Technoeconomic analysis of renewable aviation fuels has not been widely considered, despite the increasing global attention that the field has received. We present three process models for production of aviation‐fuel from microalgae, Pongamia pinnata seeds and sugarcane molasses. The models and assumptions have been deposited on a wiki (http://qsafi.aibn.uq.edu.au) and are open and accessible to the community. Based on currently available long‐term reputable technological data, this analysis indicates that the biorefineries processing the microalgae, Pongamia seeds, and sugarcane feedstocks would be competitive with crude oil at $1343, $374, and $301/bbl, respectively. Sensitivity analyses of the major economic drivers suggest technological and market developments that would bring the corresponding figures down to $385, $255, and $168/bbl. The dynamic nature of the freely accessible models will allow the community to track progress toward economic competitiveness of aviation fuels from these renewable feedstocks. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

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Integrated carbon-to-liquids technology (ICTL) incorporates three basic processes for the conversion of a wide range of feedstocks to distillate liquid fuels: (1) Direct Microcatalytic Coal Liquefaction (MCL) is coupled with biomass liquefaction via (2) Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation and Isomerization (CHI) of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or trigylceride fatty acids (TGFA) to produce liquid fuels, with process derived (3) CO2 Capture and Utilization (CCU) via algae production and use in BioFertilizer for added terrestrial sequestration of CO2, or as a feedstock for MCL and/or CHI. This novel approach enables synthetic fuels production while simultaneously meeting EISA 2007 Section 526 targets, minimizing land use and water consumption, and providing cost competitive fuels at current day petroleum prices. ICTL was demonstrated with Montana Crow sub-bituminous coal in MCL pilot scale operations at the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota (EERC), with related pilot scale CHI studies conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center (PARC). Coal-Biomass to Liquid (CBTL) Fuel samples were evaluated at the US Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) in Dayton and greenhouse tests of algae based BioFertilizer conducted at Montana State University (MSU).Econometric modeling studies were also conducted on the use of algae based BioFertilizer in a wheat-camelina crop rotation cycle. We find that the combined operation is not only able to help boost crop yields, but also to provide added crop yields and associated profits from TGFA (from crop production) for use an ICTL plant feedstock.This program demonstrated the overall viability of ICTL in pilot scale operations. Related work on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a Montana project indicated that CCU could be employed very effectively to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the MCL/CHI process.Plans are currently being made to conduct larger-scale process demonstration studies of the CHI process in combination with CCU to generate synthetic jet and diesel fuels from algae and algae fertilized crops. Site assessment and project prefeasibility studies are planned with a major EPC firm to determine the overall viability of ICTL technology commercialization with Crow coal resources in south central Montana. 4 REPORT DETAILS I. Executive SummaryICTL is an efficient integrated process based upon Direct Coal Liquefaction (DCL)/Biomass Conversion via Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation and Isomerization (CHI) to diesel and jet technology, coupled with Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) via conversion of process-derived CO 2 /waste water to produce algae-based BioFertilizer for terrestrial CO 2 sequestration and bio-oil as a feedstock for added fuels or chemicals production. . Pilot scale studies of Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation and Isomerization (CHI) of bio-oil feeds were conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center (PARC), from which blended Coal-Biomass to Liquid (CBTL) fuel samples were evaluated a...

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