 mol/L and a total amount of sulfur dioxide is greater than 15 wt % based on dry weight of lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A process for converting lignocellulosic biomass to glucose or ethanol includes subjecting the lignocellulosic biomass to a SO2 pretreatment within the temperature range 110° C.-150° C. Good glucose yields have been achieved when the SO2 pretreatment is conducted for more than 90 minutes and when the total amount of SO2 available is greater than 20 wt % based on dry weight of lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A process for producing a fuel from lignocellulosic biomass is disclosed. The process includes obtaining a feedstock comprising lignocellulosic biomass, feeding the feedstock and sulfur dioxide into a pretreatment reactor, wherein a total amount of sulfur dioxide in the pretreatment reactor is greater than 70 wt % based on dry weight lignocellulosic biomass, and heating the feedstock and sulfur dioxide in the pretreatment reactor at one or more temperatures between 110° C. and 150° C. for more than 60 minutes.

Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen or alternatively, the renewable hydrogen can be added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate the hydrocarbons. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.

Abstract: A process for producing alcohol from lignocellulosic biomass includes adding at least one of sulfur dioxide and sulfurous acid to the lignocellulosic biomass to provide an effective sulfur dioxide dosage and/or effective sulfur dioxide slurry concentration, each of which is calculated using the ratio of the volume of the slurry in the pretreatment reactor to the total volume of the pretreatment reactor, within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A process for hydrolyzing lignocellulosic biomass includes feeding lignocellulosic biomass into a pretreatment reactor, wherein the pretreatment reactor has a headspace charged with sulfur dioxide previously used in the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. In addition, acid comprising sulfur dioxide and/or sulfurous acid is fed into the pretreatment reactor (e.g., with the lignocellulosic biomass, separate from the lignocellulosic biomass, or a combination thereof) and the lignocellulosic biomass is heated. As the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass is discharged from the pretreatment reactor, at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide used in the pretreatment is retained in the headspace.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for forming a biogenic carbon-based fuel or a fuel intermediate from biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The hydrogen is sourced from a process that produces hydrogen and fossil carbon dioxide from a fossil-fuel hydrocarbon and separates the fossil carbon dioxide from the hydrogen. The process may further comprise carrying out or arranging for one or more parties to carry out at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the GHG emissions of the biogenic carbon-based fuel, or a fuel made from the fuel intermediate, of at least 20% relative to a gasoline baseline. In various embodiments this includes (a) introducing the fossil carbon dioxide underground, and/or (b) using a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical and energy product produced from the non-fossil organic material to displace the use or production of a corresponding fossil-based product.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for forming a biogenic carbon-based fuel or a fuel intermediate from biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The hydrogen is sourced from a process that produces hydrogen and fossil carbon dioxide from a fossil-fuel hydrocarbon and separates the fossil carbon dioxide from the hydrogen. The process may further comprise carrying out or arranging for one or more parties to carry out at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the GHG emissions of the biogenic carbon-based fuel, or a fuel made from the fuel intermediate, of at least 20% relative to a gasoline baseline. In various embodiments this includes (a) introducing the fossil carbon dioxide underground, and/or (b) using a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical and energy product produced from the non-fossil organic material to displace the use or production of a corresponding fossil-based product.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for forming a biogenic carbon-based fuel or a fuel intermediate from biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen. At least a portion of the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen is subjected to a reverse water gas shift reaction that produces at least carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide so produced, the biogenic carbon dioxide and the hydrogen are introduced, together or separately, to a biologic or chemical conversion process to produce the fuel or fuel intermediate.

Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen or alternatively, the renewable hydrogen can be added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate the hydrocarbons. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.

Abstract: Provided herein is a process for producing one or more products from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process comprises treating the lignocellulosic feedstock by contacting the feedstock at least sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid, or a combination thereof to produce a pretreated feedstock comprising one or more sulfonic acids. A process stream comprising one or more sulfonic acids is subsequently treated in a wet oxidation step to produce a stream comprising at least soluble oxidized phenolic compounds. The soluble oxidized phenolic compounds are then fed to an anaerobic digestion to produce methane. Optionally, hydrogen sulfide is produced during the anaerobic digestion. The hydrogen sulfide may then be converted to an acid selected from sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid or a combination thereof in one or more steps. The acid may then be re-used in treatment as desired.

Abstract: A process for producing a transportation fuel from a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising subjecting a stream comprising lignin to a wet oxidation that produces low molecular weight carboxylic acids. These carboxylic acids and/or the corresponding esters are fed to a hydrogenation reaction or gas fermentation wherein they are converted to an alcohol. Heat from the wet oxidation may be supplied to any stage of the process in which heat is introduced.

Abstract: A method for providing upgraded biogas includes feeding a stream of biogas into a biogas upgrading system in order to remove carbon dioxide from the stream of biogas. The biogas upgrading system, which may be based on absorption, adsorption, membrane permeation, and/or cryogenics, provides a stream of upgraded biogas and a tail gas stream. The tail gas stream, which may be CO2-rich, is enriched with natural gas so that it is combustible in medium-BTU equipment. The upgraded biogas is used for transportation use and/or the generation of fuel credits. Accordingly, both the tail gas and the upgraded biogas are used effectively and at lower cost.

Abstract: A process for producing one or more products from a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising treating the lignocellulosic feedstock to produce sugar in one or more stages comprising addition of acid, base or a combination thereof and introduction of heat. The addition of the acid, base, or a combination thereof produces a salt. The sugar is fermented to produce a fermentation product and the fermentation product is recovered. A stream comprising the salt is treated by wet oxidation with the introduction of heat. A stream comprising salt resulting from the wet oxidation is provided for use as a salt product or a process chemical for introduction within the process. Heat from the wet oxidation may be supplied to any stage of the process in which heat is introduced.