National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES IN
LARGE-SCALE BIOMASS UTILIZATION

The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities

A WORKSHOP SUMMARY

Sheena Siddiqui, Douglas Friedman, and Joe Alper, Rapporteurs

Chemical Sciences Roundtable

Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology

Division on Earth and Life Studies


NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL              

                                 OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES                        


THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS      500 Fifth Street, NW      Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant DE-FG02-07ER15872, the National Institutes of Health under Grant N01-OD-4-2139 (Task Order 25), and the National Science Foundation under Grant CHE-1231459 and Grant 0936388.

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of the their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-27864-5
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-27864-3

Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

Copyright 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

CHEMICAL SCIENCES ROUNDTABLE

CO-CHAIRS

MARK A. BARTEAU, University of Michigan

WILLIAM F. CARROLL JR., Occidental Chemical Corporation

MEMBERS

DONNA G. BLACKMOND, Scripps Research Institute

MICHAEL R. BERMAN, Air Force Office of Scientific Research

CAROLE BEWLEY, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

PAUL BRYAN,* Lygos, Inc.

EMILIO BUNEL, Argonne National Laboratory

ALLISON CAMPBELL, WR Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

MARK J. CARDILLO, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.

A.WELFORD CASTLEMAN, JR., Pennsylvania State University

RICHARD R. CAVANAGH, National Institute of Standards and Technology

KELSEY COOK, National Science Foundation

JENNIFER S. CURTIS,* University of Florida

MIGUEL GARCIA-GARIBAY, University of California, Los Angeles

JACK KAYE, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

JOHN KOZARICH, ActivX Biosciences, Inc.

LUIS E. MARTINEZ,* Rollins College

JOHN J. MCGRATH, National Science Foundation

KENNETH G. MOLOY, DuPont Company Experimental Station

ROBERT PEOPLES, American Carpet Institute

MATTHEW S. PLATZ, National Science Foundation

MICHAEL E. ROGERS, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

ERIC ROHLFING, U.S. Department of Energy

JAMES M. SOLYST, ENVIRON International Corporation

KATHLEEN J. STEBE, University of Pennsylvania

PATRICIA A. THIEL, Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University

LEVI T. THOMPSON, University of Michigan

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STAFF

DOROTHY ZOLANDZ, Director

TINA M. MASCIANGIOLI, Senior Program Officer, (until May 2012)

KATHRYN HUGHES, Senior Program Officer

DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN, Program Officer

SHEENA SIDDIQUI, Responsible Staff Officer

RACHEL YANCEY, Senior Program Assistant

AMANDA CLINE, Administrative Assistant

_______________

* These members of the Chemical Sciences Roundtable oversaw the planning of the Workshop on Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization but were not involved in the writing of this workshop summary.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

BOARD ON CHEMICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

CO-CHAIRS

PABLO G. DEBENEDETTI, Princeton University

C. DALE POULTER, University of Utah

MEMBERS

ZHENAN BAO, Stanford University, California

ROBERT BERGMAN, University of California, Berkeley

HENRY BRYNDZA, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Delaware

EMILY CARTER, Princeton University, New Jersey

DAVID CHRISTIANSON, University of Pennsylvania

MARY JANE HAGENSON, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC

CAROL J. HENRY, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

JILL HRUBY, Sandia National Laboratories

MICHAEL C. KERBY, ExxonMobil Chemical Company

CHARLES E. KOLB, Aerodyne Research, Inc.

JOSEF MICHL, University of Colorado, Boulder

SANDER G. MILLS, Merck, Sharp, & Dohme Corporation

DAVID MORSE, Corning Incorporated

ROBERT E. ROBERTS, Institute for Defense Analyses, Washington, D.C.

DARLENE J. S. SOLOMON, Aligent Laboratories, Santa Clara, California

JEAN TOM, Bristol-Myers Squib

DAVID WALT, Tufts University

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STAFF

DOROTHY ZOLANDZ, Director

TINA M. MASCIANGIOLI, Senior Program Officer (until May 2012)

KATHRYN HUGHES, Senior Program Officer

DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN, Program Officer

SHEENA SIDDIQUI, Senior Program Associate

RACHEL YANCEY, Senior Program Assistant

AMANDA CLINE, Administrative Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

Preface

The Chemical Sciences Roundtable (CSR) was established in 1997 by the National Research Council. It provides a science-oriented apolitical forum for leaders in the chemical sciences to discuss chemistry-related issues affecting government, industry, and universities. Organized by the National Research Council’s Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology, the CSR aims to strengthen the chemical sciences by fostering communication among the people and organizations—spanning industry, government, universities, and professional associations—involved with the chemical enterprise. One way it does this is by organizing workshops that address issues in chemical science and technology that require national or more widespread attention.

On May 31, 2012, the CSR held a one-day workshop that explored the current state of sustainable fuels and chemicals, and the issues surrounding their scalability for large-scale use. The workshop will also discussed the chemistry and chemical engineering opportunities to sustainably produce large-scale quantities of biofuel.

The workshop featured both formal presentations and working group deliberations in an effort to stimulate engaging discussions among participants from widely varying fields. Key questions that the participants were asked to address included:

  • What is the current state of technology in large-scale production of sustainable fuels and chemicals?
  • What are the benefits and weaknesses of current technologies?
  • What are the technological and commercial barriers to scaling sustainable technologies?
  • How can we best combine chemical technologies of different scales to maximize impact?
  • How can we identify ways in which chemical technologies of different practical scales can complement each other?

This document summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place at the workshop. In accordance with the policies of the CSR, the workshop did not attempt to establish any conclusions or recommendations about needs and future directions, focusing instead on issues identified by the speakers and workshop participants. In addition, the organizing committee’s role was limited to planning the workshop. The workshop summary has been prepared by the workshop rapporteurs, Sheena Siddiqui, Douglas Friedman, and Joe Alper, as a factual summary of what occurred at the workshop.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT INTERNET WEBSITES

The Internet information provided in this Summary was correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of publication. It is important to remember, however, the dynamic nature of the Internet. Information on websites can be transient, and is not always validated or verifiable. Resources that are free and publicly available one day may require a fee or restrict access the next, and the location of items may change as menus and homepages are reorganized.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This workshop summary has been reviewed in draft form by persons chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making the published summary as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets institutional standards of objectivity, clarity, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this workshop summary:

Maureen McCann, Purdue University

Javad Tavakoli, Lafayette College

Helena Chum, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Robert Brown, Iowa State University

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they did not see the final draft of the workshop summary before its release. The review of this summary was overseen by Sharon Haynie, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Appointed by the National Research Council, she was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this summary was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this summary rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

Acronyms

BIO Biotechnology Industry Organization
CSR Chemical Sciences Roundtable
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
GW gigawatt
EISA Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory
PSG&E Public Service Gas and Electric Company
RFS2 U.S. Renewable Fuels Standards
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R9
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R10
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R11
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R12
Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R13
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14683.
×
Page R14
Next: 1 Introduction and Overview »
Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $45.00 Buy Ebook | $36.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

Based on a one-day public workshop held in Washington, DC, Opportunities and Obstacles in Large-Scale Biomass Utilization: The Role of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Communities: A Workshop Summary explores the current state of biomass utilization for bulk-production of sustainable fuels and chemicals. The discussion focused on the chemistry and chemical engineering opportunities to meet the aforementioned objectives. Both formal presentations and breakout working groups were components of the workshop in an effort to stimulate engaging discussion among participants from widely varying fields.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!