Production of Green Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels

Publisher Summary Green liquid hydrocarbon fuels (GLHF) that can fit seamlessly into existing fuel storage and distribution infrastructure appear to be both a necessity and a likely contributor to the future global fuels scenario. A number of process routes can be effectively employed to convert biofeedstock into GLHFs. These range from continuous operations such as one might find in a refinery, where triglyceride oils extracted from the oil seeds are processed in catalytic reaction systems in a process similar to crude oil processing, to converting fatty acids using biochemical fermentation-based processes, using sugars as the biofeed source and finally to coprocessing the bio-oils along with petroleum crude oil in existing refineries. While all these processes have been demonstrated to result in production of hydrocarbon fuel, the development toward commercialization is widely different The complex matrix of feedstock sources, conversion technologies, and application areas for GLHF is such that several factors have to align for long-term success. Effective supply chains, scalable production processes, appropriate conducive regulatory frameworks, and rigorous life cycle analyses are needed to ensure that correct choices are made in a critical area of energy security and environmental responsibility.